Internal Assessment: The Individual Oral
Weighting: 20%
Toni Morrison
Internal assessment is an integral part of the course and is compulsory for both standard level (SL) and higher level (HL) students. It enables students to demonstrate the application of their skills and knowledge in a different setting and to pursue their personal interests without the constraints that are associated with written examinations.
The internal assessment consists of a task in the form of an individual oral. Both SL and HL students are required to deliver an individual oral in response to a prompt, using an extract from one work and an extract from one non-literary text to focus their analysis of how perspectives on a global issue are presented in them. The internal assessment should, as far as possible, be woven into normal classroom teaching and, to this end, will depend upon the students reflecting their study, analysis and exploration of how global issues are presented in their learner portfolios.
The internal assessment consists of a task in the form of an individual oral. Both SL and HL students are required to deliver an individual oral in response to a prompt, using an extract from one work and an extract from one non-literary text to focus their analysis of how perspectives on a global issue are presented in them. The internal assessment should, as far as possible, be woven into normal classroom teaching and, to this end, will depend upon the students reflecting their study, analysis and exploration of how global issues are presented in their learner portfolios.
AMENDMENT: “The work and body of work selected must have a clear connection with the global issue. The individual oral should be a well-supported argument about the ways in which both represent and explore the global issue. Students must select two extracts, one from the body of work and one from the work, that clearly show significant moments when this global issue is being focused on.”
The individual oral submitted for internal assessment must be the student’s own work. However, it is not the intention that students should decide upon a topic and be left to work on the internal assessment component without any further support from the teacher. The teacher should play an important role during both the planning stage and the period when the student is working on the internally assessed work. It is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that students are familiar with:
Authenticity may be checked by discussion with the student on the content of the work, and scrutiny of
one or more of the following:
- the requirements of the individual oral
- the standards for academic honesty
- the assessment criteria.
Authenticity may be checked by discussion with the student on the content of the work, and scrutiny of
one or more of the following:
- the student’s initial proposal
- the usual quality of the student’s work.
I.O. Exam Duration: 15 minutes (10 minutes: student individual oral; 5 minutes: teacher questions)
Internal assessment contributes 20% to the final assessment of the HL course. This weighting should be reflected in the time that is allocated to teaching the knowledge, skills and understanding required to undertake the assessment, as well as the time needed to conduct the oral.
Conducting the individual oral will require time . . .
Internal assessment contributes 20% to the final assessment of the HL course. This weighting should be reflected in the time that is allocated to teaching the knowledge, skills and understanding required to undertake the assessment, as well as the time needed to conduct the oral.
Conducting the individual oral will require time . . .
- for the teacher to explain the requirements of the internal assessment
- to review the academic honesty documents
- for students to work on the internal assessment component and ask questions
- for consultation between the teacher and each student
- to review and monitor progress, and to check authenticity
- to conduct the orals and submit all documentation.
The individual oral must be conducted in the language A studied. The procedures and characteristics of the individual oral can, and should, be practised during the course, as should the development of verbal interaction between student and teacher. Students should be discouraged, however, from committing their individual orals to memory. Memorization tends to distance the speaker from the listener, thus making it unlikely that the oral will be effective or convincing.
Each student’s individual oral must be audio recorded and the files must be of high quality. Each recording is to be retained according to the procedures set out in Diploma Programme Assessment procedures. Samples of the internal assessment selected for moderation must be submitted in the form of an audio file.
Using assessment criteria for internal assessment.
Each student’s individual oral must be audio recorded and the files must be of high quality. Each recording is to be retained according to the procedures set out in Diploma Programme Assessment procedures. Samples of the internal assessment selected for moderation must be submitted in the form of an audio file.
Using assessment criteria for internal assessment.
The individual oral addresses the following prompt. THIS PROMPT IS MANDATORY FOR ALL STUDENTS ON THIS ASSESSMENT.
Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of one of the works and one of the texts that you have studied.
The individual oral is based on the exploration the student has carried out in the learner portfolio. During this exploration process, the student will have investigated a series of non-literary texts and literary works and a variety of global issues. In the lead up to the individual oral, the student must make a decision about which global issue and which text and work will be explored in the task. One work and one non-literary text must be selected. An extract of no more than 40 lines should be selected from each which is representative of the presence of the global issue in it. In forms or text types where the number of lines may not be applicable, teachers should be guided by the volume of text that can be discussed in sufficient depth in the time available.
Examine the ways in which the global issue of your choice is presented through the content and form of one of the works and one of the texts that you have studied.
The individual oral is based on the exploration the student has carried out in the learner portfolio. During this exploration process, the student will have investigated a series of non-literary texts and literary works and a variety of global issues. In the lead up to the individual oral, the student must make a decision about which global issue and which text and work will be explored in the task. One work and one non-literary text must be selected. An extract of no more than 40 lines should be selected from each which is representative of the presence of the global issue in it. In forms or text types where the number of lines may not be applicable, teachers should be guided by the volume of text that can be discussed in sufficient depth in the time available.
The work and text selected must have a clear connection with the global issue. The individual oral should be a well-supported argument about the ways in which both represent and explore the global issue. Students must select two extracts, one from the text and one from the work, that clearly show significant moments when this global issue is being focused on. Normally these extracts should not exceed 40 lines or present an unmanageable amount of material to be analysed. As the student brings unannotated copies of these extracts to the individual oral, extracts which are too lengthy may hinder their ability to effectively expand the discussion to the text or work as a whole. An extract may be a complete text in itself, for example a whole poem or an advertisement.
If the extract is from a literary text which is part of a larger work studied, such as a short story, or if it is a complete text which is part of a work studied, such as a poem, students should discuss relevant aspects of the broader work as a whole in their individual oral.
If the extract is a complete non-literary text, students should discuss relevant aspects of the broader body of work of the author of the text. In the case of a photograph, for example, the broader discussion should refer to other photographs by the same photographer. If identifying the single author of a non-literary text is not possible, students should use an ampler definition of authorship to broaden their discussion of the global issue. In the case of an advertisement, for example, students could refer to the other advertisements or commercials belonging to the same campaign, to other campaigns of the same brand or to other work produced by the advertising agency. In the case of an article, students could refer either to other articles by the same author or to the general editorial line of the medium in which the article was published. In cases such as the latter two, students should make explicit what constitutes their definition of authorship.
The extracts are meant to help students focus their responses, remove the need to learn quotations and enable them to explore more precise issues, such as style, specific devices and other distinct techniques used by authors to present the global issue. The choice of extracts should show the student’s understanding of the relevance of the part to the whole and enable coverage of larger and smaller choices made by the writers to shape their perspectives on the global issue.
If the extract is from a literary text which is part of a larger work studied, such as a short story, or if it is a complete text which is part of a work studied, such as a poem, students should discuss relevant aspects of the broader work as a whole in their individual oral.
If the extract is a complete non-literary text, students should discuss relevant aspects of the broader body of work of the author of the text. In the case of a photograph, for example, the broader discussion should refer to other photographs by the same photographer. If identifying the single author of a non-literary text is not possible, students should use an ampler definition of authorship to broaden their discussion of the global issue. In the case of an advertisement, for example, students could refer to the other advertisements or commercials belonging to the same campaign, to other campaigns of the same brand or to other work produced by the advertising agency. In the case of an article, students could refer either to other articles by the same author or to the general editorial line of the medium in which the article was published. In cases such as the latter two, students should make explicit what constitutes their definition of authorship.
The extracts are meant to help students focus their responses, remove the need to learn quotations and enable them to explore more precise issues, such as style, specific devices and other distinct techniques used by authors to present the global issue. The choice of extracts should show the student’s understanding of the relevance of the part to the whole and enable coverage of larger and smaller choices made by the writers to shape their perspectives on the global issue.
A global issue incorporates the following three properties:
The global issue chosen for consideration should be significant on a wide scale, be transnational in nature, and be an issue that has an impact felt in everyday local contexts. The issue should be clearly evidenced in the extracts or texts chosen.
For example, within the field of culture, identity and community, the theme of gender in itself might be unsuitably broad for an individual oral. A student interested in this theme might explore instead how gender bias manifests itself in different contexts; how this can be evidenced in many ways in texts of different sorts; how different authorial choices will determine what is meant by gender bias; whether bias should be viewed positively or negatively, allowing the students to evaluate the writer’s choices and the impact they might have on the different readers’ or viewers’ understanding.
The oral itself will only be concerned with the aspects of the global issue relevant to the two texts chosen. The student should ensure the oral offers a balanced approach, giving approximately equal attention to both texts. Thus, it is important that the student selects extracts/texts that offer equally sufficient material for the discussion.
- It has significance on a wide/large scale.
- It is transnational.
- Its impact is felt in everyday local contexts.
- Culture, identity and community
Students might focus on the way in which texts explore aspects of family, class, race, ethnicity, nationality, religion, gender and sexuality, and the way these impact on individuals and societies. They might also focus on issues concerning migration, colonialism and nationalism. - Beliefs, values and education
Students might focus on the way in which texts explore the beliefs and values nurtured in particular societies and the ways they shape individuals, communities and educational systems. They might also explore the tensions that arise when there are conflicts of beliefs and values, and ethics. - Politics, power and justice
Students might focus on the ways in which texts explore aspects of rights and responsibilities, the workings and structures of governments and institutions. They might also investigate hierarchies of power, the distribution of wealth and resources, the limits of justice and the law, equality and inequality, human rights and peace and conflict. - Art, creativity and the imagination
Students might focus on the ways in which texts explore aspects of aesthetic inspiration, creation, craft, and beauty. They might also focus on the shaping and challenging of perceptions through art, and the function, value and effects of art in society. - Science, technology and the environment
Students might focus on the ways in which texts explore the relationship between humans and the environment and the implications of technology and media for society. They might also consider the idea of scientific development and progress.
In selecting the global issue for their oral, students must be careful not simply to select from the broad fields of inquiry above, but to determine a specific issue for discussion that can be reasonably explored in a
The global issue chosen for consideration should be significant on a wide scale, be transnational in nature, and be an issue that has an impact felt in everyday local contexts. The issue should be clearly evidenced in the extracts or texts chosen.
For example, within the field of culture, identity and community, the theme of gender in itself might be unsuitably broad for an individual oral. A student interested in this theme might explore instead how gender bias manifests itself in different contexts; how this can be evidenced in many ways in texts of different sorts; how different authorial choices will determine what is meant by gender bias; whether bias should be viewed positively or negatively, allowing the students to evaluate the writer’s choices and the impact they might have on the different readers’ or viewers’ understanding.
The oral itself will only be concerned with the aspects of the global issue relevant to the two texts chosen. The student should ensure the oral offers a balanced approach, giving approximately equal attention to both texts. Thus, it is important that the student selects extracts/texts that offer equally sufficient material for the discussion.
The learner portfolio is not specifically assessed but it is an important place for students to explore and reflect upon their works in relation to global issues.
In relation to the preparation of the individual oral, the learner portfolio provides an opportunity for students to:
In relation to the preparation of the individual oral, the learner portfolio provides an opportunity for students to:
- Keep an ongoing record of the different global issues that could be related to each of the texts they read
- Explore links that could be established between different texts on the basis of common global issues they address
- Explore how key passages in the texts they have studied represent different or similar perspectives on one global issue through both form and content
- Trace the evolution of their thinking and planning in connection with the global issue and how its cultural value, its definition and application to the texts they read have changed through their inquiry
- Reflect on the challenges that the internal assessment poses for them as individual learners.
Students have the flexibility to use any of the texts from their course of study up until the time of the assessment. It should be remembered that texts chosen for the individual oral cannot then be used for any other assessment component. Students should select their own oral topics. Teachers should monitor and guide students in their selection of viable global issues, relevant texts and effective choice of extracts, but they should not suggest topics to students nor tell them what to do. Though teachers play a critical role in helping students prepare, this must be a student inspired and created oral.
The oral may be conducted at any time after a significant number of the texts have been studied in the course. All of the texts used for the oral need to be featured as part of the teaching of the course. It is recommended that the oral takes place either in the last part of the first year or the first part of the second year.
The place and time of the oral is chosen by the teacher. Teachers may conduct all the orals on one day or over several days. Students must be given adequate notice of when the oral will take place. Schools will be provided with a form for students to create an outline of their oral. Students should prepare this in advance as it will provide them with a springboard for their oral. Students should not read the outline as a prepared script. The form gives students a maximum of 10 bullet points to help provide structure to their oral. Individual bullet points must not be excessively long. Schools will be required to keep all copies of the outline form until after the results are issued. In order to determine authenticity of student performance, schools may be required to submit these forms to IB.
Copies of the extracts chosen by the student must be provided to the teacher for approval at least one week before the individual oral assessment takes place. Teachers will have their own copies of the extracts during the assessment and these may help the teacher frame suitable questions for the student.
The extracts must be clean, unmarked copies; the student may only take the extracts and the outline into the room where the individual oral assessment will take place.
The individual oral takes place between the student and teacher. The teacher asks questions to probe further into the student’s knowledge and understanding of the extracts/texts and their analysis of the choices made by the authors in relation to the global issue chosen. In the case of less confident students, teachers must encourage them to give them the opportunity to expand on unsubstantiated or inadequate statements.
The individual oral lasts 10 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of questions by the teacher.
The individual oral is internally assessed and externally moderated by the IB. Audio recordings of the oral, together with the relevant extracts, are required for the purpose of moderation. To this end, all materials and recordings must be clearly and accurately assembled and kept. Care must also be taken to provide a suitably quiet environment for the recordings.
Taken from Language A: language and literature guide
First assessment 2021
The oral may be conducted at any time after a significant number of the texts have been studied in the course. All of the texts used for the oral need to be featured as part of the teaching of the course. It is recommended that the oral takes place either in the last part of the first year or the first part of the second year.
The place and time of the oral is chosen by the teacher. Teachers may conduct all the orals on one day or over several days. Students must be given adequate notice of when the oral will take place. Schools will be provided with a form for students to create an outline of their oral. Students should prepare this in advance as it will provide them with a springboard for their oral. Students should not read the outline as a prepared script. The form gives students a maximum of 10 bullet points to help provide structure to their oral. Individual bullet points must not be excessively long. Schools will be required to keep all copies of the outline form until after the results are issued. In order to determine authenticity of student performance, schools may be required to submit these forms to IB.
Copies of the extracts chosen by the student must be provided to the teacher for approval at least one week before the individual oral assessment takes place. Teachers will have their own copies of the extracts during the assessment and these may help the teacher frame suitable questions for the student.
The extracts must be clean, unmarked copies; the student may only take the extracts and the outline into the room where the individual oral assessment will take place.
The individual oral takes place between the student and teacher. The teacher asks questions to probe further into the student’s knowledge and understanding of the extracts/texts and their analysis of the choices made by the authors in relation to the global issue chosen. In the case of less confident students, teachers must encourage them to give them the opportunity to expand on unsubstantiated or inadequate statements.
The individual oral lasts 10 minutes, followed by 5 minutes of questions by the teacher.
The individual oral is internally assessed and externally moderated by the IB. Audio recordings of the oral, together with the relevant extracts, are required for the purpose of moderation. To this end, all materials and recordings must be clearly and accurately assembled and kept. Care must also be taken to provide a suitably quiet environment for the recordings.
Taken from Language A: language and literature guide
First assessment 2021
“Art is the only serious thing in the world.
And the artist is the only person who is never serious.” ― Oscar Wilde
Christina's World by Andrew Wyeth
|
The World of Patti Hearst
|
Donald's World
|
