IB DP ENGLISH B (HIGHER LEVEL) HANDBOOK

SAPPORO KAISEI SECONDARY SCHOOL

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 Contents

Introduction 1

English B (HL) 2

Aims and Objectives ３

Approaches to teaching and approaches to learning ４

Syllabus overview and content 5

Assessment 8

Glossary 10

Required Texts 11
 This course in language acquisition is designed

to provide students with both the language

skills and the intercultural understanding

necessary to enable them to communicate

successfully in environments where English is

spoken.
INTRODUCTION
Awareness of the world and showing respect

for cultural diversity will be fostered

throughout the course. This focus on

International Mindedness is central to the IB

philosophy.

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 English B (HL) is the Group 2 subject option at

Kaisei. It is expected that 240 hours will be

required to complete this course.

Students will develop their ability to

communicate in English through the study of

ENGLISH
数学 B
ＨＬについて language, themes and texts. They will also

develop their conceptual understanding of how

HIGHER LEVEL (HL) language works – why and how do people use

language to communicate?

A range of written and spoken texts will be

studied, and will provide insight into cultural

awareness and understanding. Additionally, at

Higher Level, students are required to study

two literary works.

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 Language Acquisition Aims

1. Develop international-mindedness through

the study of languages, cultures, and ideas and
issues of global significance.

2. Enable students to communicate in the

language they have studied in a range of
contexts and for a variety of purposes.
AIMS AND
APPROACHES TO
3. Encourage, through the study of texts and
OBJECTIVES
TEACHING AND through social interaction, an awareness and
appreciation of a variety of perspectives of
APPROACHES TO
people from diverse cultures.

LEARNING 4. Develop students’ understanding of the

relationship between the languages and
cultures with which they are familiar.

5. Develop students’ awareness of the

importance of language in relation to other
areas of knowledge.

6. Provide students, through language learning

and the process of inquiry, with opportunities
for intellectual engagement and the
development of critical- and creative-thinking
skills.

7. Provide students with a basis for further

study, work and leisure through the use of an
additional language.

8. Foster curiosity, creativity and a lifelong

enjoyment of language learning.

P.13, IB DP Language B guide

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 Through approaches to learning in language
acquisition courses, students develop skills that
have relevance across all areas that help them
“learn how to learn”.

Thinking skills – students will not simply

memorize content, but use higher-order
thinking skills in their language learning
APPROACHES TO process.

TEACHING AND Research skills – Students will find, validate,

and evaluate authentic resources in developing
APPROACHES TO their linguistic and intercultural knowledge.

LEARNING Communication skills – students will learn how

to communicate effectively in different
contexts, and for different audiences.
International-mindedness will be fostered
through the study of language and culture and
how they are interrelated.

Social skills – Collaboration will be a point of

focus in the course, with social communication
skills and behavior emphasized.

Self-management skills – Students will show a

strong willingness to learn independently, and
will reflect on their own progress throughout
the course.

P.58-59, IB DP Language B guide

Teaching will continue to be inquiry-based,

with an emphasis on learning language in
global and local contexts. The inextricable link
between language and culture will also form a
crucial part of the course.

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Overview

The study of language requires careful

attention to forms, structures, functions and
conceptual understandings of language.
Knowledge of vocabulary and grammar—the
what of language—is reinforced and extended
by understanding the why and how of
language: audience, context, purpose,
meaning.
Students expand the range of their
communication skills by understanding and
producing a wide variety of oral and written
texts for audiences, contexts and purposes
associated with academic and personal
interests.
For the development of receptive skills,
language B students must study authentic texts
that explore the culture(s) of the target
language. In addition, the study of two literary
works is required at HL.

P.17, IB DP Language B guide

Content
i) Themes
There are five prescribed themes in language
B, and they provide relevant contexts for
students to communicate about matters of
personal, local or national, and global interest.
The five prescribed themes are:
• identities
• experiences
• human ingenuity
• social organization
• sharing the planet.
*These five themes will be addressed equally in
the English B course.
*For more information on the themes, refer to
p19-20 of the IB DP Language B guide.

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Content
ii) Texts
In the English B course written, visual, audio
and audio-visual texts are organized into three
broad categories:
personal texts e.g. blog, diary, e-mail
professional texts e.g. proposal, survey,
instructions
mass media texts e.g. advertisement, news
report, travel guide
*For more information on the themes, refer to
p20-22 of the IB DP Language B guide.

iii) Literature

Literature can help students to broaden their

vocabulary and use language to express
opinions and explore ideas. It can also provide
opportunities for the development of
international-mindedness.

Literary criticism is not an objective of this

course. The study of literature in English B is
intended as a stimulus for discussion and the
expression of ideas and opinions.

iv) Conceptual understanding

DP students are encouraged to make use of the

thinking, communication and research skills
they have developed over years of experience
in school, and to transfer those skills to the
target language. The idea of how successful
understanding and communication depends on
attention to audience, context, purpose,
meaning and language variation is emphasized.

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Course Outline
Below is an example of units which may be covered, and their related themes.
Topic Content
Identities You will investigate how our individual identities are
Citizens of the World shaped by the diverse cultures in which we are raised.
Identities You will explore why this is an issue of importance, and
Disappearing Languages think about the relationship between perspective and
language.
Experiences You will explore the reasons behind migration, and how
Migration it is changing the world.
Experiences You will learn about why people push themselves to
Extreme Sports their limits in the world of extreme sports.
Human Ingenuity You will consider the effect of technology on human
Technology and human interaction.
interaction
Human Ingenuity You will consider the ethical questions that come with
Future Humans scientific and technological development.
Social Organization You will develop your understanding of how
The future of jobs technological development and globalization are
affecting the world of work.
Social Organization You will think about what it means to be “partners for
Partners for life life”, and consider the effect of cultural differences on
marriage and partnership.
Sharing the Planet You will learn about the causes and effects of climate
Climate change change, and think of ways in which we can alleviate it.
Sharing the Planet You will think about how tourists impact the areas they
Responsible Travelling visit, and consider the importance of ecotourism.

Literature Study
Class time will also be assigned to the two works of literature – Animal Farm and
Stargirl. It is hoped that through reading these thought-provoking and acclaimed
works, students will be exposed to the pleasure of reading in another language, find
the process intellectually stimulating, and gain insights into intercultural
understanding.
A range of tasks will be given to the students, so that they can both show their
understanding and have enjoyment through creative and imaginative exercises. In
both Year 1 and 2 of the course, students will be prepared for the Individual Oral
assessment. Discussion of both the selected texts and other readings will be regularly
conducted, in group activities and in one-on-one sessions with the teacher.

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Both external and internal assessments are
used in the DP. IB examiners mark work
produced for external assessment, while work
produced for internal assessment is marked by
teachers and externally moderated by the IB.

For more details on assessment format and

criterion descriptors, refer to p36-39 and p50-
56 of the IB DP Language B guide.

Assessment Objectives
1. Communicate clearly and effectively in a
range of contexts and for a variety of purposes.
2. Understand and use language appropriate to
a range of interpersonal and/or intercultural
contexts and audiences.
3. Understand and use language to express and
respond to a range of ideas with fluency and
accuracy.
4. Identify, organize and present ideas on a
range of topics.
5. Understand, analyse and reflect upon a
range of written, audio, visual and audio-visual
texts.

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 English B Assessment Outline (HL)
Assessment component Weighting
External Assessment (3 hours 30 mins) 75 %
Paper 1 (1 hour 30 mins) 25%
Productive Skills – writing (30 marks)

One writing task of 450–600 words from a choice of three, each

from a different theme, choosing a text type from among those
listed in the examination instructions.

Paper 2 (2 hours) 50%

Receptive skills—separate sections for listening and reading (65 marks)

Listening comprehension (1 hour) (25 marks) *

Reading comprehension (1 hour) (40 marks)

Comprehension exercises on three audio passages and three written

texts, drawn from all five themes.
Internal assessment 25%
This component is internally assessed by the teacher and
externally moderated by the IB at the end of the course.
Individual oral assessment
A conversation with the teacher, based on an extract from one of
the literary works studied in class, followed by discussion based
on one or more of the themes from the syllabus. (30 marks)
P.30, IB DP Language B guide

For paper 1, there are three assessment criteria with markbands. Detailed marking
notes are used by the examiners in assessing the task. P.37-39, IB DP Language B guide

For paper 2, there are markschemes.

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 Students should be familiar with the following key terms
and phrases used in examination questions, which are to
be understood as described below. Although these
terms will be used frequently in examination questions,
other terms may be used to direct students to present
an argument in a specific way.

Command terms for language acquisition P.62, IB DP Language

GLOSSARY B guide

Command term Definition

Analyze Break down in order to bring out
the essential elements or
structure.
Demonstrate Make clear by reasoning or
evidence, illustrating with
examples or practical application.
Describe Give a detailed account.
Discuss Offer a considered and balanced
review that includes a range of
arguments, factors or hypotheses.
Opinions or conclusions should be
presented clearly and supported
by appropriate evidence.
Evaluate Make an appraisal by weighing up
the strengths and limitations.
Examine Consider an argument or concept
in a way that uncovers the
assumptions and interrelationships
of the issue.
Explain Give a detailed account including
reasons or causes.
Identify Provide an answer from a number
of possibilities.
Outline Give a brief account or summary.
Present Offer for display, observation,
examination or consideration.
State Give a specific name, value or
other brief answer without
explanation or calculation.

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 Required Texts

Coursebook:

English B for the IB Diploma Coursebook

Second Edition

Brad Philpot

Cambridge University Press, 2018

Literature:

1) Stargirl

Jerry Spinelli

Ember, Reprint 版

May 2002

2) Animal Farm

George Orwell

Penguin Essentials

2008

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