International School of Latvia

2013/2014

English B HL Course Syllabus, Year 2

Mrs. Sarah Bevel

Course Description:

The main focus of the English B course is on language acquisition and development of language skills. These language skills should be developed through the study and use of a range of written and spoken material. Such material will extend from everyday oral exchanges to literary texts, and is related to cultures using English as a language of communication. The material is chosen to enable students to develop mastery of language skills and intercultural understanding.

The course is organized through a core and options, all of which are well suited to fostering an international perspective. The English B course seeks to develop international understanding and foster a concern for global issues, as well as to raise students’ awareness of their own responsibility at a local level. It also seeks to develop students’ intercultural awareness, which contributes to the relationship between English and the international dimension.

Core Topics:

Communications and Media: How do people interact, transmit and gather data for the purposes of information and entertainment?

Global Issues: Current matters impacting at regional, national, and or international level, addressed from the perspective of English speaking cultures.

Social Relationships: How do people interrelate and behave as members of a community, individually or in groups?

Options Topics:

Health: Physical, mental and social well-being; illness-related matters

Leisure: Activities performed for enjoyment

Science and Technology: relationship between these two and their impact on the community.

Cultural Diversity: Ethnic, gender, racial, psychological and socio-economic varieties within the English-speaking community.

Customs and Traditions: Current and past practices, representations, expressions and knowledge that belong to English-speaking communities.

Assessment

At the end of Grade 12, students take part in both internal and external assessment tasks. Oral language is assessed internally through activities organised by the teacher. Reading and writing achievement is assessed through a final examination set by the International Baccalaureate Organisation (IBO).

Assessment for HL English Language B is made up of two parts.

External AssessmentWriting component______70%

Paper 1Text Handling 1.5 hours

Reading - Students are required to read five written texts and answer questions related to them (based on Core Topics) (25%)

Paper 2Written production 1.5 hours

A:Writing Task – 250-400 word task, chosen from 5 tasks (Options).(25%)

B:Writing Response - 150-250 words in response to a stimulus text. (Core)

Written Assignment(20%)

Creative writing of 500-600 words plus a 150-word rationale based on one of the literary texts.

Internal AssessmentOral component _____30%

Students are required to complete two oral activities to be internally assessed by the teacher and externally moderated by the IBO.

Individual Oral(20%)

During the final year of the course, students are required to participate in a 2 part individual oral task: the student making a presentation and then answering follow-up questions in a discussion with the teacher, and a general discussion on an unprepared topic chosen by the teacher. (based on Options)

Interactive Oral Activity(10%)

Oral skills will be developed through a number of interactive class activities. These may take the form of a debate, class discussion of a topic /literary text/ film, Q and A session in response to a student’s presentation or group/ pair activities. The mark of one interactive oral activity will be kept for the internal assessment component. (based on Core)

English B

Class Expectations

Class Grading Policy

Approaches to Learning (10%)

Written Assignments (40%)

Oral Presentation and Discussion (30%)

Semester Exam (20%)

In English class, assignment scores will be based on rubrics out of 10, 25, 45 or 60 points. These are based on learning criteria (not numerical percentage calculations). To see how rubric scores are converted into percentages on Powerschool and the IB 1- 7 grade, please refer to the chart below.

English B

GRADE CONVERSION CHART

IB Grade / Percentage / Score/60
Paper 1 / Score/45
Paper 2 / Score/25
WA / Score/20
Ind Oral / Score/10
Int Oral
7 / 95 + / 55-60 / 41-45 / 22-25 / 19-20 / 10
High 6 / 90-94 / 53-54 / 37-40 / 21 / 17-18 / 9
Low to mid 6 / 87-89 / 48-52 / 32-36 / 18-20 / 16 / 8
High 5 / 84-86 / 46-47 / 30-31 / 17 / 14-15 / 7
Low to mid 5 / 80-83 / 41-45 / 28-29 / 15-16 / 12-13 / 6
High 4 / 77-79 / 39-40 / 26-27 / 14 / 11 / 5
Low to mid 4 / 74-76 / 34-38 / 21-25 / 12-13 / 10 / 5
High 3 / 70-73 / 31-33 / 19-20 / 11 / 9 / 4
Low to mid 3 / 67-69 / 24-30 / 14-18 / 8-9 / 8 / 4
High 2 / 64-66 / 18-23 / 10-13 / 7 / 7 / 3
Low 2 / 60-63 / 12-17 / 6-9 / 5-6 / 6 / 2
1 / 60 or less / 11 or less / 5 or less / 5 or less / 5 or less / 1 or less

Important Policies:

Submission of Work

Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date, in the form specified by the teacher(printed, or emailed/posted online). Late homework will be accepted with a 10-20% drop in grade per day, depending on the size of the assignment. If late more than 4 days, the assignment will be accepted for a grade of 1 (50%) in the Grade book until the last day of the quarter to hand in late work. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that printing and technology are dealt with in a timely manner to avoid a delay in submission. Assignments must follow proper formatting guidelines, or they will not be accepted.

Absence

It is the student’s responsibility to keep up with homework requirements online and with the teacher. If a student is absent, he or she must first check the class website to see what work is due. Also, he/she must come and see the teacher to clarify what expectations are.

If a student is departing on a planned absence, all work must be submitted IN ADVANCE, or according to a special agreement with the teacher.

All work for unexcused absences will be awarded a zero. A student will be able to make up the work for a maximum of 50% (1) in the Grade book.

Make-up tests – If you miss a test, you must be prepared to take the test on the day you return.

Class Website

We will have a class website, also accessible via Moodle. The student will be responsible for checking it on a daily basis. The teacher will post important requirements, due dates and resources on the website.

Academic Honesty

All students are expected to maintain academic honesty. Any attempt to submit someone else’s work, copying homework, use of notes, exam communications, etc. is unacceptable and will result in serious consequences at ISL.

Approaches to Learning

Students should demonstrate positive learning attitudes and behaviors:

Homework/classwork completion

Interacting with, supporting and learning from all class members.

Coming to class on time and prepared with all necessary materials, as well as starting class with all electronic devices switched off and put away.

Using language appropriately during class time (speaking English for the academic setting).

Proactively approaching other students and teacher for help with assignments when needed.