A close-up shot of several wooden bookshelves filled with various books. Some books are standing upright, while others are stacked horizontally. The spines of the books are different colors and have different titles, although they are not clearly readable.

Studies in Language and Literature

IB English A Language and Literature Course Overview HL

The only IB-approved online course provider

About the course

Admissions process

Number of units

17

Number of lessons

255

Duration

2 years

Level

Higher


Overview

In this IB English A Language and Literature HL course, students study texts from a broad range of literary and non-literary texts. Students investigate the nature of language and how it affects communications, reflects experience and shapes the world. English Language and Literature is available as an HL and an SL course, following the same core units and texts. 


Advice from our teachers

In order to succeed, it is recommended students set aside seven to ten hours a week for the HL course. 

*Please note, that all courses offered are subject to receiving a minimum enrolment number. Your Pamoja point of contact will be in touch as we approach the start date if we are unable to take a course forward.


Course structure

The course covers the following topics: 

Year 1: 

  • Literary Works (three for HL)
  • Newspaper Articles
  • Documentary
  • Advertisements
  • Opinion columns
  • Letters to the editor
  • Magazine articles
  • Cartoons
  • Tweets
  • Infographics 

Year 2: 

  • Literary Works (three for HL)
  • Reviews
  • Leaflets
  • Brochures
  • Blogs
  • Essays
  • Letters
  • Travel Writing
  • Appeals 

Required books for IB English A Language and Literature HL 

To begin your IB English A Language and Literature HL course please purchase the coursebooks listed below. Please note, coursebooks are not included in the course fee. 

Year 1 

Philip K Dick (2010), Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Gollancz: London, ISBN-13: 978-0-575-09418-5. 

Carol Ann Duffy (2010), The World’s Wife, Picador, ISBN-13: 978-0330372220. 

Bernhard Schlink (2008), The Reader, W&N, ISBN-13: 978-0753823293. 

Year 2 

Edmund Rostand (1991), Cyrano de Bergerac (*translation by Antony Burgess), Nick Hern Books, ISBN-13: 978-1854591173. 

William Shakespeare F. H. Mares (Editor) (2003), Much Ado About Nothing, (The New Cambridge Shakespeare), ISBN-13: 978-0521532501. 

F Scott Fitzgerald (1991), The Great Gatsby, NEW LONGMAN LITERATURE 14-18, ISBN-13: 978-0582060234. 

*Important that it is this translation *You may wish to use EPUB/Kindle versions of the books, but be aware that not all EPUB/Kindle versions have page numbers. In most cases where page numbers are referenced, your course will specify the chapter and a line of text from a paragraph on the page. 

Benefits of the course

Taking IB English A Literature and Language HL online will enable students to:

A young male student wearing a green hoodie and white headphones sits on concrete steps, smiling while working on a silver laptop outdoors.

Why online?

Students will have the opportunity to:
  • Access a structured learning environment that provides flexibility and support in equal measure.
  • Develop their organisational skills.
  • Study alongside students from around the world.
  • Gain experience of using the latest online learning tools. 

Some things won’t be different though. Standards and expectations will be just as high as in a face to face classroom.   

A young woman in a brown coat and pearl necklace smiles while holding a silver laptop, standing outdoors on a sunny university campus.

Activities and assessment

Some activities assess student achievement against formal criteria, such as essays, content production and reflections. Learning is also supported with discussion forums, journals, email, and live lessons in the online classroom. These are assessed against Pamoja criteria that allow students to monitor the quality of their interaction and engagement with the course.