english Flashcards
What is the IB English SL Individual Oral (IO)?
A 10-minute spoken analysis connecting a global issue to one literary text and one non-literary text. Followed by a 5-minute Q&A from the teacher. You must analyze how the authors use literary & linguistic features to present the global issue.
✅ Tip: Choose texts that offer rich analysis opportunities (strong themes, stylistic techniques).
🚫 Mistake: Picking a global issue that is too broad or hard to connect to both texts.
How should you divide your 10-minute IO presentation?
⏳ Time Breakdown:
4 min → First text (literary or non-literary).
4 min → Second text (non-literary or literary).
2 min → Compare both and link back to the global issue.
✅ Tip: Keep time balanced! Don’t over-explain one text and rush the other.
🚫 Mistake: Running out of time before making a strong comparison.
What does Criterion A assess in the IO?
How well you understand both texts. How effectively you link them to the global issue. The depth of your analysis—going beyond surface-level observations.
✅ Tip: Always bring everything back to the global issue.
🚫 Mistake: Summarizing the text instead of analyzing its techniques.
How can you maximize marks in Criterion B?
Identify literary & linguistic devices in both texts. Evaluate their effects on meaning, audience, and purpose. Compare how both texts present the global issue with clear, insightful points.
✅ Tip: Use the author’s purpose and context to strengthen your analysis.
🚫 Mistake: Listing devices without explaining their impact.
What makes a strong IO structure?
Introduction: Briefly introduce the global issue + texts. Text 1 Analysis: Explain its techniques & link to the issue. Text 2 Analysis: Explain its techniques & link to the issue. Comparison & Conclusion: Show how both texts explore the issue differently or similarly.
✅ Tip: Use clear transitions: “Similarly,” “On the other hand,” “This contrasts with…”
🚫 Mistake: Jumping between points randomly without a clear flow.
How can you score well in Criterion D?
Speak clearly, confidently, and formally. Use academic vocabulary (e.g., ‘conveys’ instead of ‘shows’). Maintain grammatical accuracy.
✅ Tip: Practice speaking naturally—don’t sound robotic.
🚫 Mistake: Reading directly from notes instead of engaging with your ideas.
What makes a strong global issue for IO?
It should be broad enough to relate to both texts but specific enough for deep analysis.
Examples:
Power & Oppression → “1984” + a political speech.
The Role of Media → A dystopian novel + a news article.
Gender Inequality → A feminist poem + a film scene.
✅ Tip: The best issues allow strong literary & linguistic analysis.
🚫 Mistake: Choosing a vague or weakly connected issue.
What are the top 3 mistakes students make in the IO?
🚨 1. Summarizing instead of analyzing → Always explain why an author uses a technique.
🚨 2. Weak time management → Practice a timed speech to stay within 10 minutes.
🚨 3. Lack of strong connections → Repeatedly link back to the global issue in each argument.
✅ Tip: Use short bullet points for notes instead of a full script.
