Unit 1: Women as a Mirror of Society

Text Types

  • Short Story:
    • Brief narrative, usually focusing on one main idea or event
    • Character development is condensed but significant
    • Often includes a twist or moral
    • IB Focus: Identify themes, narrative perspective, and characterisation
  • Novel:
    • Extended narrative with multiple characters and subplots
    • Explores societal norms, cultural contexts, and personal experiences
    • IB Focus: Analyse themes, character arcs, and societal commentary
  • Poem:
    • Structured or free verse exploring emotions, ideas, or imagery
    • Techniques include metaphor, simile, alliteration, rhyme, and rhythm
    • IB Focus: Analyse tone, style, imagery, and author’s purpose

Elements of Story / Fiction

  • Characters: Main, minor, protagonist, antagonist; IB: Analyse development, motives, and relationships
  • Setting: Time, place, social context; IB: Link setting to themes or character behaviour
  • Plot: Exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution; IB: Identify tension and conflicts
  • Theme: Central idea or message; IB: Consider how women are portrayed in society
  • Conflict: Internal (psychological) or external (society, nature, other characters); IB: Analyse effect on character development
  • Point of View / Narrative Perspective:
    • First person, third person limited, omniscient
    • IB: How POV affects audience perception and tone
  • Literary Devices: Symbolism, imagery, irony, foreshadowing, motifs

Introduction to PAFT (Purpose, Audience, Form, Tone)

  • Purpose: Why the text was written; IB: Identify author’s intention (inform, entertain, persuade, critique society)
  • Audience: Who the text is aimed at; IB: Consider age, cultural context, and perspective of readers
  • Form: Type of text (short story, poem, novel excerpt, article); IB: Analyse how form shapes meaning
  • Tone: Author’s attitude or emotional quality; IB: Identify language, style, and narrative voice that convey tone
  • IB Tip: Use PAFT to link textual features to societal commentary on women

Introduction to Analytical Essay (Textual Analysis)

  • Purpose: To explain how language, structure, and literary techniques create meaning in the text
  • Key Focus Areas:
    • Language: Diction, figurative language, dialogue, imagery, rhetorical devices
    • Structure: Paragraphing, sequencing, plot development, narrative perspective
    • Techniques: Literary devices like symbolism, metaphor, irony, foreshadowing, motifs
  • Steps in Textual Analysis:
    • Read carefully and annotate the excerpt
    • Identify key themes and societal commentary
    • Analyse how language and structure convey meaning
    • Relate textual evidence to ideas about women in society
  • IB Tip: Always quote from the text and explain its effect. Use PEEL structure (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link).
  • Common IB Assessment Focus:
    • Text’s theme
    • Justification with quotes from the text
    • Good thesis that sets the theme for what you’re analysing
Exam Tip: For IB MYP, always connect textual analysis to societal themes. Analyse language, tone, form, and purpose deeply. Practice annotating short stories, poems, and novel excerpts, and prepare PEEL-style paragraphs for analytical writing.

Unit 2: Drama – Power and Conflict

Conventions of Drama

  • Dialogue: Spoken words between characters; conveys conflict, relationships, and power dynamics
  • Stage Directions: Instructions for actors, movement, tone, and setting; IB: Analyse how these affect meaning
  • Characters: Protagonist, antagonist, supporting characters; analyse motivations and power relationships
  • Setting: Time, place, and context; IB: Consider how setting amplifies conflict or highlights power structures
  • Monologue & Soliloquy: Reveals inner thoughts and emotions; IB: Useful for analysing internal conflict and character development
  • Foreshadowing & Suspense: Creates tension and anticipation; IB: Analyse dramatic effect on audience
  • Symbolism and Props: Objects or actions representing ideas, themes, or power
  • Stagecraft: Lighting, sound, costume, set design; IB: Consider contribution to mood and thematic focus

Five-Act Plot Structure

  • Act 1 – Exposition: Introduction of characters, setting, and context; establishes initial conflict
  • Act 2 – Rising Action: Development of conflict; characters face obstacles
  • Act 3 – Climax: Turning point of the play; highest tension; power dynamics revealed
  • Act 4 – Falling Action: Conflict begins to resolve; consequences of the climax unfold
  • Act 5 – Resolution (Denouement): Conflict resolved, characters’ fates revealed; IB: Link to theme and message
  • IB Tip: When analysing, identify how the structure enhances tension, conflict, and audience engagement

Creative Writing: Script Writing

  • Based on an Image or Prompt: IB-style task often provides a stimulus (visual or textual)
  • Script Elements:
    • Character Names and Dialogue: Clearly label who speaks
    • Stage Directions: Indicate movements, tone, actions, and interactions
    • Setting: Describe location, time, and atmosphere
    • Conflict: Introduce tension or problem; power struggle often key theme
  • Tips for IB Assessment:
    • Plan plot briefly before writing; use five-act structure as a guide if suitable
    • Use language and tone consistent with character and context
    • Integrate themes of power, conflict, and society
    • Keep dialogue natural, concise, and purposeful
Exam Tip: When analysing drama, always link conventions and structure to theme, conflict, and power. For creative scripts, ensure dialogue, stage directions, and characterisation are clear and purposeful. Refer to five-act structure if asked.

Unit 3: Films – Mode of Entertainment

Introduction to Film Genres

  • Purpose: Understand the type of story, audience, and stylistic conventions
  • Common Genres:
    • Drama: Emotional, character-driven stories
    • Comedy: Humour, satire, light-hearted conflicts
    • Action/Adventure: Physical stunts, fast-paced plot
    • Horror/Thriller: Suspense, fear, tension
    • Documentary: Factual storytelling, social or historical focus
    • Musical: Songs integrated with narrative
  • IB Focus: Identify genre conventions and how they influence audience expectations

Introduction to Film Techniques

  • Cinematography: Camera angles, shots (close-up, wide, tracking), framing
  • Editing: Cuts, transitions, pacing; IB: Consider how editing shapes meaning and tension
  • Sound: Dialogue, music, diegetic/non-diegetic sound
  • Lighting: Mood, focus, contrast (high key, low key, natural, artificial)
  • Special Effects & Mise-en-Scène: Props, costumes, setting, body language, gestures
  • IB Focus: Analyse how techniques communicate theme, emotion, or perspective

Text Type: Film Review

  • Purpose: Critically evaluate a film, inform audience about plot, performance, and production
  • Structure:
    • Introduction: Film title, director, genre, brief synopsis
    • Body: Analysis of plot, characters, cinematography, editing, sound, and performance
    • Evaluation: Strengths, weaknesses, overall impact
    • Conclusion: Recommendation or rating
  • IB Focus: Support opinions with textual evidence from the film; link analysis to theme or audience response

Annotation and Analysis of a Film Review

  • Highlight key phrases describing technique, performance, or plot
  • Identify evaluative language and tone (positive, negative, neutral)
  • Analyse how language, structure, and stylistic features convey meaning
  • Link observations to the film’s genre, intended audience, and social/cultural context
  • IB Tip: Annotate with symbols or color codes for techniques, opinions, and evaluation points

Writing a Film Review

  • Use clear headings or paragraphs for plot summary, analysis, and evaluation
  • Incorporate film techniques and examples to support points
  • Maintain appropriate tone for intended audience
  • Conclude with personal opinion or recommendation
  • IB Tip: Use PEEL structure (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) for every analysis point

Mode of Assessment / Submission

  • Criterion Assessed:
    • Criterion A: Analysing
    • Criterion B: Organising
    • Criterion C: Producing Text
    • Criterion D: Using Language
  • Assessment Task: Annotate and analyse a film review excerpt, then write your own review using IB textual analysis techniques
Exam Tip: Always link film techniques to effect on audience and theme. When writing a review, be analytical and evaluative, not just descriptive. Include examples from film scenes, camera angles, lighting, and dialogue. Use PEEL structure consistently.

Unit 4: Non-Literary Texts

Text Types

  • Autobiography: Written by the subject themselves; reflects personal experiences, thoughts, and reflections
  • Biography: Written by someone else; provides factual account and context of a person's life
  • Letters: Personal or formal communication; analyse tone, audience, and purpose
  • Diary Entry: Personal reflections; use of first-person, informal tone, and intimate perspective
  • IB Focus: Analyse conventions, purpose, audience, tone, and structure for each text type

Text Type Conventions

  • Autobiography: Chronological structure, reflection on life events, personal voice
  • Biography: Third-person narration, research-based, highlights achievements and challenges
  • Letters: Greeting, body, closing; tone and form vary based on audience
  • Diary Entry: Date, personal reflections, emotional tone, candid language

Creative Writing: Autobiographies and Biographies

  • Plan structure before writing (chronological, thematic, or combination)
  • Use descriptive language to convey experiences, emotions, and context
  • Maintain voice: first-person for autobiography, third-person for biography
  • Incorporate reflection or analysis of life events
  • IB Tip: Link personal or historical context to broader societal themes where relevant
Exam Tip: Focus on identifying purpose, audience, tone, and conventions. In creative writing, ensure clarity of voice, structure, and reflection. Always support your points with examples or context.