"L'Enfer c'est les autres."--Jean-Paul Sartre
This is an advanced English course, the equivalent of an American Advanced Placement Course. Works studied are prescribed by the OIB examination at the end of the year. Students study a variety of literary genres, from short story and novels to plays and poetry.
This course completes a two-year program of preparation for the International Option Baccalaureate exam at the end of Terminale. This year, students will explore the theme of otherness. What defines the mainstream and how does this mainstream dictate to others? What does it mean to be marginalized? How has the mainstream impacted the world of ideas across the centuries?
Course objective:
The OIB English class in Terminale offers a competitively rigorous course designed primarily for students who wish to work in English in a manner similar to students at other American independent schools. The aim of the course is to help students achieve independence as they learn how to read critically and articulate their findings in both written and oral work. Students are expected to learn to participate in active class discussions about literary topics, and they hone both oral and written skills required for the OIB examination. The course helps students acquire tools necessary for literary analysis, expands their vocabulary and enriches their writing skills. Throughout the year, students should expect written and orals examinations in preparation for the final baccalaureate examinations in June. There will be one round of mock orals scheduled in March.
Works Studied:
- Toni Morrison, The Bluest Eye
- Barbara Kingsolver, The Poisonwood Bible
- Virginia Woolf, Excerpts from A Room of One's Own
- Martin Luther King, “A Letter From Birmingham Jail.”
- Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience
- Euripides, Medea
- Tennessee Williams, A Streetcar Named Desire.
- Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness.
- William Shakespeare, Hamlet.
- Emily Dickinson, A selection of poetry.
Class Expectations:
In-class writing:
In preparation for the end-of-the-year examinations, students will have regular in- class exercises of two or four hours.
Reader Responses:
Students will be expected to read assigned material and to prepare reader responses before class discussion.
Oral work:
Students will be expected to contribute in seminar fashion to class discussion and may be asked to conduct discussions periodically. Students will have two formal oral exercises before the end of the year exams.
Supplies:
Students should have a binder for class notes. It is recommended that students then keep notes on each work in individual folders for end of the year review.
