European Schools Office of the Secretary-General Pedagogical Development Unit

Ref.: 2010-D-409-en-3

Orig.: EN

English syllabus for English advanced language I – Secondary cycle Years 1-7

Approved by the Joint Teaching Committee on 6, 7 and 8 October 2010 in Brussels

Entry into force in September 2011

2010-D-409-en-3 1

2010-D-409-en-3 2

Introduction to the English language I advanced syllabus.

Secondary cycle

ENGLISH LANGUAGE 1 ADVANCED SYLLABUS

INTRODUCTION

With effect from 1 September 2011 new secondary syllabuses for English Language 1 and Language 1 Advanced will come into force in the European Schools.

The production of these syllabuses has been an extensive collaborative process actively involving the inspector responsible for the development of the secondary English LI curriculum, the panel of external experts for English LI and representative groups of Anglophone teachers from the English LI Working Group and from the English LI stage held in March 2010. Although syllabus renewal of English LI is at different stages in nursery and primary and secondary phases, inspectors have informed each other effectively about ongoing work in each other’s phases. The new secondary syllabuses take account of previous ones and of the outcomes of current curriculum developments for example, on harmonised syllabuses in LIII.

The syllabuses are also underpinned by recommendations from external evaluations, firstly for a more effective balance between the development of skills and knowledge. For example more explicit reference is made to relevant competences included in the European Council’s Lisbon Strategy launched in 2000: communication in the mother tongue, communication in foreign languages, digital competence, learning competence, interpersonal, intercultural, social and civic competences, entrepreneurship and cultural awareness. Secondly a more explicit commitment can be found, for example in the Subject-specific aims and Key Concepts for English (p.4-5), to the development of the European dimension, including opportunities to explore, from the earliest stages of the secondary school, multiple literary heritages and cultures that use English or through texts in translation.

These new syllabuses are consistent with the pedagogical principles promoted by all the European Schools and against which the work of their teachers is evaluated (see, for example, Quality Assurance and Development in the European Schools, 2006-D-102-en-4, p.9).

The English Language 1 Advanced syllabus is grounded in the English Language I syllabus which sets out the knowledge, understanding and skills which students should develop progressively in the subject in each of the three secondary cycles. The new syllabuses are informed by recent developments in the teaching and learning of English in the UK and other Anglophone countries, principally Ireland. In particular the syllabus reflects the revisions to the National Curriculum for England and Wales of 2003 and 2007. Approaches to pedagogy and assessment are informed by the work of the National Strategies for School Improvement over the last ten years.

The structure of the syllabuses complies with document 2009-D-213 and therefore presents the general objectives, specific objectives and distinctive character of the subject, its learning content and the organisation, methods,

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approaches and resources to be used to plan, teach and assess effectively outcomes for students in the learning of English. The syllabuses are therefore readily adaptable to any future changes in syllabus structure proposed for the European Schools.

Both the English LI and LI Advanced syllabuses are underpinned by the same pedagogical principles and approaches, but part of the purpose of their revision is to emphasise much more clearly than previously the distinct nature of each. In broad terms the English LI course is characterised by its breadth, covering all necessary aspects of the subject to ensure qualification at European Baccalaureate level and for admission to European national systems of higher education, including for further study of English language and literature.

This English LI Advanced syllabus references many of the requirements for the English LI course, as the general and syllabus objectives are the same for both courses. It includes the content required for the English First Language course, as well as elements particular to the Advanced course only. The knowledge and skills developed in both courses are equivalent. However, if the English LI course is characterised by its breadth, the Advanced course is characterised by the extra depth of the knowledge and skills that students acquire during their two years of study. Two additional timetabled weekly periods over these two years is assumed for students following the Advanced course. The Advanced course is not designed as a ‘subject of last resort’ for weaker students in search of an option to fill their timetables. Neither is the Advanced course intended only for those students who wish to continue their study of English LI in their higher education, although those who wish to do so will find the course an excellent preparation, much welcomed by UK university courses in English. It is suitable for those students who in Years 1 to 5 have shown a particular interest and enjoyment in their first language studies and have made at least satisfactory progress in them. The course offers opportunities to study individual texts in greater depth than the L1 course, and for students to pursue their own interests in two negotiated projects. The regulations of the European Schools governing the preliminary and the final written and oral examinations (for example in terms of their organisation, format and length and calculation of marks to be awarded) are the same for both English LI and English LI Advanced courses.

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Significant features of the new English LI Advanced syllabus include: increased coherence and consistency with the English LI Syllabus

a much more explicit definition of the distinctive features of the English LI Advanced course including:

- the requirement for candidates to study in detail a named text, on which a question is set in the terminal written examination; - the requirement for candidates to produce two substantial

pieces of individual project work, covering different aspects of language and literature.

a higher level of challenge through more effective use of the four hour final written examination to ensure comparability with the proposed changes to the English LI course

A sharper focus on greater reliability in assessment, for example, in the selection and identification of texts for the oral examination, again to ensure comparability with the proposed changes to the English LI course.

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Introduction au Programme d’Approfondissement en Anglais Langue I.

Cycle secondaire

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PROGRAMME D’APPROFONDISSEMENT EN

ANGLAIS LANGUE 1

INTRODUCTION

De nouveaux programmes d’Anglais Langue I et d’Approfondissement en Anglais Langue I destinés au cycle secondaire entreront en vigueur dans les Ecoles européennes le 1er septembre 2011.

La production de ces programmes a nécessité une importante collaboration entre l’inspecteur responsable de l’actualisation du programme d’Anglais LI pour le secondaire, le panel d’experts externes pour l’Anglais LI et des groupes représentatifs des enseignants anglophones appartenant au Groupe de travail Anglais LI, d’une part, et participant au stage d’Anglais LI qui s’est tenu en mars 2010, d’autre part. Quoique le renouvellement des programmes d’Anglais LI ait atteint des stades différents au cycle maternel et primaire et au cycle secondaire, les inspecteurs respectifs se sont bien informés du travail en cours dans l’autre cycle. Les nouveaux programmes du secondaire tiennent compte à la fois des anciens programmes et de l’impact de l’actualisation des programmes scolaires, par exemple en ce qui concerne les programmes harmonisés en LIII.

En outre, ces programmes s’appuient sur les recommandations émises lors d’évaluations externes, visant en premier lieu un meilleur équilibre entre le développement des capacités et des connaissances. Par exemple, ils font référence de manière plus explicite aux compétences utiles inscrites dans la Stratégie de Lisbonne du Conseil européen lancée en 2000: la communication dans la langue maternelle, la communication en langues étrangères, la compétence numérique, les compétences en matière d’apprentissage, les compétences interpersonnelles, interculturelles, sociales et civiques, l’esprit d’entreprise et la sensibilité culturelle. Ils témoignent également d’un engagement plus explicite, par exemple dans les Objectifs spécifiques à la matière et les Concepts clés pour l’Anglais (p. 4-5), envers le développement de la dimension européenne, en mentionnant entre autres l’opportunité d’explorer, dès le début de l’école secondaire, les divers héritages et cultures littéraires qui utilisent la langue anglaise, ainsi que la traduction de textes.

Les nouveaux programmes correspondent aux principes pédagogiques défendus par toutes les Ecoles européennes et en vertu desquels le travail de leurs enseignants est évalué (voir, par exemple, Développement et assurance de la qualité au sein des Ecoles européennes, 2006-D-102-fr-4, p. 9).

Le programme d’Approfondissement en Anglais Langue I est basé sur le programme d’Anglais Langue I qui présente la connaissance, la compréhension et les compétences que les étudiants devraient acquérir progressivement dans la matière au cours de chacun des trois cycles

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secondaires. Ces nouveaux programmes tiennent compte de l’évolution récente de l’enseignement et de l’apprentissage de l’Anglais en Grande-Bretagne et dans les autres pays anglophones, l’Irlande essentiellement. Il reflète tout particulièrement les révisions du National Curriculum for England and Wales (“Curriculum national d’Angleterre et du Pays de Galles”) de 2003 et 2007. Les méthodes pédagogiques et d’évaluation s’inspirent des travaux menés ces dix dernières années par les National Strategies for School Improvement (“Stratégies nationales d’amélioration des écoles”).

La structure de ces programmes est conforme au document 2009-D-213 et présente donc les objectifs généraux, les objectifs spécifiques et le caractère distinctif de la matière, son contenu pédagogique ainsi que l’organisation, les méthodes, approches et ressources à utiliser pour planifier, enseigner et évaluer correctement les résultats obtenus par les étudiants dans l’apprentissage de l’Anglais. Ainsi, ces programmes pourront aisément s’adapter à toute modification future de la structure des programmes proposée dans les Ecoles européennes.

Les programmes d’Anglais LI et d’Approfondissement en LI sont étayés par les mêmes principes et approches pédagogiques, mais un des buts de leur révision a été d’accentuer bien plus clairement la nature distincte de l’un et de l’autre. En gros, le cours d’Anglais LI est caractérisé par son étendue: il couvre tous les aspects nécessaires de la matière pour s’assurer que les étudiants aient les compétences requises pour le Baccalauréat européen et soient admis dans les systèmes nationaux européens d’enseignement supérieur, y compris afin d’y poursuivre l’étude de la langue et de la littérature anglaises.

Ce programme d’Approfondissement en Anglais LI fait référence à nombre d’exigences du cours d’Anglais LI, comme les objectifs généraux et spécifiques à la matière sont les mêmes pour ces deux cours. Il inclut le contenu du cours d’Anglais Langue I ainsi que des éléments particuliers propres au cours d’Approfondissement. La connaissance et les compétences acquises dans ces deux cours sont équivalentes. Néanmoins, si le cours d’Anglais LI est caractérisé par son étendue, le cours d’Approfondissement est caractérisé par l’acquisition par les étudiants de connaissances et de compétences plus approfondies au cours de leurs deux années d’études. Les étudiants suivant le cours d’Approfondissement ont deux périodes hebdomadaires de cours supplémentaires pendant ces deux années. Le cours d’Approfondissement n’est pas conçu comme une “matière de dernier recours” pour des étudiants plus faibles à la recherche d’une option pour remplir leurs horaires. Le cours d’Approfondissement n’est pas non plus destiné uniquement aux étudiants souhaitant poursuivre l’étude de l’Anglais LI au cours de leurs études supérieures, bien que ceux qui souhaitent le faire trouveront en ce cours une excellente préparation aux cours universitaires en Anglais. Ce cours convient aux étudiants qui ont fait preuve d’un intérêt particulier pour l’étude de leur première langue de la 1e à la 5e années, qui y ont trouvé du plaisir et ont réalisé des progrès à tout le moins satisfaisants en la matière. Il leur donne l’occasion d’étudier des textes particuliers plus en

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profondeur que le cours de LI, et leur permet de s’adonner à leur passion dans le cadre de deux projets personnels. Les règlements des Ecoles européennes régissant les examens préliminaires et finaux écrits et oraux (par exemple en ce qui concerne leur organisation, leur format, leur longueur et le calcul des notes à attribuer) sont les mêmes pour les cours d’Anglais LI et d’Approfondissement en Anglais LI.

Les caractéristiques importantes du nouveau programme d’Approfondissement en Anglais LI:

Une plus grande logique et cohérence avec le programme d’Anglais LI

Une définition bien plus explicite des traits distinctifs du cours d’Approfondissement en Anglais L, comprenant:

- l’obligation pour les candidats d’étudier en détails un texte donné, sur lequel une question sera posée lors de l’examen écrit final;

- l’obligation pour les candidats de réaliser deux importants projets personnels couvrant différents aspects de la langue et de la littérature.

Un niveau de difficulté supérieur dû à l’utilisation plus efficace de l’examen écrit final de quatre heures, qui garantit la comparabilité avec les modifications proposées pour le cours d’Anglais LI

Une focalisation accrue sur la plus grande fiabilité de l’évaluation, par exemple, lors de la sélection et de l’identification des textes destinés à l’examen oral, une fois encore afin de garantir la comparabilité avec les modifications proposées pour le cours d’Anglais LI.

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Einleitung zum Lehrplan für Englisch Sprache I Vertiefung

Sekundarbereich

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LEHRPLAN ENGLISCH SPRACHE I VERTIEFUNG

EINLEITUNG

Ab dem 1. September 2011 wird der neue Lehrplan für Englisch Sprache I und Sprache I für Fortgeschrittene im Sekundarbereich an den ES in Kraft treten.

Die Erarbeitung dieser Lehrpläne fußte auf einer umfassenden Zusammenarbeit zwischen dem für die Entwicklung des Lehrplans Englisch LI im Sekundarbereich zuständigen Inspektor, dem Ausschuss externer Experten für Englisch LI und den Vertretern der AG englischsprachiger Lehrkräfte für Englisch LI sowie der Fortbildung für Englisch LI vom März 2010. Obwohl die Revision des Lehrplans für Englisch LI im Kindergarten und im Primar- und Sekundarbereich unterschiedlich weit fortgeschritten ist, haben die Inspektoren/innen sich gegenseitig über die laufenden Arbeiten in ihrer jeweiligen Stufe informiert. Der neue Lehrplan für den Sekundarbereich fußt auf den vorherigen Plänen und den Ergebnissen der derzeitigen Entwicklungen in diesem Bereich, z.B. die harmonisierten Lehrpläne in LIII.

In den Lehrplänen werden im Übrigen die Empfehlungen aus externen Evaluierungen berücksichtigt, hauptsächlich mit Blick auf einen besseren Ausgleich bei der Entwicklung von Fertigkeiten und Wissen. Beispielsweise wird ausdrücklicher auf die relevanten Kompetenzen aus der Lissabon Strategie des Europäischen Rates verweisen, die 2000 auf den Weg gebracht wurde: Kommunikation in der Muttersprache, Kommunikation in Fremdsprachen, Computerkompetenzen, Lernkompetenzen, zwischenmensch-liche und interkulturelle, soziale und bürgerliche Kompetenzen, Unternehmertum und kulturelles Bewusstsein. Danach wird sich ausdrücklich, beispielsweise bei den fachspezifischen Zielen und den Schlüsselkonzepten für Englisch (S. 4-5), um die Entwicklung einer europäischen Dimension bemüht, einschl. der Möglichkeiten zur Entdeckung sofort zu Beginn des Sekundarbereichs des literarischen und kulturellen Erbes in englischer Sprache und unterschiedlicher Form oder anhand von Texten bei der Übersetzung.

Diese neuen Lehrpläne entsprechen den von allen ES geförderten pädagogischen Grundsätzen, welche der Beurteilung der Arbeit der Lehrkräfte zur Grunde liegen (s. z.B. Qualitätssicherung und –förderung an den ES, 2006-D-102-4, S. 9).

Der Lehrplan für Englisch Sprache I Vertiefung stützt sich auf den Lehrplan Englisch Sprache I und enthält Erläuterungen zum Wissens-, Verständnis- und Kompetenzstand, den die Schüler/innen allmählich in diesem Fach in jeder der drei Stufen im Sekundarbereich entwickeln sollten. In den Inhalt der

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neuen Lehrpläne sind die jüngsten Entwicklungen im Unterrichts- und Lernprozess in Englisch im VK und anderen englischsprachigen Ländern, insbesondere Irland, eingeflossen. Der Lehrplan spiegelt insbesondere die Überarbeitungen des nationalen Lehrplans für England und Wales aus den Jahren 2003 und 2007 wider. Die Ansätze in den Bereichen Pädagogik und Beurteilung wurden von der Arbeit an den nationalen Strategien zur Verbesserung der Schulen der letzten zehn Jahre beeinflusst.

Die Struktur der Lehrpläne entspricht derjenigen aus Dokument 2009-D-213 und umfasst ebenso die allgemeinen Ziele, besonderen Ziele und kennzeichnende Eigenschaften des Fachs, die Lerninhalte und die Organisation, Methoden, Ansätze und Ressourcen zur effizienten Planung, Unterrichtung und Beurteilung der Arbeiten der Schüler/innen im Zuge des Lernprozesses in Englisch. Die Lehrpläne können deshalb problemlos künftigen vorgeschlagenen Veränderungen der Lehrplanstruktur an den ES angepasst werden.

Sowohl der Lehrplan Englisch LI als auch die Lehrpläne LI Vertiefung fußen auf denselben pädagogischen Grund- und Ansätzen. Ein Teil der Zielsetzung der Revision war jedoch die im Vergleich zu den vorherigen Fassungen deutlichere Betonung der besonderen Merkmale jedes Fachs. Im Allgemeinen zeichnet sich der Englisch LI-Kurs durch die große Spannweite der Themen aus, in dem er alle erforderlichen Aspekte des Fachs zur Erfüllung der Anforderungen an das Niveau des Europäischen Abiturs und zur Gewährleistung der Aufnahme in die nationalen Hochschulsysteme der Mitgliedstaaten, auch für weiterführende Studien im Bereich englische Sprache und Literatur, abdeckt.

Der Lehrplan für Englisch LI Vertiefung verweist auf einige der Erfordernisse für Englisch LI, da die allgemeinen und pädagogischen Ziele für beide Kurse dieselben sind. Er umfasst den erforderlichen Inhalt des Englisch Sprache I-Kurses sowie die besonderen Kapitel des Vertiefungskurses. Beide Kurse bezwecken die Entwicklung desselben Wissens- und Kompetenzstandes. Während sich der Englisch LI-Kurs jedoch durch seine breite Spannweite auszeichnet, sollen anhand des Vertiefungskurses das während der zwei Studienjahre zu erlangende Wissen und die geforderten Kompetenzen vertieft werden. Diejenigen Schüler/innen, die dem Vertiefungskurs beiwohnen, erhalten zwei Unterrichtsstunden je Woche zwei Jahre lang zusätzlich. Dieser Kurs ist jedoch kein „Stützkurs“ für schwächere Schüler/innen, die ihren Stundenplan auffüllen möchten. Genauso wenig richtet sich dieser Kurs ausschließlich an diejenigen Schüler/innen, die Englisch als LI studieren möchten, obwohl dieser Kurs für diese Schüler/innen eine ausgezeichnete Vorbereitung darstellt, die ihnen in den Englischkursen an britischen Universitäten zu Gute kommen wird. Der Vertiefungskurs eignet sich für diejenigen Schüler/innen, die sich in den Klassen 1-5 besonders für ihre 1. Sprache interessieren und Freude daran gefunden haben und die zumindest zufriedenstellende Fortschritte in diesem Fach erzielen konnten. Der Kurs bietet die Möglichkeit, individuelle Texte detaillierter zu beleuchten, als es im

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LI-Kurs der Fall wäre, und die eigenen Interessen in Form zweier abgesprochener Projekte zu verfolgen. Die Bestimmungen der ES über die vorbereitenden und abschließenden schriftlichen und mündlichen Prüfungen (z.B. hinsichtlich ihrer Organisation, ihres Formats, der Dauer und der Berechnung der zu vergebenden Punktezahl) gelten sowohl für den Englisch LI- als auch für den Englisch LI Vertiefungskurs.

Besondere Merkmale des neuen Lehrplans für Englisch LI Vertiefung umfassen:

Bessere Kohärenz und Verknüpfung mit dem Englisch LI-Lehrplan;

Eine deutlich umfassendere Definition der besonderen Eigenschaften des Englisch LI Vertiefungskurses, u.a.:

- Anforderung an die Schüler/innen, einen bestimmten Text im Detail zu erlernen, und eine entsprechende Frage in der abschließenden schriftlichen Prüfung zu beantworten; - Anforderung an die Schüler/innen, zwei umfassende individuelle Projektarbeiten über verschiedene Aspekte der Sprache und Literatur zu erstellen;

Größere Herausforderung in Form einer besseren Einteilung der 4-stündigen Prüfungszeit bei der abschließenden schriftlichen Prüfung zur Gewährleistung der Vergleichbarkeit mit den vorgeschlagenen Veränderungen des Englisch LI-Kurses;

Besonderer Schwerpunkt auf eine bessere Verlässlichkeit bei der Beurteilung, z.B. bei der Auswahl und Herausstellung der Texte für die mündliche Prüfung, ebenfalls zur Gewährleistung der Vergleichbarkeit mit den vorgeschlagenen Veränderungen im Englisch LI-Kurs.

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EUROPEAN SCHOOLS

ENGLISH LIA SYLLABUS

(Original Ref: 312-D-1999)

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CONTENTS

1 GENERAL OBJECTIVES 1.1 General objectives page 3 2 SYLLABUS OBJECTIVES 2.1 Inter-relationship of the L1 and L1A syllabi page 4 2.2 L1A objectives page 5 3 CONTENT 3.1 Speaking and listening page 5 3.2 Reading page 6 3.3 Writing page 6 3.4 Study of language page 6 3.5 Individual project and essay page 7 4 ASSESSMENT 4.1 Assessment objectives page 8 4.2 Internally assessed work page 9 4.3 The oral (European Baccalaureate) examination page 10 4.4 The written (European Baccalaureate) examination page 11 4.5 Calculation of the candidate’s final mark page 12

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1 GENERAL OBJECTIVES 1.1 General objectives In the secondary phase, schools pass on subject knowledge, develop subject specific skills and contribute to the broader personal and social education of pupils. Pupils' education in subject disciplines and their personal and social development are inter-related and the activities to which they give rise are interdependent. Subject teaching aims to develop knowledge, understanding and skills in particular disciplines which enable pupils to articulate concepts, to solve problems or challenges, to respond to a range of ideas and issues and to transfer their understanding from one context to another, whatever themes, topics or resources they encounter. The broader educational function of a school concerns the development of the pupil as a person and as a member of society. Through a growing awareness of self, of others and of different societies - the cultural heritage as well as the present day - pupils develop their identity and learn to act both independently and as responsible members of society. Lifelong learning and development is underpinned by key competences, transferable between different areas of learning and different learning opportunities. The European Framework for Key Competences for Lifelong Learning identifies eight key competences necessary for personal fulfilment, active citizenship, social inclusion and employability in a knowledgeable society:

i) communication in the mother tongue; ii) communication in foreign languages; mathematical competence and

basic competences in science and technology; iii) digital competence; iv) learning to learn; v) social and civic competences; vi) sense of initiative and entrepreneurship; vii) cultural awareness and expression.

Initial education and training should support the development of these key competences to a level that equips all pupils, including the academically and/or socially disadvantaged, for further learning and adult life. Pupils should become: successful learners, who enjoy learning, make progress and achieve

their potential; confident individuals who are able to live safe, healthy and fulfilling

lives; responsible, employable citizens, who make a positive contribution to

society.

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2 SYLLABUS OBJECTIVES 2.1 Inter-relationship of the L1 and L1A syllabi

2.1.1 The L1 syllabus

Students opting to follow a course in L1A do so in addition to L1, not instead of it. The L1 syllabus (2010-D-229-en-2) therefore provides the foundation for L1A and so it follows, when designing a scheme of work for L1A, that the following parts of the L1 syllabus are also relevant and should be considered together with the additional requirements specified in this document:

sections 1, 2 and 5 (General and Syllabus Objectives, Organisation and Methods), which set out the subject-based and general pedagogic expectations;

section 3 (Content: Years S1-5), which sets out the nature and scope of studies undertaken in Years S1-5 as preparation for the Baccalaureate course in Years S6-S7;

section 4 (Content: Years S6-S7), which sets out the nature and scope of studies in Years S6-S7 and provides the starting point for all students’ English studies. Appropriate work produced in any English lessons during S6-S7 may contribute to the internally-assessed Baccalaureate mark for L1A, using agreed performance descriptors to be located in the Vade Mecum;

section 6.1 (Assessment: general principles), which provides a rationale for assessing students’ work and which should be read in conjunction with section 4 below.

2.1.2 Common examination components Components common to the L1 and L1A courses are the oral examination (see section 4.3 below) and the theme set for the written examination (see section 4.4 below). 2.1.3 Distinctive elements of L1A Components common to L1 and L1A facilitate teaching, marking and standardisation. What makes the L1A course distinctive is:

the requirement for candidates to study in detail a named text, on which a question is set in the terminal written examination;

the requirement for candidates to produce two substantial pieces of individual project work (see section 3.5 below).

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These additional requirements make it necessary for students following a course in L1A to pursue a negotiated personalised programme of wide reading, including some critical and theoretical works. While candidates’ performance is assessed against the same standards as those for the L1 course, studies in L1A provide a broader basis and thus ideal preparation for those considering literary or linguistic studies in higher education. 2.2 L1A objectives The specific objectives of a course in L1A, additional to those detailed in the L1 syllabus (sections 2.1-2.4, pages 6-7), are to enable students to:

develop and embed the broad study of English (speaking and listening, reading, writing and the study of language) as required by the objectives and content detailed in the core L1 syllabus;

widen and deepen their knowledge and understanding of literature in English, including texts in translation where relevant;

hone their analytical, creative and critical skills as evidenced through enhanced opportunities for extended speaking and writing;

pursue individual interests, e.g. in original writing; language acquisition and development; particular writers or genres; textual adaptation; or the impact of different media or technologies on audiences.

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3 CONTENT The examinations will normally cover the year 7 syllabus, but also will test knowledge gained in previous years, especially year 6. As their core entitlement in Years S6 and S7, students will encounter the range of content detailed in section 4 of the L1 syllabus (pages 12-14). Sections 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4 and 3.5 below list specific requirements that should be planned and delivered within the additional allocated teaching time for L1A so as to enhance students’ skills in speaking and listening, reading, writing and the study of language in preparation for the L1A terminal examination in the European Baccalaureate. 3.1 Speaking and listening Students should:

use a variety of approaches and techniques in studying and responding to literary and/or media texts (e.g. directing performances of poetry or drama, presenting dramatic reconstructions of events narrated in texts, storytelling in character);

develop their skills in reading aloud to convey understanding and insight through appropriate use of tone, pace, expression etc;

draw on their knowledge of linguistic, literary and media theory and terminology in order to argue or persuade convincingly when discussing language, texts and writers.

3.2 Reading Students should:

study a set text in detail, including contextual social, cultural and historical factors;

read a range of texts that support the theme set for study and manage their own wider reading (which should include literary non-fiction, film and other media and/or multimodal texts);

study, analyse and evaluate the ideas of some major writers and critics relevant to the texts studied and projects undertaken.

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3.3 Writing Students should:

extend the scope of their creative, imaginative writing (e.g. through modelling the style and/or themes of some writers studied) and of their analytical, evaluative writing (e.g. in drafting and producing the language/media project, the portfolio of original writing and the extended literary essay as appropriate);

support the impact of critical responses to the study of language and texts through using linguistic and literary theory and terminology as appropriate;

use engaging vocabulary, sophisticated grammatical structures and apt presentational features to convey persuasively ideas and themes, attitudes and feelings.

3.4 Study of language Students should:

use their knowledge and understanding of language history, change and development to enhance analysis and evaluation of writers’ stylistic choices;

comment sensitively on language acquisition, development and use among different groups of speakers, such as young children, teenage friendship groups, or adult learners of non mother tongue languages;

show awareness of issues (e.g. stylistic and cultural) raised by the act of translation or adaptation and evaluate their impact on the reader’s or listener’s response.

3.5 Individual project A specific requirement of L1A is for students to undertake two major individual pieces of work, assessed internally using agreed performance descriptors to be located in the Vade Mecum. 1. In Year S6:

EITHER a language study (e.g. an analysis of language

development in children aged 6-8; or an investigation of dialect used in a specific English-speaking community);

OR a media-focused study (e.g. an analysis of how different

media present/interpret a text, such as film/stage versions of Shakespeare’s Macbeth; or how a significant event is presented/interpreted differently in print-based media and/or television news and/or internet sites);

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OR a study of textual adaptation (such as Henry James’ The

Turn of the Screw, Britten’s opera and the film The Innocents based on the James text; or Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Bernstein’s West Side Story, Gottfried Keller’s A Village Romeo and Juliet and Delius’s opera);

OR a portfolio of creative writing, (e.g. a collection of poetry

and/or short stories, and/or a playscript/screenplay possibly linked by theme or genre).

OR a literary study of an author/authors or a genre.

NB: Candidates who choose this option in year 6 cannot also choose it in year 7

The project should be between 2000 and 4000 words in length, depending on subject, content and complexity, and may consist of one long piece or several shorter, linked pieces as appropriate. The nature, scope and title of the project should be agreed by each student in consultation with his/her teacher. Written work may be accompanied (but not replaced as part of the required word-count) by relevant supporting materials (eg audio/video recordings of young children talking, photographs/drawings of stage/film sets, artwork or photographs that have inspired creative writing). These materials are not assessed in isolation but according to their relevance to the written project as a whole. 2. In Year S7:

An extended literary essay on a topic that involves the detailed study of several texts (e.g. a genre study, such as the development of the detective story from Conan Doyle to PD James; an author study, such as an appreciation of works in different genres by Hardy, Lawrence or Beckett; a thematic study, such as political allegory in texts by Swift, Orwell and Camus; or a study of the impact of two or more contrasting text types in translation, e.g. Prévert and Grass or Lorca and Eco). The essay should be between 4000 and 5000 words in length. The nature, scope and title of the essay should be agreed by students in consultation with teachers. Candidates may, if they wish, undertake a study of a non-anglophone author or texts in translation. Reference may be made to representations of texts in other media (e.g. film/television/stage versions), but a substantial portion of the essay should refer to print-based texts.

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4 ASSESSMENT 4.1 Assessment objectives Schemes of work should ensure that tasks allow ‘A’ and ‘B’ marks awarded during S6-S7 to reflect an appropriate balance within and across all four assessment objectives, i.e.:

AO1 Speaking and listening 10%-20% AO2 Reading 30%-40% AO3 Writing 30%-40% AO4 Study of language 10%-20%

4.1.1 AO1 Speaking and listening

Speak to communicate clearly and purposefully; structure and sustain talk, adapting it to different situations and audiences; use standard English and a variety of techniques as appropriate;

listen and respond to speakers’ ideas, perspectives and how they construct and express their meanings;

interact with others, shaping meanings through suggestions, comments and questions and drawing ideas together;

create and sustain different roles.

4.1.2 AO2 Reading

Read and understand texts, selecting material appropriate to purpose, collating from different sources and making comparisons and cross-references as appropriate;

develop and sustain interpretations of writers’ ideas and perspectives;

explain and evaluate how writers use linguistic, grammatical, structural and presentational features to achieve effects and engage and influence the reader;

understand texts in their social, cultural and historical contexts.

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4.1.3 AO3 Writing

Write to communicate clearly, effectively and imaginatively, using and adapting forms and selecting vocabulary appropriate to task and purpose in ways which engage the reader;

organise information and ideas into structured and sequenced sentences, paragraphs and whole texts, using a variety of linguistic and structural features to support cohesion and overall coherence;

use a range of sentence structures for clarity, purpose and effect; ensure that text is legible and that spelling, punctuation and

grammar are accurate so that meaning is clear. 4.1.4 AO4 Study of language

Understand variations in language, explaining why language changes in relation to contexts;

evaluate the impact of language choices in their own and others' use.

4.2 Internally assessed work All categories of work in English L1 and L1A (i.e. speaking and listening, reading, writing and study of language) in different contexts (e.g. work in class, homework, class tests) should contribute to each student’s final school-based assessment in L1A. As the L1A mark replaces the L1 mark in the candidate’s final European Baccalaureate award, it follows that school-based assessments of a student’s work should be made against the same assessment objectives and criteria as for the core L1 course, using the appropriate agreed performance criteria and assessment grids in the current Vade Mecum. Marks for the project completed in Year S6 and the extended essay completed in Year S7 (see section 3.5 above) should be weighted as a significant element of both ‘A’ marks to reflect the candidate’s independent achievement in these tasks.

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Article 60 in the General Rules of the European Schools (ref. 2007-D-4010-en-5), states that: In years 1-2-3, the term or semester mark and the final mark shall reflect all the observations and results available to the teacher of the subject concerned. It shall be expressed in whole marks. In years 4-7, the semester mark shall comprise two components: the A mark is the reflection of all the observations and of the pupil’s overall performance, both written and oral, not taken into account in the B mark for the subject in question. the B mark corresponds, - in years 4 and 6, to the marks obtained in the examinations and tests; - in year 5, to the marks obtained in the examinations (1st semester) and in the harmonised evaluation examinations (2nd semester); - in year 7, please see section 4.5 below. The A and B marks shall be expressed in whole and half-marks except in year 7, where they shall be expressed in whole marks accurate to one decimal place. 4.3 The oral (European Baccalaureate) examination This component is common to the L1 course. Procedures outlined below replicate those in section 6.6.2 of the L1 syllabus (page 22); marks are to be awarded using the agreed assessment grid in the current Vade Mecum. The oral examination assesses the candidate's ability to talk coherently and at length about a text. Candidates are expected to communicate an analytic and personal response to this text, incorporating appropriate knowledge and understanding (e.g. of its linguistic and literary features, and of any relevant social, cultural and historical background). They may also be asked to talk about texts they have encountered during the course, both in school and in their personal reading, especially where these can be related to aspects of the chosen examination text, and about their individual project and essay work. The examination is based on a passage chosen at random by the candidate from a selection provided by the school. Passages will be taken from texts that are associated with the theme selected for the written examination and that candidates have read during the course. The panel of external examiners for the Baccalaureate will approve sections of this text, proposed by teachers for less detailed study, from which the passages will be drawn. The text is chosen 20 minutes before the start of the examination and one or two written prompts are provided to guide candidates in their preparation. The text is about 400 words long but length may vary according to

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complexity; details of authorship, date and source are given. The selection of texts will include prose (fiction and literary non-fiction), poetry and drama. The examination itself lasts for 20 minutes, including time for examiners to award their marks, and comprises two linked parts. Candidates should:

read aloud part of the selected text (as indicated by the examiners) and develop an interpretation of the whole text (guided by, but not restricted to, the prompts);

engage with examiners in a dialogue about the text and the candidate’s wider personal reading, including the project and/or extended essay, where appropriate.

NOTE Examiners must be provided, in advance of the oral examination session, with a full list of texts studied for the examination, titles of candidates’ projects and extended essays completed in Years S6 and S7, and copies of the selection of passages to be made available to candidates in the oral examination. The examination is assessed in accordance with the agreed assessment grid in the current Vade Mecum. It should be noted that this examination assesses both reading, and speaking and listening. As well as taking account of the candidate’s literary knowledge and critical understanding, marks are awarded for fluent and correct expression, appropriate pronunciation, intonation and register, and the candidate’s ability to participate in and sustain a dialogue (i.e. to understand, respond to and develop prompts put by the examiner). For further details of preparation for and the conduct of, the oral examination see the current Vade Mecum. 4.4 The written (European Baccalaureate) examination The written examination assesses the candidate's ability to comprehend, interpret and make a personal response to texts, using specific literary knowledge and understanding; and to use fluent written expression when presenting complex ideas and arguments in a precise manner. There is a set text, which is studied in detail, alongside other specified texts to which it is linked by a theme common to the LI course. The specified texts are studied in less detail, and it is from these texts that the selection of passages for use in the oral examination will be made (see section 4.3 above).

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The examination lasts for 240 minutes and comprises three compulsory questions:

1. Question 1 requires the candidate to respond to an extract from the set text, commenting on what it reveals of the writer’s ideas and techniques and relating it both to the set text as a whole and to at least two other relevant texts studied within the theme. 40 marks are allocated to this question.

2. Question 2 requires the candidate to choose one of two general essays on the theme, making detailed reference to two or three texts. 40 marks are allocated to this question.

3. Question 3 requires the candidate to make a critical response to one

of two unseen texts. The question will not ask candidates to compare and contrast two texts. Texts may be prose, poetry or drama, and will differ from the genre of the set text extract used in question 1. 20 marks are allocated to this question.

Extracts used in question 1 will be up to about 700 words long if prose or drama, but poetry texts may be shorter, depending on complexity. In question 3, texts will be shorter, to take account of the lower mark allocation to this question; for the unseen texts in question 3, annotations of words, expressions and facts which are not expected to be known to candidates may be provided, up to a maximum of six.

The examination is to be marked in accordance with the agreed assessment grids in the current Vade Mecum. It should be noted that this examination assesses both reading and writing. Marks are awarded for correct spelling, punctuation and grammar and for cogency and coherence in the structure of written answers as well as for the candidate’s literary knowledge and critical understanding. NOTE The Vade Mecum includes details of the set themes for current and future examinations, together with a specimen examination paper. 4.5 Calculation of the candidate’s final mark See Annex VI - Marking in Year 7 and calculation of the Baccalaureate mark in the General Rules of the European Schools (ref. 2007-D-4010-en-5)