Language+and+Literature

=**Welcome to DP Language A: Language and Literature!**=



What is Language and Literature?
DP Language and Literature comprises four parts—two relate to the study of the English language and two to the study of English literature. The study of the texts produced in a language is central to an active engagement with language and culture and, by extension, to how we see and understand the world in which we live. A key aim of the DP Language and Literature course is to encourage students to question the meaning generated by language and texts, which, it can be argued, is rarely straightforward and unambiguous. The DP Language and Literature course aims to develop in students skills of textual analysis and the understanding that texts, both literary and non-literary, can be seen as autonomous yet simultaneously related to culturally determined reading practices. An understanding of the ways in which formal elements are used to create meaning in a text is combined with an exploration of how that meaning is affected by reading practices that are culturally defined and by the circumstances of production and reception. A wider aim of the course is the development of an understanding of “critical literacy” in students. DP Language and Literature is divided into four parts: Part 1 Language in a Cultural Context, Part 2: Language and Mass Communication, Part 3: Literature- Texts and Contexts, and Part 4: Literature- Critical Study.

Language and Literature Aims:
(Language and Literature Guide 9)
 * 1) introduce students to a range of texts from different periods, styles and genres
 * 2) develop in students the ability to engage in close, detailed analysis of individual texts and make relevant connections
 * 3) develop the students’ powers of expression, both in oral and written communication
 * 4) encourage students to recognize the importance of the contexts in which texts are written and received
 * 5) encourage, through the study of texts, an appreciation of the different perspectives of people from other cultures, and how these perspectives construct meaning
 * 6) encourage students to appreciate the formal, stylistic and aesthetic qualities of texts
 * 7) promote in students an enjoyment of, and lifelong interest in, language and literature.
 * 8) develop in students an understanding of how language, culture and context determine the ways in which meaning is constructed in texts
 * 9) encourage students to think critically about the different interactions between text, audience and purpose.

Knowledge and understanding

 * Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of a range of texts
 * Demonstrate an understanding of the use of language, structure, technique and style
 * Demonstrate a critical understanding of the various ways in which the reader constructs meaning and of how context influences this constructed meaning
 * Demonstrate an understanding of how different perspectives influence the reading of a text

Application and analysis

 * Demonstrate an ability to choose a text type appropriate to the purpose required
 * Demonstrate an ability to use terminology relevant to the various text types studied
 * Demonstrate an ability to analyse the effects of language, structure, technique and style on the reader
 * Demonstrate an awareness of the ways in which the production and reception of texts contribute to their meanings
 * Demonstrate an ability to substantiate and justify ideas with relevant examples

Synthesis and evaluation

 * Demonstrate an ability to compare and contrast the formal elements, content and context of texts
 * Discuss the different ways in which language and image may be used in a range of texts
 * Demonstrate an ability to evaluate conflicting viewpoints within and about a text
 * At HL only: Produce a critical response evaluating some aspects of text, context and meaning

Selection and use of appropriate presentation and language skills

 * Demonstrate an ability to express ideas clearly and with fluency in both written and oral communication
 * Demonstrate an ability to use the oral and written forms of the language, in a range of styles, registers and situations
 * Demonstrate an ability to discuss and analyse texts in a focused and logical manner
 * At HL only: Demonstrate an ability to write a balanced, comparative analysis

 