English B

English B is an additional language-learning course for students who already have some experience learning English. This course can be taken in a Standard Level (SL) or a High Level (HL). English B focuses on that students acquire and develop different receptive and productive skills such as; listening and reading, writing, and speaking. Its purpose is that students expand their linguistic skills while learning literature and culture. Thus, the students explore different text types and conceptual understandings that facilitate the use of different language skills and intercultural understanding.

Aims

  • Develop international-mindedness through the study of languages, cultures, and ideas and issues of global significance.
  • Enable students to communicate in the language they have studied in a range of contexts and for a variety of purposes.
  • Encourage, through the study of texts and through social interaction, an awareness and appreciation of a variety of perspectives of people from diverse cultures.
  • Develop students’ understanding of the relationship between the languages and cultures with which they are familiar.
  • Develop students’ awareness of the importance of language in relation to other areas of knowledge.
  • Provide students, through language learning and the process of inquiry, with opportunities for intellectual engagement and the development of critical- and creative-thinking skills.
  • Provide students with a basis for further study, work and leisure through the use of an additional language.
  • Foster curiosity, creativity and a lifelong enjoyment of language learning.
English B Guide, International Baccalaureate Organization, 2019, p. 13

Outline

Themes

Explore the nature of the self and what it is to be human.

Possible topics 

  • Lifestyles
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Beliefs and values
  • Subcultures
  • Language and identity

Explore and tell the stories of the events, experiences, and journeys that shape our lives.

Possible topics 

  • Leisure activities
  • Holidays and travel
  • Life stories
  • Rites of passage
  • Customs and traditions
  • Migration

Explore the ways in which human creativity and innovation affect our world.

Possible topics 

  • Entertainment
  • Artistic expressions
  • Communication and media
  • Technology
  • Scientific innovation

Explore the ways in which groups of people
organize themselves, or are organized, through common systems or interests.

Possible topics 

  • Social relationships
  • Community
  • Social engagement
  • Education
  • The working world
  • Law and order

Explore the challenges and opportunities faced by individuals and communities in the modern world.

Possible topics 

  • The environment
  • Human rights
  • Peace and conflict
  • Equality
  • Globalization
  • Ethics
  • Urban and rural environment
International Baccalaureate Organization, English B Guide, 2019:19