Mission Statement

The English Department at ISB recognizes that English is a vital way of communicating in school, in public and internationally and is likely to continue to grow in importance.
To this end our aim is to :

• design and follow schemes of work that allow all students to develop their Speaking & Listening, Reading and Writing skills to their full potential, regardless of the student's race, gender, religion or social background
• assist with students' spiritual, moral, social and cultural development by engaging in a carefully planned range of tasks and activities, and the study of a variety of literary texts
• equip all students to become independent, critical thinkers and learners to enable them to succeed in all areas of school life, in public examinations and in life after school

The Department

The English Department at ISB consists of seven specialist teachers, backed by the Learning Support team and the EAL Department. All the teachers are widely experienced and have taught in a wide range of schools and institutions around the world.

Please also visit the English Department website for more details: http://isbruneienglishdepartment.weebly.com/ or click on thumbnail below.

Curriculum

Lower Secondary

The curriculum in Lower Secondary is based on the UK National Curriculum. Students complete at least one of the following units each year: Prose, Drama, Poetry, Fiction and Non-Fiction Writing, Media and Literary Heritage. These units are designed sequentially so that each year the units build on previous knowledge and skills. Students will also work on the technical aspects such as spelling, punctuation and grammar. Moreover, a reading programme that runs alongside the teaching has been developed to improve students’ reading skills.

There is flexibility built into the programmes to reflect the different needs of the students and the different strengths and interests of the staff. However, all classes will follow an agreed programme and standardise assessments each term to ensure consistency.

In 2013-14, there will be four mainstream classes in each year group to allow for smaller classes where students of all abilities can strive.

In each year group a small number of students whose native tongue is not English and who are still in the process of mastering the language receive extra English teaching by the Language Support Department.

All work is regularly marked and assessed. For major pieces of work students are graded according to the UK National Curriculum scale of 1-8 (8 being the highest). The mark-scheme for reading and writing is available on the website. Students are also assessed for their reading age, using the NFER assessments. All students will take a standardised National Curriculum SATS test at the end of each year so that the department can make comparisons across the year group.

One major aim of the department, and the school as a whole, is to encourage the students to take responsibility for their own learning. Students regularly undertake self-assessment exercises where they set realistic goals for themselves.

Lower Secondary Curriculum Overview 2013-14 and Assessment Criteria

Click on thumbnail or link to view full details of Lower Secondary Overview 2013-14 and Assessment Criteria.

Lower Secondary Curriculum Overview 2013-14		Lower Secondary Assessment Criteria

IGCSE

All the students will be entered for IGCSE First Language and most will also be entered for IGCSE English Literature.

In 2013-14 in both Y10 and Y11, there will be one English First Language class where students will focus on developing their English proficiency as well as learning to appreciate works of literature without the pressure of preparing for an examination. All the other classes will prepare themselves for both English First Language and English Literature.

All written work is set following the requirements of the syllabuses and work is regularly marked and assessed, using the IGCSE criteria.

ENGLISH - FIRST LANGUAGE

Course Summary

At ISB all students will study IGCSE First Language English. Students can be entered for either the Core or Extended level. The IGCSE First Language English course develops the ability to read critically and write in a variety of styles for different purposes and audiences.

The aims of the course are to:

• Enable students to communicate accurately, appropriately and effectively in speech and writing.
• Enable students to understand and respond appropriately to what they hear, read and experience.
  Encourage students to enjoy and appreciate variety of language.
• Complement students' other areas of study by developing skills of a more general application, e.g. analysis, drawing of inferences, etc.
• Promote students' personal development and an understanding of themselves and others.

Assessment Summary

• Paper 1 (Core)/2 (Extended) - Reading passages- 50%.
• Paper 3 – Directed writing and Composition - 50%

 

ENGLISH - LITERATURE

Course Summary

At ISB, the majority of students will also study IGCSE English Literature. The IGCSE English Literature involves the analysis of demanding and challenging literature drawn from different countries and time periods.

Students will analyse texts from the following areas:

• Drama
• Prose
• Poetry

The course aims to develop students' ability to:

• Enjoy the experience of reading literature.
• Understand and respond to literary texts in different forms and from different periods and cultures.
• Communicate and inform personal responses appropriately and effectively.
• Appreciate different ways in which writers achieve their effects.
• Experience literature's contribution to aesthetic, imaginative and intellectual growth.
• Explore the contribution of literature to an understanding of areas of human concern.

Assessment Summary for Year 11 in 2013-14

• Paper 4 (Exam- Closed book) - 2 hrs 15 minutes, 3 tasks; one on each of the following genres: Drama, Prose, Poetry – 75%
• Paper 5 (Exam- Closed book) – 45 minutes, 1 task one studied text - 25% 

Assessment Summary for Year 10 in 2013-15 (New Syllabus)

• Component 1 (Exam- Closed book) – 1 hr 30 minutes, 2 tasks; one on Prose and one on Poetry – 50%
• Component 3 (Exam – Open book) – 45 minutes, 1 task on a Drama text – 25%
• Component 4 (Exam) – 1 hr 15 minutes, 1 task on an unseen text – 25%

 

IGCSE Curriculum Overview 2013-14

Click on thumbnail or link to view full details.

Year 10 First Language Overview and Syllabus & Year 10 Literature Overview and Syllabus		Year 11 First Language Overview and Syllabus  & Y11  Literature Overview and Syllabus

 

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP)

Students in Years 12 and 13 follow the IB Diploma course. All students need to study English as part of their IB course. We offer two Group 1 courses in English:

Language A: Literature

Language A: Language and Literature

Students can choose to do either course at either Higher or Standard Level.

The IB course places great emphasis on independent learning and students are constantly encouraged to offer their own opinions, based on their reading of the texts. Wider reading is essential for success at this level.

All written work is set following the requirements of the IBDP guides and work is regularly marked and assessed, using the IBDP criteria.

 

IBDP Language A: Literature:

The course is built on the assumption that literature is concerned with our conceptions, interpretations and experiences of the world. The study of literature can therefore be seen as an exploration of the way it represents the complex pursuits, anxieties, joys and fears to which human beings are exposed in the daily business of living. It enables an exploration of one of the more enduring fields of human creativity, and provides opportunities for encouraging independent, original, critical and clear thinking. It also promotes respect for the imagination and a perceptive approach to the understanding and interpretation of literary works.

Through the study of a wide range of literature, the language A: literature course encourages students to appreciate the artistry of literature and to develop an ability to reflect critically on their reading. Works are studied in their literary and cultural contexts, through close study of individual texts and passages, and by considering a range of critical approaches. In view of the international nature of the IB and its commitment to intercultural understanding, the language A: literature course does not limit the study of works to the products of one culture or the cultures covered by any one language. The study of works in translation is especially important in introducing students, through literature, to other cultural perspectives. The response to the study of literature is through oral and written communication, thus enabling students to develop and define their command of language.

The course is divided into four parts, each with a particular focus.

• Part 1: Works in translation

• Part 2: Detailed study

• Part 3: Literary genres

• Part 4: Options (in which works are freely chosen)

Assessment Summary:

External examinations

Paper 1 (Exam) - 2 hrs at HL, 1 hr 30 minutes at SL – Unseen Commentary - 20%

Part 3: Paper 2 (Exam) – 2 hrs at HL, 1 hr 30 minutes at SL- Comparative essay - 25%

Internal examinations

Part 1: Written Assignment - 25%

Part 2: Individual Oral Commentary - 15%

Part 4: Individual Oral presentation - 15%

IBDP Language A: language and literature:

Language A: language and literature comprises four parts-two relate to the study of language and two to the study of literature. The study of the texts produced in a language is central to an active engagement with language and culture and, by extension, to how we see and understand the world in which we live. A key aim of the language A: language and literature course is to encourage students to question the meaning generated by language and texts, which, it can be argued, is rarely straightforward and unambiguous. Helping students to focus closely on the language of the texts they study and to become aware of the role of each text's wider context in shaping its meaning is central to the course.

The language A: language and literature course aims to develop in students skills of textual analysis and the understanding that texts, both literary and non-literary, can be seen as autonomous yet simultaneously related to culturally determined reading practices. The course is designed to be flexible-teachers have the opportunity to construct it in a way that reflects the interests and concerns that are relevant to their students while developing in students a range of transferable skills. An understanding of the ways in which formal elements are used to create meaning in a text is combined with an exploration of how that meaning is affected by reading practices that are culturally defined and by the circumstances of production and reception.

Assessment Summary:

External examinations

Paper 1 (Exam) - 2 hrs at HL, 1 hr 30 minutes at SL – Comparative analysis of two Unseen texts at HL; Textual analysis of one Unseen text at SL - 25%

Part 3: Paper 2 (Exam) - 2 hrs at HL, 1 hr 30 minutes at SL - Comparative Essay - 25%

Internal examinations

Part 1: Further Oral Activity – 15%

Part 2: Further Oral Activity - 15%

Part 4: Individual Oral Commentary - 15%

One Furter Oral Activity will be submitted for external moderation.

Written Task: Students produce three to four written tasks based on material studied in all four parts of the course. Students submit two written tasks at HL and one written task at SL for external assessment - 20%

IBDP Curriculum Overview 2013-14

Literature Guide

Click on thumbnail or link to access full details of IBDP Literature Guide

Y12 Literature overview

Y13 Literature overview

Language and Literature Guide

Click on thumbnail or link to access full detail of IDBP Language and Literature Guide

IDBP Language and Literature Guide (Part 1)		IDBP Language and Literature Guide (Part 2)

Y12 HL Language and Literature overview

Y12 SL Language and Literature overview

Y13 Language and Literature overview

Extra Curricular Activities

The English Department is involved in several activities outside of the classroom. We try to ensure that each year we provide activities which complement the Key Skills in English: Speaking and Listening, Writing and Reading. Speaking and Listening: ISB prides itself in the opportunities it provides for students to practise their speaking and listening. The school runs the BGIC Conference and many of our students apply to run as delegates and chairs at this prestigious event. The school also runs several trips to various Model United Nations (MUN) conferences which again allow students opportunities to hone their speaking and listening skills in a formal setting. The English department runs the ISB Speech Competition every year and as a whole-school event, every student gets a chance to display their oratory skills. Reading: Students visit the library on a regular basis and are encouraged to read books outside the curriculum. The English department runs a reading programme alongside the teaching of the curriculum and it has been developed to improve students’ reading skills as well as their joy for reading. Writing: Students have a range of opportunities to extend their writing should they wish to. The Secondary Newsletter is written by the students who report on whatever happens in the school. Poetry Week is celebrated every year. This is a great opportunity for all the students in Secondary to try their hand at writing their own poetry. All students have a chance to submit work to the Short Story Competition run by FOBBISEA. ISB Film Festival - June: All Lower Secondary students have scripted, shot, edited and produced their group movie, an adaptation of one of the texts of literature taught during the year.

Writer Visit: ISB tries to bring in an established author to run workshops where possible. This year Adisa the Verbaliser and Tim Clare visited the school and ran writing workshops with all the year groups.

By: Angelique Gougeon
      Head of English