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TOK Essay

In the TOK essay, your students will respond in writing to one of the six prescribed titles that the IB publishes for each examination session. These titles posits knowledge issues for students to address. See the 5 steps below to guide your students to include in their essays.

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After choosing the prescribed title, students choose real-life situations that are well suited to the title as well as the area/s of knowledge. Here’s an example of a few places students can look to find them:

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TOK essay assessment
For teachers to approach assessment successfully, it is important to identify the different aspects in the TOK essay assessment instrument. The table below unpacks different aspects of its highest level.

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Another important point to bear in mind when assessing student work is to observe the changes in the quantifiers used and the details added or omitted from different levels. Consider the example below using one of the descriptors.

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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.