Guide to Language B in the DP

  2. Home
  4. Docs
  6. Guide to Language B in the DP
  8. Assessments in language B
  10. Individual oral activity (HL)

Individual oral activity (HL)

The HL IOA gives students the chance to analyze a literary extract while making links to the language B themes. Planning ahead of time for the IOA can make it a seamless process. Let’s begin by taking a look at how the IOA is structured.

Structuring the HL IOA

Similar to the one for SL, the HL IOA is also structured into three parts. Here is an overview of what students are expected to cover in each of the three parts in order to  successfully deliver their oral:

Choosing a literary extract

Your first step towards planning the HL IOA is selecting a range of suitable literary extracts for your students to choose from. The extracts are required to be at least 300 words/30-lines and need to be selected from the two literary works studied during the course. You can use the illustration below as a checklist of things to keep in mind while selecting the extract.

Analyzing literary extracts

In part 1 of the oral, students present their analysis of the literary extract they have chosen. During your conversation with students, you can guide them to analyze literary extracts for depth and cultural connections, leading to meaningful conversations.

Here is a template you can share with your students to help them scaffold their presentations.

Help students to analyze literary extracts for the HL IOA

Download now
Please rectify the errors in your form
+
You’re just one step away!
Fill in your information and hit that download button to get free access to this resource.
Please complete this required field.
Please complete this required field.
Please complete this required field.
Please select from the given options.
Please select from the given options
Select atleast one of the options
Select atleast one of the options
Please complete this required field.
Get learning insights delivered right to your inbox! Sign up for our newsletter.
We collect this information to be able to generate content that is more relevant for you. We will use your data responsibly and never spam. You can opt out of our newsletters at any point of time.
Hello Lifelong Learner!
We’re thankful for your interest in our Learn resources. Please check your email for the information you requested.
Also, don’t forget to check out the best of Toddle:
Access the ultimate library of resources
Collaborate with your team to create your own units.
Join Toddle Community For Free
Toddle, your all-in-one collaboration platform for the IB PYP & MYP.
Toddle streamlines planning, assessments, reports, projects, portfolios, and family communication - all from one place!
Book a free demo

To help you get a better understanding, let’s consider the novel ‘Nowhere Boy’ by Katherine Marsh as an example of a chosen literary extract.

Overview of the novel: The novel starts in a dinghy full of migrants from different nationalities in the middle of the Aegean Sea trying to reach the coast of Greece from Turkey. We meet one of the main characters, Ahmed, a teenage Syrian boy who is escaping war with his father, Baba. After a succession of unfortunate events, Ahmed ends up in hiding (and living) in a cellar in a house in Brussels, which happens to be the temporary house of an American family who will spend the year as ex-pats. Ahmed meets Max, the teenage American boy who lives in the house. As they build a friendship, readers delve into the refugee crisis and realize that there is a human commonality that goes beyond languages, culture, customs, and social status. The novel allows students to make connections with all language B themes:

  • Identities
  • Sharing the planet
  • Social organization
  • Experiences
  • Human ingenuity

Here is an annotated extract from Chapter 1 of the novel and how it can be analyzed:

You can find the rest of the extract here. As you can see, the extract not only lends itself to discussing different aspects related to literature but also connects with language B themes:

Note on teacher preparation for the HL IOA

While your students are preparing their chosen extracts before the oral, you are also required to undertake a ‘marking of the extract’. Since this marking happens in the same 20-minute preparation window provided to the student, it is very important to mark the extract taking into account who the student working on the extract is. When you’re marking the extract, you might like to consider the following suggestions:

  • Think of your individual students and the discussion sessions you have had in class. Then look at the extract from the student’s perspective but also spot ideas and concepts the student is not likely to spot (these will turn into questions in part 2)
  • Read the extract carefully and spot subtleties in the extract to ask questions if the student has not spotted them
  • Associate the extract with different language B themes and come up with questions you could ask in parts 2 and 3
  • Bear in mind articles, videos, discussions, etc. from class; bring these up to help the conversation flow better and feel more organic




Download this teacher-annotated sample for the extract shared above for a better understanding of how you can mark your own!

Disclaimer: This guide has been produced independently of and not endorsed by the IB. Toddle’s resources seek to encourage sharing of perspectives and innovative ideas for classroom teaching & learning. They are not intended to be replacements for official IB guides and publications. Views and opinions expressed by the authors of these resources are personal and should not be construed as official guidance by the IB. Please seek assistance from your school’s IB coordinator and/or refer to official IB documents before implementing ideas and strategies shared within these resources in your classroom.