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Extract is the first 40 lines

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https://adage.com/article/see-the-spot/nike-s-equality-ad-air-grammy-s/307957

https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-sports/watch-inspiring-nike-equality-commercial-with-lebron-james-serena-williams-112981/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/nike-ads-social-justice-kaepernick-1.4810102

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrison_Bergeron

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurt_Vonnegut

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“Is this the land history promised? Here, within these lines, on this concrete court, this patch of turf. Here, you’re defined by your actions. Not your looks or beliefs. Equality should have no boundaries. The bonds we find here should run past these lines. Opportunity should not discriminate. The ball should bounce the same for everyone. Work should outshine color. If we can be equals here, we can be equals everywhere. Equality has no boundaries. Nike.com/equality

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Nike's "Equality" Ad

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Example A Notes

The student introduces the topic very clearly. It’s about the differences in portrayals of male and female promiscuity. She talks about bullying culture and victimization versus feeling unashamed and in control of one’s sexuality. She contrasts male and female promiscuity by using stills from the TV show. Differences in body language, showing the boy’s pride and lack of shame. The still of Hannah shows how the female students judge her and make her feel more ashamed. She discusses the expectations that female students maintain an image of purity and innocence. Sexual activity is seen as tarnishing this image. She quotes a male character, Bryce, commenting on the fact that the sexual encounter took place in public, and she interprets this as reflecting male students’ tendency to prioritize the sexual aspects of relationships over the emotional aspects.

The candidate discusses the characters’ body language. The girl seems ashamed, and the boy’s body language is open and relaxed. She interprets this as victimization of Hannah. She notes that the close up shot here evokes sympathy for her from the audience.

The candidate contrasts this portrayal of promiscuity with the poem ‘Salome.’ She says the poem “portrays a female who is unforgiving and proud of her open sexuality.” The candidate comments on the candor and lack of shame expressed about sexual behavior. This is interpreted as a reflection of the female character’s power. She then notes the biblical reference “lamb to the slaughter,” and suggests that the word lamb could symbolize Jesus, but I don’t quite follow this. She notes the flipped gender stereotypes in the poem in that men, rather than women, are portrayed as victims. Here the candidate claims the author is saying that if women are not shameful, they are dangerous.

Conclusion
The candidate concludes that the two texts portray female characters very differently, with respect to promiscuity. In 13 reasons they are victims who try to hide their sexuality; and in Salome they are open and proud. She says that neither of these portrayals are beneficial or accurate representations of real life.

She provides some context of the TV show as a whole and the collection of poems as a whole. 13 reasons tackles controversial issues like drug abuse and suicide; and The World’s Wife looks at men through a feminist lens. She talks about the writers’ different purposes for portraying promiscuity in the way they do, but this part is unclear. Something about calling the audience’s attention to an issue with how people are portrayed in media.

Questions:
The student fields the examiner’s questions confidently and fairly successfully. Her answers are mostly consistent with the argument she made in the first ten minutes. She characterizes the male characters’ conversation as focusing on the sexual aspects of the relationship and its sort of ‘sexual conquest’ dynamic. She interprets the ease and casualness with which the boys use the “1st, 2nd, 3rd base” labels as evidence that this perspective on sexuality is nearly ubiquitous or at least widespread among boys this age.

She reiterates how the TV show’s producers used cinematography to lead the audience to sympathize with Hannah. She says this scene is consistent with the rest of the TV show’s portrayal of bullying culture and adolescents’ attitudes toward promiscuity.

The examiner asks about an apparent contradiction in Salome’s feelings about her behavior, but the candidate’s answer isn’t clear here. It seems she interprets this as Salome’s ambivalence or lack of confidence that she can change her behavior. The candidate gives a thoughtful, convincing interpretation of the poem’s overall message and the effect it is supposed to have on readers (“shocking” readers with the portrayal of the female character and urging readers to consider why they are shocked by it).

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Criterion A: Understanding and interpretation 5/5
The response shows a very good understanding of the film, and it includes several insightful interpretations in making the analogy between Ready Player One’s VR world and a language system. The focus of the response is made very clear in the second paragraph, and the rest of the response draws interesting parallels between the film and the language models.

Criterion B: Analysis and evaluation 4/5
The response includes references to key scenes in the film, but the the focus is on the OASIS VR world itself rather than the film as a whole. It is also a little unbalanced in that there is too much focus on the language models and not enough analysis of the filmmaker’s choices.

Criterion C: Focus and organization 4/5
The paragraphs and topic sentences make the response fairly easy to follow. The language models mentioned in the introduction are discussed one after the other, and the ideas build in a cohesive way. However, I think the last two paragraphs are unfocused and the conclusions are a little vague.

Criterion D: Language 5/5
The register and style of the writing are appropriately formal, and the grammar, sentence structure and punctuation are accurate throughout. The student makes some sophisticated word choices and makes his/her meaning clear.

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Paper 1; Sample C; Text B

Criterion A: Understanding and interpretation 2/5
The response shows some understanding of the content of the ads, the ads’ purpose, and some of the formal features. But the response lacks a sustained interpretation of the ads and their overall effect. Also, some references to the text/ features are not appropriate, in that the student’s ideas about them are unrelated to the question. For example, “The use of the woman in the ad could be stereotyping….”

Criterion B: Analysis and evaluation 2/5
The response is focused on describing and critiquing the individual formal features of the ads. There is very little analysis of how the features connect with the ads’ meaning or how the features create an effect on people who see the ads.

Criterion C: Focus and organization 1/5
There are no paragraphs or topic sentences. The individual features are discussed one after the other, but there are no connections made between them. The analysis is unfocused.

Criterion D: Language 1/5
There are several grammar mistakes and odd word choices. The register and style of the writing are too informal and only occasionally appropriate to the task.

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Criterion A: Knowledge, Understanding and Interpretation 8/10
It’s clear the student has read and understood the main ideas of the two texts. The essay highlights key aspects that demonstrate the differences in how ‘home’ is depicted by the authors. However, the student’s analysis sometimes strays off topic and into details of the settings and plot of the two works that aren’t directly related to how ‘home’ is depicted.

Criterion B: Analysis and Evaluation 8/10
The essay identifies several techniques and other choices made by the authors, and analyzes how they contribute to the authors’ depictions of ‘home.’ However, with the exception of the introduction and conclusion, the two texts are contrasted mostly by analyzing them in separate paragraphs. I think the analysis would have been clearer if the two texts had been contrasted more directly and with more emphasis on the authors’ use of techniques (as opposed to focusing on the settings and plots of the stories).

Criterion C: Focus and Organization 4/5
The student has a clear thesis and supports the thesis throughout the essay. There are some digressions in the body of the essay where the student includes details that I don’t think are directly relevant to the questions, but overall it is coherent and focused on the task.

Criterion D: Language 5/5
The student uses language accurately and effectively. The vocabulary and sentence structures make the essay clear and enjoyable to read. There are no glaring grammatical errors, and the style and register are appropriate for the task.

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Non-literary unit

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Non-literary unit

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Language and Literature Course Outline. John 

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How do texts adhere to and deviate from conventions associated with literary forms and genres or text types?
To belong to a specific literary form, genre or text type, a text needs to adhere to most of its conventions throughout most of the text. For example, in terms of story, a drama usually has a main character; the main character has goals and is to some extent goal-oriented; the character faces obstacles (internal and external) that interfere with them achieving their goals; they learn and grow through relationships with others; and in the end they achieve their goal. However, in tragedies the main character often fails to learn and grow, and is in the end fails to meet his/her goal. Other dramas lack a true main character and instead have a group or team of equally important characters. So there is room to deviate from conventions within a particular literary form, genre or text time; but if a text deviates from these conventions too much, it ceases to belong to that literary form, genre or text type, and it is categorized differently.

How do conventions and systems of reference evolve over time?
I think conventions evolve over time as writers learn from each other about what tends to work best, what tends not to work, and what is unnecessary or counterproductive. For example, speech writers read famous speeches and learn how to employ rhetorical techniques as effectively as possible. Over time it has become conventional to end speeches (and advertisements, now that I think of it) with some type of call to action. In terms of word choice and tone, for most texts belonging to most forms of writing, the formality and level of reading difficulty declines over time. When you read an old newspaper article or a transcript of an old speech, this immediately becomes obvious.

In what ways can diverse texts share points of similarity?
Theme might be the most common factor that diverse texts share. The same themes are explored in different ways in texts written in very different times and places, and with a little extra work, readers can understand the thematic statements in texts produced in other cultural and historical contexts. Diverse texts may also share particular genre elements or narrative techniques (e.g., flashbacks, plot twists, or an unreliable narrator). Argumentative writing from different times and places will also include many of the same rhetorical devices.

How valid is the notion of a classic text?
I think classics become classics for a reason (or reasons). They’re considered to be works of literary merit, and for that reason literature classes should include at least some classics. I think people consider books to be “classic” not just because they are famous and widely read, but also because the books are thought have a message or meaning that was articulated by the author in a way that has not been matched in more recently written books.

How can texts offer multiple perspectives of a single issue, topic or theme?
In lots of fictional works different characters can be thought of as representing different perspectives on a single theme. I’ve sometimes heard this referred to as a story’s thematic argument. The story presents the reader with a thematic statement, such as “One should always be honest.” Some of the characters in the story are honest and some are occasionally dishonest, and the consequences of their honesty or dishonesty make up the thematic argument. If in the end the honest characters experience negative consequences, and the dishonest characters experience positive consequences, then the writer’s message is that in some situations it’s better to be dishonest.

Separately, philosophy texts often begin with the writer presenting a perspective on an issue that contrasts with his/her own. The writer will make that opposing argument seem very persuasive, and then come right back and critique that perspective and offer his/her own.

In what ways can comparison and interpretation be transformative?
I think that by interpreting the meaning of a text and then comparing it to your own life and your own worldview, you can become more introspective and aware of your own tendencies, biases and preconceptions. By exposing students to a variety of texts, teachers can expand their awareness of the diversity of experiences and ways of looking at the world. Even if students disagree with the messages in a text, the mere exposure to different ways of living and thinking can encourage them to be open to new things. Questioning what exists now and being open to something new are important first steps to transformation.

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How important is cultural or historical context to the production and reception of a text?
For most texts, the cultural or historical context has significant influence because the author’s choices are in part shaped by his/her culture and place in history. For example, an author is influenced by the prevailing values, social norms, politics, and influential literature of the time and place in which he/ she lives. For the reception of a text, I think that the further apart the reader’s ‘time and space’ is from the writer’s, the more important it is for readers to learn about the cultural and historical context in which the work was written. Without at least a basic understanding of where the writer is coming from, it will be very difficult for readers to understand the writer’s meaning or analyze the text thoughtfully.

How do we approach texts from different times and cultures to our own?
Ideally, we can approach the text with an awareness of our own biases. For example, while reading a text written long ago, a presentist bias would lead us to apply modern ideas and perspectives to the writer’s choices and the behavior of the characters. What was considered acceptable or good in a historical context may or not be considered acceptable or good today. It is also a good idea to be aware of one’s own biases with regard to culture, and to some degree embrace cultural relativism (understanding the text from the perspective of the author’s and characters’ culture rather than one’s own).

To what extent do texts offer insight into another culture?
I think they offer insight into another culture to the extent that the culture is accurately depicted in the text, and maybe also the extent to which the author’s purpose for writing is to educate people about the culture. It will also depend on the reader’s understanding of the culture. If the reader is very knowledgeable about that culture or has some personal experience with it, then the text might not have anything new insights to offer. On the other hand, if a reader has absolutely no knowledge of a culture depicted in a text, he or she might need to do a little research before being able to glean any insight about the culture from the text.

How does the meaning and impact of a text change over time?
Over time, as the modern world becomes more and more different from the world at the time a text was written, the impact probably becomes less and less. Readers have more difficulty relating to and understanding the perspective of writer, and it requires more effort from readers to interpret the writer’s meaning. Also, in the years after a text is written, many other writers imitate that text’s content or style, and in this way make it seem less special. Even if a text was considered very original and special when it was first written, readers from later generations will compare that text to others written more recently. It may same uninspired or unoriginal to readers who don’t take into account the time and place in which it was written.

How do texts reflect, represent or form a part of cultural practices?
Some writers try to present a culture in a flattering way, or in a critical way, or in a neutral way that is as true-to-life as possible. It is difficult for readers from other cultures who have little knowledge about the culture depicted in the text to determine how accurately the depiction is. I think this is one reason readers sometimes have a tendency to approach texts from different times and cultures with a degree of skepticism. In this case it’s just more difficult to trust the truthfulness or verisimilitude of what you’re reading.

How does language represent social distinctions and identities?
This is a big picture question I’m not sure I know how to answer. At a basic level, people make assumptions about others based on the differences in the ways we use language (e.g., proficiency, eloquence, word choice, accent). We make assumptions about the speaker/writer’s social class, education, background, and other factors based on the language they use. Regarding identities, I think most people consider the languages they speak and the ways in which they use language to be a part of their identity. Some people also adopt affectations in order to appear to be one way or another to those around them. This is easy to see when you watch a person’s speech change when they are among different groups of people (friends, family co-workers, classmates, etc.)

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Why and how do we study language and literature?
For most people, communication is a huge part of life. By studying language and literature, we can become better communicators and learn how to take in information, understand it, and make use of it. It exposes us to a variety of perspectives and experiences that we otherwise might not encounter in our everyday lives. In this way, it helps us grow as people.

How are we affected by texts in various ways?
Texts can be challenge us, comfort us, excite us, or have any combination of effects on our thoughts and emotions. The best texts will change us in some way. They challenge our current thinking or offer us new ways to look at issues or aspects of our own lives. The change isn’t always profound or life-changing; it could be just a temporary change of mental state that you feel when you are absorbed in a book.

In what way is meaning constructed, negotiated, expressed and interpreted?
I think readers make meaning of texts based on their personal experiences and knowledge of the world, and by trying to empathize with the writer or the characters in a story. This is one reason there can be many interpretations of a single text. Ideally, readers can explore the meaning of a text and understand it by discussing it with others and considering different interpretations.

How does language use vary among text types, and among literary forms and genres?
Different text types, literary forms and genres have their own conventions with regard to language use. Word choice, tone, style and other characteristics of the language used vary based on the demands or expectations for that type of writing. For example, writers of editorials and writers of “hard” news are expected to use very different language, and writers of thrillers and romantic comedies use different language. Authors interpret the demands and expectations of their text type and genre in different ways, however, and this kind of interpretation, along with other personal factors leads to variation among authors who write the same text type, literary form or genre.

How does the structure or style of a text affect meaning?
I think the structure and style of a text can add meaning “between the lines,” as it were, and require readers to consider the author’s choices. Differences in how readers interpret texts are in part based on the different ways in which readers answer the question “why did the author make that choice?”

How do texts offer insights and challenges?
Oftentimes texts can help shed light on an idea that you have been thinking about or taking about but unable to express clearly in your own words. Then you read a text, and you see the writer as expressed that idea very articulately. This helps to improve your understanding of the idea and help you express it in words. Other times, a text challenges an idea that you’ve been considering and leads to you question the underlying assumptions of that idea.

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Learning Engagement 4: Close textual analysis of the IB

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Learning Engagement 4: Close textual analysis of the IB

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1. IB Mission Statement
One assumption of the IB mission statement is that it is the role of educational institutions to help students develop morally as well as intellectually. This is shown in the word choices “caring” and “compassionate.” The idea is that a complete education is not only academically rigorous, but also encourages students to act thoughtfully and morally.

Multiculturalism and pluralism are values implicit in the IB mission statement. This is shown in the word choices “peaceful world” and “intercultural understanding.” Each section of the mission statement references the organization’s efforts to promote cooperation and sympathetic awareness among students from different backgrounds.

2. IB Learner Profile
The dominant reading of the learner profile is that students are intrinsically motivated to gain skills, gain knowledge, improve morally, and be contributing members of a multicultural society. Learners have a natural tendency toward improvement and self-actualization.

An oppositional reading of the learner profile might question whether the characteristics outlined in the profile are actually the most important for learners to have. It might also question the emphasis placed on global perspectives, multilingualism, and the idea that students should be motivated to improve themselves in order to improve the lives of others.

3. Course Aims and Assessment Objectives

I would describe the writer’s tone as serious, informative, formal, direct, and prescriptive. The writer uses bullet points, headings and straightforward language to make the aims and objectives explicitly clear. Nothing is hinted at or implied. Word choices such as “lifelong interest” and “enjoyment” also make the writer’s tone seem caring or benevolent.

4. Standards and Practices

The words “celebrates” invokes the idea that IB educators should be passionate and find joy in teaching and improving professionally. The phrases “work together,” “open, democratic classrooms,” and “collaboration with others” invoke the idea that the learning process is a collective endeavor that involves reciprocity and mutual respect. The phrase “lifetime of learning” emphasizes the IB’s commitment to preparing students to finish the program with the skills and character they will need to continue learning and improving.

5. CAS Experiences and Projects

Several words and phrases reflect the ideals of experiential learning and service to others. The phrases “raise awareness” and “global issue” suggest the importance of students developing global perspectives and doing what they can to address important issues. Two of the example activities focus on helping the sight-impaired and younger students. Verbs such as “plan,” “host,” “develop,” and “run” highlight the importance of students being active participants in their education and in their community.

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Create your own questions and statements 

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Create your own questions and statements 

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My name is John, and I teach at the Shanghai Experimental Foreign Language School. We are an IB candidate school, and most of us are just getting started with the online trainings. I don’t have any experience with IB, either as a student or as a teacher, but I’ve heard good things. The other participants in the workshop seem very experienced in teaching literature and English as a first language, so I look forward to learning from your experience and insights. I’ve taught for about five years in China. Right now I teach ESL, as well as TOEFL and IELTS test preparation.

Pressing questions about the course: How can it be taught most effectively to classes that have ESL students with different levels of English proficiency? How can it be taught so that students are challenged but not overwhelmed? How do I create a good syllabus?

I think the most important things for developing professional relationships online are for everyone to try to ask good questions and give constructive feedback. It’s also a good idea to reread your posts before you submit them so you can avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.

I want to finish the workshop with a good understanding of the IB philosophy and the English A curriculum and assessment. I want to have a learner portfolio that I can use as an exemplar when explaining this aspect of the course to students. I also want to gain some practical tips for teaching this class to ESL students.

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