English Language for the IB Diploma

Contents Introduction Section 1 Readers, writers and texts 1.1 Why and how do we study literature? 1.2 How are we affected by literary texts in various ways? 1.3 How does language use vary among literary forms? 1.4 How does the structure or style of a literary text affect meaning? 1.5 How do literary texts offer insights and challenges? 1.6 In what ways is meaning constructed, negotiated, expressed and interpreted? Section 2 Time and space 2.1 How important is cultural or historical context to the production and reception of a literary text? 2.2 How do we approach literary texts from different times and cultures to our own? 2.3 To what extent do literary texts offer insight into another culture? 2.4 How does the meaning and impact of a literary text change over time? 2.5 How do literary texts reflect, represent or form a part of cultural practices? 2.6 How does language represent social distinctions and identities? Section 3 Intertextuality: Connecting texts 3.1 How do conventions and systems of reference evolve over time? 3.2 How do literary texts adhere to and deviate from conventions associated with literary forms? 3.3 In what ways can diverse literary texts share points of similarity? 3.4 How valid is the notion of a 'classic' literary text? 3.5 How can literary texts offer multiple perspectives of a single issue, topic or theme? 3.6 In what ways can comparison and interpretation be transformative? Glossary Notes on the activities Acknowledgements Index