Book a Free Demo

Unpack areas of exploration for students with these interactive lessons

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

Making meaning is at the heart of the DP language and literature course. In their reading of literary and non-literary texts, students learn to make meaning of author’s craft as well as the messages within each text. The three areas of exploration in the language and literature  – Readers, writers, and texts, time and space, and intertextuality – help students study the construction of meaning from three perspectives. How might we introduce students to these perspectives and get them started on this ‘meaningful’ journey?  

With these ready-to-use interactive lessons, you can help students unpack the areas of exploration and dig deeper into how meaning is constructed and communicated. Designed as an editable student-facing slide deck, it introduces the basics of textual analysis and is well-suited for students early in the course. For both literary and non-literary texts, the following questions are explored:

  • What is meaning and where does it come from?
  • How is meaning constructed differently in different texts?
  • How do the areas of exploration help us interpret meaning?

Featuring literary texts by Robert Frost and William Shakespeare, and non-literary texts by Richard McGuire and Adriane Tomine, this deck can be flexibly adapted to suit your purposes: from a stand-alone lesson to an interactive discussion spread out over a whole week.

Ideas for using this slide deck:

  • Break students into teams. Have them compete to create the most detailed list of similarities and differences between the two non-literary texts.
  • Challenge the students to interpret the Shakespeare poem. Listen to a few attempts, then perform a live explication and annotation to build on their understanding.
  • Reveal the works you’ve selected for the course. Students can conduct research on each work, then speculate on which work(s) are best aligned with each area of exploration.
Author
Thomas Lewandowski

Up next: Related articles, talks and more

View all
Article
The EE Explained | A Quick Video Guide
Learn More
Resource
How to be a Superhero CAS Coordinator
Learn More
Toddle Talk
Turning pro with your wellness habits
Learn More

The all-in-one collaboration platform for educators.

Toddle streamlines planning, assessments, reports, projects, portfolios, and family communication - all from one place!

Book a free demo
This resource 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.
Back
Thomas Lewandowski
Thomas Lewandowski has been teaching literature since 2006, and has been committed to helping students develop an authentic love for literature. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in English Literature from Saint John's University, a Master's of Art in Teaching from the University of Arkansas, and is a National Board Certified Teacher in the U.S. He spends a lot of time demystifying reading, writing, literary criticism and literary analysis for both DP teachers and students through his YouTube videos that have garnered more than 750,000 views.
Classroom Strategies, Curriculum Planning, Language and Literature
Introducing Areas of Exploration | Interactive Lessons
Making meaning is at the heart of the DP language and literature course. In their reading of literary and non-literary texts, students learn to make meaning of author’s craft as well as the messages within each text. The three areas of exploration in the language and literature  - Readers, writers, and texts, time and space, and intertextuality - help students study the construction of meaning from three perspectives. How might we introduce students to these perspectives and get them started on this ‘meaningful’ journey?  
With this ready-to-use interactive lesson, you can help students unpack the areas of exploration and dig deeper into how meaning is constructed and communicated. Designed as an editable student-facing slide deck, it introduces the basics of textual analysis and is well-suited for students early in the course. For both literary and non-literary texts, the following questions are explored:
What is meaning and where does it come from?
How is meaning constructed differently in different texts?
How do the areas of exploration help us interpret meaning?
Featuring literary texts by Robert Frost and William Shakespeare, and non-literary texts by Richard McGuire and Adriane Tomine, this deck can be flexibly adapted to suit your purposes: from a stand-alon