IBMYP English

What are Global Issues in the Middle Year Programme?

Sometimes the world may seem like an infinite space of land, countries so far away that we may feel as though events that take place on the other side of the Earth have no ramifications on our lives, causing us to ignore these occurrences which are hurting humans we will never meet. These events may be connected to all or any of the following: racism, sexism, migration, consequences of climate change, stigmas on mental health (to name just a few). The IBDP English Language & Literature and English Literature curricula categorises these concepts under one short heading: “Global Issues”. The exam board describes them as any event that has significant, widespread implications in the world, on a local level and across borders. As an international curriculum the International Baccalaureate has the human at its core, aiming to ‘promote intercultural understanding and respect, not as an alternative to a sense of cultural and national identity, but as an essential part of life in the 21st century.’ Global Issues are particularly important for the IBDP English Language & Literature and English Literature exams, all of which the Middle Years Programme (MYP) aims to prepare the student for. Hence, it is important that students follow the current social and political events taking place around the world by immersing themselves in reading articles, watching documentaries, and listening to podcasts.

How and why are Global Issues important for the MYP?

Students in the Middle Years Programme will be exposed to texts which will provide them with the skills to study the IBDP’s English Language & Literature curricula. They will be exposed to a myriad of non-fiction texts such as articles, adverts, comic strips, interviews, and infographics. The time periods in which these texts were written can vary. They can, for example, be given a travel writing piece from the 1800s or a makeup advert from the 1960s. Aside from analysing the texts’ language and stylistic features, students will be expected to comment on the global issues which have influenced the creation of the given texts. For instance, in regard to the makeup advert mentioned above which may contain words and images which portray females as mere accessories or trophies, the students will be expected to comment on how the time in which the ad was released and the social and political situation in the country the text was created in heavily prompted its message and style. The students’ study of non-literary texts is directly connected to the Paper 1 component of the IBDP English Language & Literature exam.

Of course, the Global Issues are not only limited to the Paper 1 section of the IBDP English Language & Literature exam but are also relevant for the Paper 1 exam of the IBDP English Literature syllabus. During the MYP the student will also be expected to analyse poems and extracts from prose pieces and plays. Not only will they study the texts in terms of language and structure but they will also look at how the writer’s lifestyle, upbringing, and the happenstances during the time in which they were alive affected the texts they created. For example, someone who has been forced to migrate due to war, famine, or political reasons will be more likely to write literary texts that study themes of displacement, immigration, and adapting to the adopted land. On the other hand, a black writer who has grown up in a segregated US during the early 1900s is more likely to write about themes of racism, alienation, and poverty. Hence, the student will comment on how the literary texts’ characters, plot, language, structural features, and setting displays a global issue.

Global Issues are also relevant to the Paper 2 component of the IBDP English Language & Literature and English Literature exams. This component consists of the study of full-length selections of novels, plays, short story collections, and poems. During the course of the MYP students will start reading long texts which they will study through a variety of perspectives such as character development, plot, the writer’s creation of setting, the use of language and style, and most importantly themes. These themes are, in essence, the backbone of the literary texts, connecting readers to certain characters or to the plot in general. These themes will be connected to a global issue. A popular text that the student may be exposed to during the MYP studies is Catcher in the Rye by J.D Salinger, the story of a teenage boy who feels disconnected from his surroundings, mostly due to his upbringing. One of the most prominent themes in the novel is the struggles of growing up, the physical and emotional transition from childhood to teenagerhood to adulthood and the role one’s parents play during this process. Thus, one of the global issues that the students can consider when reading the novel is neglect in parent-child relationships. Of course, when considering a global issue, the student will also need to delve deep into the historical context of the novel, hence the social and political events taking place during the time of the writer’s life which may have influenced and shaped the literary text.

Last but not least, global issues are particularly important for the Individual Oral (IO) which consists of a ten-minute presentation and a five-minute discussion with the subject teacher. For the IBDP English Language & Literature exam, the oral exam consists of the study of two non-literary texts exploring the same global issue. For the IBDP English Literature exam the oral exam consists of a study of two literary texts and a global issue. The students will need to study their chosen texts and do close language analysis to explore how the writers of both texts explore the global issue similarly, differently, or both. They will also need to comment on why this is the case by researching the historical and social context of the texts. The MYP does provide the students with basic training for the IO where they will most likely need to prepare a shortened version of five minutes, instead of the ten required for the IBDP.

Literature’s Close Relationship with History

Literature should not be considered a standalone subject and is best studied and understood alongside history. This does not mean that the student needs to study history at school during the Middle Years Programme (MYP) or the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP), but it suggests that the learner should remain a curious individual who reads and researches the past themselves, especially in conjunction with the literature they study at school as part of their English classes or those that they read for pleasure.

Works of literature not only provide us with the ability to escape our own realities, helping us plunge into alternative universes, the past, the present and the future, even different parts of the world, exposing us to different cultures, different lifestyles, but it also enhances our understanding of history and the societal constructs of different eras. History, especially, plays a vital role in influencing literature’s creation. Every single literary piece is a reflection of the political and social situations of the time in which they were created. They provide us with a glimpse of the writers’ views, outlook, and approach towards the happenstances of their lifetime. This idea is further developed by literary theorist and critic Roland Barthes, who in his renowned essay ‘The Death of the Author’ claims that ‘[t]he Author […] is always conceived as the past of his own book; the book and the author takes place of their own accord on the same line, cast as a before and an after: the Author is supposed to feed the book—that is, he pre-exists it, thinks, suffers, lives for it’ (Barthes 1967). Here, Barthes comments on how, although literature is independent of its author, continued to be read and studied generations after the writer’s death, it is nevertheless heavily dependent on its creator's struggles and experiences. The author must live, must endure, must observe the social and political situations of their time in order to create.

Historical and Social Context’s Importance for the English Middle Years Programme (MYP)

Throughout their English MYP studies students will be exposed to a variety of literary texts such as novels, poetry collections, short stories, and plays, to gain the necessary skills to sit their IBDP exams in the last year of their high school studies. When students think of English, they think of comprehension and language analysis, a focus on literary devices, structural features, and the writer’s word choices, but equally important is the understanding of why the writer wrote the text and what inspired them. What’s more, commenting on the historical and social context of a literary piece is an essential part of both the IBDP English Literature and English Language & Literature syllabuses which the students will be training for during the MYP. This is evident in the Criterion B section of the Paper 2 component of both syllabuses’ mark schemes: ‘To what extent does the candidate analyse and evaluate how textual features and/or authorial choices shape meaning?’ The author’s ‘authorial choices’, by which the mark scheme means the nature of the characters, the development of the plot, the use of language and structure, the creation of setting, and the inclusion of themes, is heavily affected by their experiences, hence the students should interweave context into their analysis.

To give an example, we can take a look at Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Written in 1886 during the Victorian Era the novella is just one book written during the gothic literary movement. The story focuses on the life of Dr Henry Jekyll, a scientist. During the course of the text, Jekyll demonstrates a struggle with his identity, as he switches back and forth between his original self (as Jekyll) and his evil alter ego Mr. Edward Hyde who commits horrendous crimes. The novella’s themes of dualism, spiritualism, and the fear of the consequences of scientific developments on the human psyche are reflective of the reactions and feelings of the Victorian Era society who believed that science and faith were in conflict with one another, and that the former challenged the existence of God. Thus, if Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is indeed one of the books studied during the MYP or the IBDP, when discussing Henry Jekyll’s transformation and the reactions of the other characters in regard to his transformation, the student will need to include information about how these reflect the Victorian society’s functioning and mindset.

Of course, touching upon historical and social context is not only a requirement for literary texts, but also a necessity to understand non-literary ones such as adverts, speeches, and travel writing pieces which the student will be studying in preparation for the IBDP English Language and Literature exam’s Paper 1 component. For instance, when analysing a travel writing piece, one such example of which is explorer Amerigo Vespucci’s letter to his patron Lorenzo di Pier Francesco de Medici, written in 1499, where he documents his “discovery” of South America, the student needs to have an understanding of the world during the 15th century. The student will need to know the lack globalisation and multiculturalism to understand how they shape the writer’s use of language. In this letter Vespucci adopts a language that can nowadays be considered to be racist, objectifying the native people of Brazil and calling their lives ‘very barbarous’ (Vespucci 1499). It is important to understand how Vespucci’s use of language to describe the indigenous people of Brazil was large affected by people’s limited exposure to other cultures in the 15th century, mostly due to the difficult nature of travelling. Hence, this is a point that the student can make when writing their commentary on the given text.

In short, it is evident that to ignore a literary piece’s historical and social context, is to miss the opportunity of fully understanding its meaning and essence. It is possible to derive a meaning from literature without considering the historical and social context, as the student can merely focus on literary devices and structural features, but their analysis will lack depth. So, it is essential that students stay curious, reading books, listening to podcasts, watching documentaries on history to understand how societies functioned in the past, but also how our pasts affect our present (and of course so that students are able to write well-rounded analyses during their English MYP studies which will ultimately lead to the IBDP).

During their Language and Literature IB-MYP studies, students will be provided with different text types (non-literary or literary) of varied lengths (full-length novels and plays, short story and poetry collections, extracts from speeches, travel writing pieces, diaries, letters, etc.). After analysing them in detail, focusing on elements such as themes, motifs, symbols, plot, setting, character, word choice, literary devices, structural features, historical & social context, and target audience, students will be expected to undertake formative exams, generally after every unit, to designate their level of understanding of the provided subject matter. During these exams, students may be asked to write a long analytical essay, a creative piece (e.g., a short story, poem, the design of a book cover), and submit a recorded oral presentation. These exams are graded according to four criteria as specified on the mark scheme provided by the International Baccalaureate. Below will be listed the requirements the student needs to fulfil in order to receive a Level 7 (the highest grade):

The first Criterion (A) evaluates the student’s Analysis skills. The IBMYP syllabus writes that the student needs to:

‘demonstrate an understanding of the creator’s choices, the relationship between the various components of a text and between texts, and make inferences about audience responses and creator’s purposes. Students use the text to support their own responses and reflect on different perspectives and interpretations.’

This criterion is particularly relevant to long analytical essays and the oral presentation where the student is provided with a question (either asking them to analyse a certain theme in a literary/non-literary text or a specific character in a literary text) on a text they have been studying in class. The criterion assesses the student’s ability to comprehend the reason behind the writer’s choice of language (i.e., why they may have opted for one word over the another, the effect of a particular metaphor, why they may have given a character particular personality traits). Students also need to consider how different audiences may respond to the text. For instance, if the student is studying a text written in the 1800s, they will need to know a little about the accepted social norms at the time, to be able to understand how their reaction to a text would be different from that of a modern audience. When writing their essay to ensure that they achieve a Level 7 for this criterion students need to provide evidence, including quotes from the text to support their claims. To do this they need to follow a Points, Evidence, Analysis, Link (PEAL) or Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link (PEEL) structure in their writing.

The second Criterion (B) assesses the student’s Organisational skills. The syllabus states that to do well in this criterion students should:

‘understand and organize their ideas and opinions using a range of appropriate conventions for different forms and purposes of communications. Students recognize the importance of maintaining academic honesty, respecting intellectual property rights and referencing all sources accurately.’

For this criterion the student will need to consider the nature of the task assigned to them and decide the form and structure they need to use accordingly. For example, if asked to write a long essay or deliver an oral presentation the student will need to use the PEAL or PEEL style of writing as specified above. On the other hand, if they are asked to produce a creative piece, which may include writing a poem or a short story, they need to consider using stanzas for the former and paragraphs for the latter. For poems, for instance, the student may need to think about the shapes and lengths of their stanzas which should reflect their subject matter and the theme that they are trying to present. Whereas, for a short story, student will need to think about when to include dialogue, how to present the dialogue, when to include lengthy descriptions of setting, when to introduce flashbacks etc,. Furthermore, students will also need to consider tone by thinking about who they are writing for. Their audience will affect the words and style they will opt for. Lastly, when making use of secondary sources to support their claims (particularly in the oral exam and the analytical essays) students will need to ensure that they quote sentences taken from these texts properly, acknowledging the author’s name and book. Failing to do this will be considered as plagiarism, a condition that most schools are quite sensitive about, and in some case, this may even affect the student’s grade.

The third Criterion (C) focuses on the student’s capability to undertake deep thought when producing a creative piece. The syllabus describes this criterion as involving the student’s ability to:

‘produce written and spoken text, focusing on the creative process itself and on the understanding of the connection between the creator and his or her audience. Students make choices aimed at producing texts that affect both the creator and the audience.’

In essence, the criterion asks that the student carefully considers the process of their creation (the layout, the specific language they are to use, the form they opt to write in) in order to be able to effectively convey the themes they are interested in. Furthermore, the student is expected to think about how the particular theme they have chosen is relevant to our past and current societies. They need to mold their use of form and language according to the audience they want to reach out to. For instance, if they are writing about climate change and targeting young people, they may want to opt to use colloquial words or slang that is understood by their peers. On the other hand, if they’re targeting an older demographic about the same theme, they will need reconsider their use of language and perhaps opt for more formal diction.

The final Criterion (D) evaluates the student’s use of language in both analytical and creative tasks. The syllabus writes that criterion D examines the student ability to:

‘develop, organize, and express themselves and communicate thoughts, ideas, and information. They use accurate and varied language that is appropriate to the context and intention.’

To attain the highest level possible for this criterion students are required to use appropriate register, tone, and words. So, for example, when writing an analytical essay, the student needs to ensure that they always use a formal tone, abstaining from incorporating slang, abbreviations and colloquial words. On the other hand, when writing a creative piece, a poem, for example, depending on who they are targeting the student may need to use an informal register if they are targeting the young or formal if they are targeting an authority figure or someone from an older generation. Moreover, the student also needs to focus on making sure that their sentences flow, especially when writing a long essay. They can do this by using transitional words and signposting. Finally, they should ensure that they give themselves enough time to proofread, trying their utmost best to identify grammatical or spelling errors, particularly those which affect the meaning of an argument.

In short, adhering to the requirements of the criteria above will ensure that the student creates well-rounded, well-written pieces both critically and creatively during their English Language and Literature MYP studies.

Introduction

As our children grow older we become more concerned about doing our best to make sure they are set up to become successful adults. This is why choosing their educational institution and path is so important, particularly when it comes to English language and literature programmes. This is because the subject plays a significant role in terms of higher education and future employment, as it represents the ability to communicate effectively.

The two most prevalent language courses provided at international schools for students entering secondary education are the IGCSEs (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) and the MYP (Middle Year Programme) provided by the IB (International Baccalaureate). As such, you may face the choice in selecting which is better for your child. The below offers an overview of MYP and IGCSE English language and literature, and provides a description of the differences between the two courses.

IGCSE English Language and Literature Overview

A number of different examination boards offer IGCSE English language and literature, with Cambridge being one of the most popular. While the different examination boards differ greatly in terms of teaching material provided to their respective schools, with the biggest reflection of these differences being in the number and types of texts each exam board requires a student to study, the skills that are eventually tested by each board are relatively similar.

In IGCSE English language, students are expected to gain an understanding of how to comprehend a piece of writing’s denotational meaning, exploring how an author uses language to construct a piece of writing. Students will also learn how to create different types of writing, developing an insight for the subtleties that change in language that can be created through an understanding of word choice, tone, and audience. Additionally, they will be asked to engage in creative writing, developing their imagination and skills in generating a narrative or piece of descriptive work.

In IGCSE literature courses, students must study a set number of different texts. This will include books from different genres, forms, and countries than they may have been used to up until this point. They will also be expected to gain the skills to not only unpack and analyse these works, but to also be able to do so for unseen texts.

At the end of their course of study, students will be expected to sit examinations testing what they have learned. These exams are mostly externally marked and a student will receive a grade and certificate from the examining body. This certificate is internationally recognised and provides proof of a student’s level.

MYP English Overview

The MYP in English language and literature is designed to take the language skills learned at younger ages and apply them in a sophisticated manner to a broader, and more demanding, range of texts. To accomplish this, the MYP programme slowly becomes more challenging over the 5 years the course is provided. The course’s main goal is to prepare students for the IB’s DP (Diploma Programme), which is conducted from ages 16-19. One of the IB’s main ideological principles is allowing educators the freedom to educate students how they think best. As such, each academic institution is free to design their own curriculum; there are no set texts or required reading that comes from the IB (schools are free to set their own reading lists), only the exploration of certain ideas and concepts.

Regarding these ideas and concepts that all MYP institutions will share: throughout the length of the MYP, students learn the intricacies of analysis, gaining an understanding of the effects of an author’s choices and how to create engaging and critical arguments based on these works. They should study a range of texts from across a multitude of genres and cultures, as well as literature from different historical periods. An institution will help develop these skills in students by focusing on inquiry based exploration. However, such expectations will not remain theoretical, as students are taught to develop the use of their language in their own writing, maturing their use of grammar and vocabulary.

Since there are no compulsory examinations linked to the IB while a child completes MYP, it is up to each individual school to create their own examinations. These will be designed and conducted by the school’s staff. While not specifically a requirement, some schools will engage in an eAssessment provided by the IB that is externally moderated and tests the level of a student in their final year of MYP, just before they transition into the DP. Again, schools have the choice to use this external examination process, so they may only use their own tests to gage level instead.

Benefits of MYP English over IGCSE English Language and Literature

The biggest benefit of a child taking an MYP course rather than IGCSEs is continuity. Teachers at an MYP school are given free rein to create their own syllabus, go over a variety of topics they think beneficial, and study the books they think their students will get the most out of when moving onto DP. In an ideal world, MYP will allow students the most time to prepare for their final IBDP tasks and examinations by using them as a template for MYP. For example, in the DP for language and literature, students may be asked to write about the persuasive techniques of an advertisement poster. Such a topic could be covered throughout MYP to make sure that by the time students are at IBDP level they have sufficient understanding of the topic, making it as a whole easier to understand and allowing students to generally do better in this examination.

Once again, this aspect of being linked is perhaps the most important difference between MYP and IGCSE, particularly if students go from studying the latter to IBDP instead of GCE (General Certificate of Education) A Levels. As mentioned earlier, IGCSE English and literature tests different skills, such as creative and transactional writing. Whilst learning the ability to engage in different kinds of discourse is an admirable skill with a myriad of uses, they do not directly translate to DP English Language and Literature or DP English Literature. That is to say, students will not be asked to create such written work at these higher levels. Moreover, there is a lot of content, more so for IBDP English Language and Literature rather than the IBDP English Literature, that is not covered in IGCSEs that could be in MYP. For instance, the ability to analyse the aforementioned advertisement poster would not be taught at IGCSE level, and, in transitioning to DP, students would be required to learn a host of new terminology and techniques in order to gain a high mark. DP English Literature offers less change from IGCSE English language and literature since much of what is studied would be more familiar to students.

Benefits of IGCSE over MYP

As mentioned previously, teachers, students, and parents know exactly what is expected by the IGCSE examination board in terms of the content of study and the expectations of examinations. There is a sense of clarity that comes from being able to view and understand the various topics that will be covered over the course of the next two years. It will also provide students a basis if they go on to take English language and/or literature at GCE A Level.

Probably the biggest benefit that comes from taking one of the many options for IGCSE English language and literature is that at the end your child will have a certificate recognised by institutions all over the world for their hard work. This qualification follows a student their whole lives, and can be a factor in university applications, particularly in the UK, and even going forward to their professional careers beyond academic life.

While we all wish to remove burdens and stress from our children’s lives, the responsibility that comes with taking an international examination allows them to feel prepared for what is to come. Although IGCSE English language and literature, not to mention nearly every IGCSE subject, is demanding for this age group, they pale in comparison to DP or GCE A levels. While individual MYP schools may try and prepare their students for these bigger challenges by creating their own examinations, the stress, subject specificity, and ability to gain an internationally accepted certificate is only achieved by taking IGCSE examinations.

Conclusion

So, as can be seen, MYP and IGCSE have both favourable and negative aspects in terms of English language and literature. With the information provided above, it is my hope that you can now make a choice to select an institution that offers the best course suited for your child.

However, if you still have questions or would like to go into more detail to discuss your options, do not hesitate to contact us at Cana Elite.

Depending on the school, students may study either IBMYP or IGCSE in middle school. The MYP (Middle Years Programme) is an international five year program that leads directly into IB. The IGCSE (International General Certificate of Secondary Education) is a two-year program originating from the U.K. that prepares students for A-levels. For English students, there are a few significant differences between the two programs.

Language vs. Literature

The MYP English course integrates both language and literature components, so students don’t get to select one over the other. In the course, students will encounter prose, novels, poetry, plays etc. and also examine non-fiction and mass media texts such as advertisements, speeches, interviews, etc. This format introduces students to a wide variety of text formats so they can develop inquiry, analysis, and writing skills without specifically focusing on language or literature. When they reach IB, they will have experienced both options and can select their preference for English A: Literature or English A: Language and Literature.

IGCSE, on the other hand, offers separate courses for English Literature and English Language. The IGCSE English Literature course focuses on fictional texts such as prose, novels, poetry, and drama. Their exams test students’ ability to write essays analysing literary techniques and their effects. IGCSE English Language features non-fiction texts such as articles, opinion pieces, travel writing, etc. Their exams are questions-based and focused on comprehension and explanation. Depending on the school and the students’ confidence in English, they could potentially select Literature or Language based on their preference.

Mark Schemes

IBMYP English does not have standardised assessments, so mark schemes are often vague and subject to the teacher’s interpretation. Grading may also be more subjective and differ between schools. However, this can be beneficial because there is more space for discussion and direct feedback from the person who marks their work. Struggling students could also ask their teacher for individual help.

IGCSE English is more straightforward because students can easily access and review years of past papers and mark schemes. It’s clear what style of answers are preferred, and mark schemes often specify which key words or key points will earn marks. IGCSE English also ensures students learn technical skills in writing and comprehension. It shows students their level in comparison to peers and to other schools by assigning concrete grades. However, there is no chance of discussing your grades personally with your examiner, which can be daunting to some students.

Internal assessments vs. external standardised exams

IBMYP does not have external assessments, which is arguably a less stressful way to learn. Instead, students may have in-class assessments, take-home essays set by their teacher, or end of year exams set by the school. Also, MYP students in years 4-5 typically focus more on analytical writing, but assessments in MYP years 1-3 can be anything the teacher decides. Class projects could include putting on a play, making posters/short films, giving speeches, making a drama set, conducting a multimedia social experiment, etc. It could be a lot more fun!

IGCSE is based around external assessments at the end of two years, which is better preparation for high school. It’s helpful to have experience managing exam stress in middle school - it's more risky if a student’s first serious exams are their A-levels or IB. IGCSE English is also globally recognised as a long-established, well-respected assessment. However, students get less choice in pursuing their interests. IGCSE is more about analysing set texts and fulfilling requirements.

Global lens vs. close analysis

IBMYP aims to foster a global-minded, community-oriented mindset in students, so MYP English focuses on global issues and relates them to literature and language. MYP English students may gain a better sense of key historical events and current events around the world, which later helps with cultural awareness in IB English. This also greatly aids students in understanding and interpreting texts. MYP English trains students to be inquirers and independent thinkers, which is useful in a subject with few concrete answers.

IGCSE English, on the other hand, is more reliable in training students to write essays, communicate their interpretations, analyse passages, comment on word choices and language techniques, etc. There is more focus on understanding, memorising, and learning from teachers, rather than developing a skill for independent inquiry. IGCSE English provides more guidance, which is very helpful for some students and limiting to others.

Separation of subjects

IBMYP English features cross-subject work which allows students to combine other interests (such as social issues, pop culture, scientific discoveries) with English. Students will explore how English links to other subjects through the MYP community project (years 3-4) and MYP personal project (year 5). In MYP English, students have freedom to pick any area, e.g. combining literature with religious studies to examine medieval sacred plays, or combining language, chemistry, and social sciences to explore how pop culture scientific articles spread misinformation.

Conversely, IGCSE features clear separation between subjects with virtually no overlap. This can help students make clearer goals and study in a more organised way. By separating subjects, students can easily identify and work on their weakest areas more effectively. However, they may miss the opportunity to pursue student-led projects.