Ms. DePaolo
HL IB English Language and Literature
Syllabus
Course Description
Welcome to IB English Language and Literature for 12th graders. This course will explore the cultural impacts of language and a critical study of literary texts. Students will read and analyze a variety of genres of text including essay, autobiography, visual images, fiction, and nonfiction. In addition to reading, we will learn and refine writing skills, master grammatical structure and convention, and become familiarized with rhetorical and literary devices.
The curriculum of this course is equivalent to that of a college level course. Students enrolled in this class should consider themselves as college level students and should prepare to work accordingly. In order to be successful in this course and on the IB exams, students will need to demonstrate a high degree of commitment to academic work and possess academic skills that meet college standards. In order to cover all of the material necessary, this course is paced very quickly and will require a lot of reading, writing, and speaking.
All students will take IB exams throughout this school year. If students achieve passing scores, they will, in most cases, earn college credit for this course as well as high school units. Additionally, success in this class and on the IB exams provide students with strong transcripts for college application.
Course Goals
Through this course, students should:
1. Examine different types of language development and evolution in human communication.
2. Show an awareness of the ways that language helps to form ideas.
3. Consider the ways that language and culture influence one another.
4. Analyze elements such as theme and the ethical stance or moral values of literary texts.
5. Understand and make appropriate use of literary terms.
6. Improve meta-cognitive thinking skills so as to respond to reading through thoughtful inquiry, articulate discussion, better test performance, and incisive writing.
7. Develop an enriched vocabulary, which is reflected in both oral and written communication.
8. Interpret and analyze visual images.
9. Use MLA citation accurately and effectively.
Attendance and Class Participation
Attendance and participation are crucial. Class discussion is a key component of this class, and participation in discussion is required. Students need to be present and prepared for lectures, class discussions, projects, and assessments. Most assignments cannot be made up, so please plan absences accordingly. If something unavoidable comes up, students are responsible for all work missed upon the day of their return. Students should exchange contact info with their peers so if they miss class, they can make up work by the time they return to class.
Homework
Because this course moves very quickly through the material, it is necessary that students complete all homework by the due date. I will not accept late work.
Essays, Reading, and Socratic Seminar
Students will write both in-class and take-home essays for this class. They will be based on assigned readings or as preparation for the IB exam. Class discussion will be conducted primarily in large groups and Socratic seminar. Student participation is necessary and graded as it demonstrates a student’s ability to articulate ideas as well as convey that the assigned reading has been completed. Students must keep up with assigned reading.
Weebly and Schoology
Students will have access to all homework and classwork on the class website. It can be found at depaolo2017.weebly.com. Students will also be able to check their progress in class either on the schoology website or on printed grade reports that I will send home at the end of each week.
Assigned Reading
The assigned reading for this course may address sensitive topics including (but not limited to) race, religion, sexuality, violence, language, etc. Please be aware that alternative assignments are available at parent request.
Grading Approximate Grading Breakdown
90-100% = A 40% Essays and Projects
80-89% = B 20% Homework
70-79% = C 40% Class Discussion and Oral Presentation
60-69% = D
0-59% = F
By signing this syllabus, you acknowledge the opportunity this class provides as well as commit to the workload necessary to prepare students for the AP exam.
______
Student Name Student Signature
______
Parent Name Parent Signature