ib english oral presentation example

Individual Oral

IB English Individual Oral (IO) Explained

Free introductory guide to the IB English Individual Oral by IB45 and IB43 graduates Richard Nguyen & Jerica Nieva.

In this guide, IB45 graduate Richard Nguyen and IB43 graduate Jerica Nieva will share their wisdom on how to tackle the IB English IO. The guide covers everything from choosing global issues to selecting a good extract to structuring the IO to preparing for the question section at the end!

Richard and Jerica both achieved 7s in IB English Language and Literature, with Richard scoring an almost perfect 38/40 for his IB English IO.

Meet your instructor Jackson Huang, Founder of LitLearn. His mission is to make IB English as pain-free as possible with fun, practical lessons. Jackson scored an IB45 and was accepted to Harvard, Amherst, Williams Colleges, and full scholarships to University of Melbourne & Queensland.

What is the IO?

First things first, what is the IB English Individual Oral ?

• It's a 15 minute oral exam.
• The first section is a 10 minute presentation by you, the student, followed by a second section consisting of 5 minutes of questions asked by your teacher.
• The IO is centered around a Global Issue.
• For IB English Language and Literature, you must analyze a literary text and a non-literary body of work.
• For IB English Literature, you must analyze two literary works (one of them must be a work-in-translation).
• Comparison and contrast is not a requirement (unlike in Paper 2)

How do I choose a good Global Issue?

A strong house requires a stable foundation. And if you want to get a 7 for your Individual Oral, then you must have a strong global issue (GI).

The global issue should* belong to one of the following 5 themes:

• Culture, identity and community 
• Beliefs, values and education
• Politics, power and justice 
• Art, creativity and the imagination 
• Science, technology and the environment 

*Actually, that's a lie. According to the current IB English syllabus (First assessment 2021), your global issue doesn't need to belong to any of the suggested themes. The themes are simply suggested by the IB to help you with brainstorming.

First, an excellent Global Issue is one that is relevant to our current society. It must be relatable to many people across diverse cultures and national borders.

Global Issue Examples

To make it clear exactly what we mean, here is a weak global issue as an example…

Now let's look at an example of a strong global issue …

If you're stuck on choosing a global issue, check out this detailed lesson on choosing your global issue. We also include 25 global issue starters to get your creative juices flowing.

No sign up or credit card required.

How do I pick good extracts for my IB English IO?

Throughout IB English, you'll study various literary and non-literary texts in class that you may choose to use in your IB English IO. How you select your extracts can greatly impact your IO as they need to relate to your global issue. 

Before selecting your extract, you should consider how well it can support your chosen global issue. To do this, consider breaking down your main topic into different explanations for how and why it is a global issue, and making these specific for each text. 

Let's read about Richard's experience to see how he approached this process:

“I talked about societal expectations placed on women for one body of work ( The Thing Around Your Nick by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie), and how these expectations reduce their autonomy in Nigerian society. For another body of work (this was a collection of essays by Marina Keegan my school put together), I discussed how several different norms affect human life: having a stable and high-income job rather than pursuing a risky passion, doing vain acts of charity such as saving whales rather than making a homeless man walk to a shelter. Everything links back to the global issue, that's how you remain focused.” Richard Nguyen, IB45 graduate

You should also consider how the maximum number of lines that you can include in your extract for each text is 40 lines. This gives you some freedom in choosing how in-depth you want your analysis to be. Overall, you want your close analysis to be covering the whole extract – meaning that there is no point in choosing 40 lines and only analyzing the first 20 lines of it. You could lose marks for failing to demonstrate your full knowledge of the extract in Criteria A! So sometimes, less is more and choosing 20-25 lines is the better call. 

Alternatively, you may find that analyzing a long extract is necessary for having enough evidence to support your global issue in a close analysis. Using up to 40 lines in this case would instead be a good approach! Having an effective close analysis will make more sense when we learn about structuring an IO in the next section.

Steps for selecting extracts:

• Read both texts and find a common global issue.
• Find different extracts within your texts that relate to the global issue.
• Compare the different extracts for each text, and pick the one that has a variety of literary and structural techniques that will best support your global issue. Remember these techniques must serve a purpose in portraying the author's intention and commentary on your global issue.
• Consider cutting down your number of lines if you are struggling to include everything in your analysis planning, or adding more lines if you find you need more evidence. 

For Step 3, you must know how to find and analyse literary, visual and structural techniques. Analysis is one of the most difficult skills to master–and yet it is crucial to scoring highly on the IB English IO (and HLE, Paper 1, and Paper 2).

How should I structure my IB English IO?

Overall, an IO speech is 10 minutes long and covers an introduction, text analyses, and a conclusion. Afterwards, there is a 5-minute period in which your examiner will ask different questions – this may seem daunting, but we will guide you on how to prepare later on. It is very important that you are spending the correct time on each section of your speech as criteria C is about organization! Generally, you should aim to have 1 minute for your introduction and conclusion, and 4 minutes for each text analysis.

What do I say in my introduction?

Firstly, your introduction is vital in establishing your global issue and how you plan to explore it through your literary and non-literary texts. As it is only 1 minute, you want to ensure that the information you include is necessary and wholly contributes to your examiner's understanding of your IO.

• Introduce the global issue. Don't be vague in this section and spend around 2-3 sentences specifying how and why your global issue is relevant and multifaceted enough for an IO.
• Introduce your first text. Give only the most significant details such as the author's name, date, text type, and text source. You may also consider detailing the extract pages and whether your text is from a collection. 
• Briefly explain (1-2 sentences will be sufficient!) how your first text relates to the global issue.
• Complete steps 2 and 3 for your second text. It would also be helpful when introducing your texts to specify which is literary and non-literary. 
• Don't be tempted to include a comparison in your introduction! It works better in your conclusion if you wish to include it. 

Secondly, how you structure your textual analyses can vary a lot depending on the number of ideas you aim to cover, and how you organize them to appear cohesive. Before planning your IO structure, you should thoroughly understand the difference between close analysis and wide analysis .

How do I analyze in IB English IO?

There are two different types analysis required in the Individual Oral: Close analysis and Wide analysis. It's important to pick an essay structure that balances the two types of analysis.

What is close analysis?

Close analysis is similar to how you would analyze for a Paper 1 – you reference specific quotes, images, or scenes from the extract when making your analysis and evaluations. Of course, we need to link to the Global Issue in the right way, and also find insight in these links. This is why choosing your extract lines is a critical process as you want to be demonstrating a full understanding of your extract.

Just like in Paper 1, we recommend that you learn how to analyze the 7 main techniques. There are a lot more, but these are a great starting point if you're unfamiliar with literary techniques and analysis.

Learn Analysis

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How do I choose a balanced IO structure?

The Close and Wide analyses for both texts need to be balanced. There are two main structures that we recommend, which we delve into in the Pro lesson below.

Pro Members only

How do I prepare for the IO Questions?

Not gonna lie–the questions can be curveballs.

While your response to these questions cannot make you lose any marks in an IO (which is a relief!), this section is still very crucial in securing those bonus marks to bring you up a grade. 

Questions that are asked may be about:

• Ideas in your IO speech that could be explored in more detail (this is the most common source of questions!). 
• Providing further examples from the text or extract on a certain topic or line of inquiry. 
• Providing further explanation on the author's intention or audience effect of a specific literary technique that you mentioned. 

While these questions are generally relevant to your global issue, they may not be. Ultimately, it is up to your examiner. 

For example, your examiner may ask if there are other extracts that explore “how patriarchal values inhibit women in Nigeria”. And you'll have to answer if there is such an extract and do some light analysis on how this inhibition is caused. Does it inhibit opportunities? Or self-expression? Freedom?

Although your preparation for the IO questions is crucial, the timing of your responses can also influence your performance as you want to be making the most out of the 5-minute period. Here are some tips for during an IO: 

• Spend around 1-1.5 minutes for each response – this allows you to answer up to 4-5 questions. While it might seem insightful to give a 4-minute-long answer, it also restricts the examiner from asking more questions which are generally about parts of your speech that needed a bit more support. 
• If you are nearing 4.5 minutes, it is best to not finish your current response for a new question as you won't be able to give another response in 30 seconds.

Let's read Richard's wise words on how he prepared for his IB English IO questions:

“The best advice I can give you is to know your texts inside out. After each section or chapter from a body of work, write notes about what is explored regarding your global issue. This way, you'll be actively thinking about how the global issue is depicted through your texts. Think: 'what does this section tell me about the global issue?' You should also prepare other examples that prove your point in your analysis. When writing about how the author portrays the global issue through a scene, know if a similar scene pops up in your body of work where the global issue is portrayed in the same way or another one. Essentially, read the entire bodies or work and have a general idea of how the global issue seeps through the entirety of the texts.” Richard Nguyen, IB45 graduate

More lessons in the IO Study Guide

We can't cover everything in this introductory guide.

LitLearn's Pro lessons take you step-by-step through choosing your global issue, planning your IO and choosing the right structure.

We also show you how to approach the IO with the right mindset to avoid costly mistakes, and detailed worked examples to show concrete strategies to score a 7 in your analysis and IO insights.

Wrapping up

We hope this guide has helped you navigate one of the most important (and stressful!) parts of your IB English assessment. Thanks to Jerica and Richard for collaborating on this guide to help fellow IB English students out there.

Question​bank

Paper 1 Practice Exams

Past Paper 1 Solutions

Paper 2 Guide

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Questionbank

Try Question 7 from the Analysis Questionbank

Try Question 23 from the Analysis Questionbank

Free introductory guide to the Paper 1 guided analysis exam

The 3 ingredients you're not including in your thesis

Free introductory guide to the Paper 2 comparative analysis exam

Covers the levels of knowledge crucial to Paper 2 preparation

Free introductory guide to the Individual Oral assessment

Helpful list of global issue starters to kickstart your imagination.

Higher Level Essay

Free introductory guide to the HLE assessment

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IB English Individual Oral Solved: A Guide for Lit and Lang/Lit Students

The IB English Individual Oral (IO) is one of the most daunting IB assessments. But it can be made so much easier by understanding how to prepare a top-quality script and concise dot points so you can smash it on the day!

Today, we reveal our best approach to the IO including a structure which you can use as a foundation for your preparation and a breakdown of the marking criteria.

Selecting a Global Issue, Texts and Extracts

Start by choosing your texts. Try to choose texts that have interrelated themes – they don’t need to be exactly the same, but for instance you may choose one text which considers racial prejudice while another explores sexism. This would allow you to consider the common theme of ‘prejudice’, ‘oppression’ or ‘discrimination’ as a part of your global issue. Also, ensure they are texts that you enjoy and are confident to talk about, as you will be asked additional questions after your speech. For literature students, you will choose two literary texts while language and literature students will choose one literary and one non-literary text.

When selecting a global issue, start by selecting a real-world issue that is present within both texts and easy to identify. Some common examples include the patriarchy, authoritarianism, oppression, identity and grief. When wording your global issue, make sure to transform these singular word themes into holistic issues.

For example, rather than just ‘oppression’, your global issue may be ‘the oppressive nature of gender roles on self-expression’.

Finally when selecting an extract from each text, try to choose a section which is relevant to your global issue and is packed with devices for technical analysis.

While each school has their own way of structuring the IO, there are some common elements which are absolutely essential.

Introduction

1. Introduce the Global Issue – Global and Local Scale

Spend 1-2 sentences explaining your global issue, justifying its transnational and local impact – essentially explain how it is a ‘global’ issue and also one which is relevant on a smaller scale, such as how it has impacted your own life.

2. Introduce Texts, Extracts and Relate to the Global Issue

Introduce your texts and their connection to the global issue. You should also briefly introduce your extract (although you don’t need to contextualise just yet, this can happen later).

Main Body (for each text)

One highly contentious issue is how the main body should be structured. There are two main structures which we can recommend, each of which have the same components involving evidence from the extract and the broader body of work:

1. Integrated Analysis

Text 1 – Extract and Body of Work Integrated Analysis (3 Quotes/Examples from Extract and 3 from BOW)

Text 2 – Extract and Body of Work Integrated Analysis (3 Quotes/Examples from Extract and 3 from BOW)

In this structure, you alternate between extract and body of work analysis, using the extract as a ‘springboard’ to discuss the broader BOW. For example, if your extract quote considers the use of animalistic imagery as a method of dehumanising a character, you may jump from this analysis to a quote from the broader BOW which also considers either dehumanisation/animalistic imagery. The benefit of this structure is that there is thematic flow, although some schools may prefer you utilise an alternative structure which is more clearly divided.

2. Segmented Analysis

Text 1 – Extract Analysis (3 Quotes/Examples)

Text 1 – Body of Work Analysis (3 Quotes/Examples)

Text 2 – Extract Analysis (3 Quotes/Examples)

Text 2 – Body of Work Analysis (3 Quotes/Examples)

This structure is far simpler – you work through the selected evidence from the extract first and then your BOW separately. The benefit of this structure is its clear division between extract and BOW which allows you to maintain the flow of your analysis for each.

BUT HOW DO I CHOOSE BETWEEN THE STRUCTURE?

Very simple – propose both to your class teacher and let them decide which structure they prefer. Both structures have all the essential components and the IB doesn't express a preference for any specific structure.

And as for what goes into your analysis, it’s just like your usual English analysis – quote/provide evidence, identify a technical device, analyse the effect of the technical device and link to the global issue ( Hint: Mix around each of the QTAL elements to improve your flow ).

1. Reiterate the Global Issue

Briefly restate your global issue.

2. Restate the Main Point for Each Text (related to the Global Issue)

Summarise your main point on the global issue for each text.

Question Time

The first 10 minutes of the oral will be your prepared content, which is approximately 1300-1600 words for your script. The next 5 minutes will be spent responding to questions set by your teacher. These questions are designed to help you pick up marks in areas that were underdeveloped or unclear to your teacher. There are two ways to prepare for this component:

Learn your texts (REALLY, REALLY WELL): The more you know about your texts, the easier it will be to produce quality answers and spontaneously bring up evidence from the texts to support your points. Remember also to always link back to your global issue in your responses.

Practice, practice, practice!: Practice with your friends and peers, or seek help from one of our IB tutors. We have helped hundreds of students over many years through their internal assessments, including their IO, and we can provide in-class practices with helpful feedback that will have you prepped for your final IO.

The Marking Criteria

So, we have a structure to work from and we've looked at the questioning component, but how is this oral task going to be assessed? Let's break down the marking criteria so you can maximise your marks!

Criterion A: Knowledge, Understanding and Interpretation (10 marks)

This criterion is assessing your knowledge and understanding of both the body of work and extract – it's your job to show that you know the texts really well. Use evidence (at least 3 for each extract and 3 from the wider body of work, per text) and make sure you are always linking to the global issue. This is important, as the top band of this criterion requires you to make a "persuasive interpretation" of the implications of your text in relation to the global issue.

Criterion B: Analysis and Evaluation (10 marks)

This criterion is assessing your ability to analyse "authorial choices"…so literary and non-literary techniques. Make sure you consider a variety of techniques – these include specific features such as metaphors, similes, alliteration and broader features such as structure, tone, mood and voice. For language and literature students, particularly for your non-literary work, ensure you also analyse non-literary features. And as always, this criterion also assesses your ability to link the effect of these techniques back to your global issue.

Criterion C: Focus and Organisation (10 marks)

This criterion assesses a few different areas and it is REALLY easy to score highly, if you do three key things.

Stay focused on the Global Issue – You must maintain a "clear and sustained focus on the task" which means keeping in mind that every analytical point you make on the extracts/works should be directed to unpacking an element of your global issue.

Keep it Balanced – Your treatment of the extracts/works must be "well-balanced". This is assessed in many different ways – some schools take this criterion quite literally and will time how long is spent on extract vs body of work analysis, others will compare the number of pieces of evidence and some may simply consider the balance holistically and thematically. In any case, play it safe and make sure that your word counts for each section are relatively similar (within 50-100 words of each other).

Build your Global Issue – The development of your ideas must be "logical and convincing…connected in a cogent manner". This means that you must develop your global issue from the ground up – for example, if your global issue concerns rebellion against oppressive totalitarian authorities, your analysis may first involve a piece of evidence to establish the oppressive nature of the state and then your second piece of evidence can introduce an example of the protagonist rebelling against the totalitarian power.

Criterion D: Language (10 marks)

This criterion is very familiar across all your English tasks – make sure to refine your language and when actually presenting your oral, ensure that you sound enthusiastic and use an appropriate tone. Think about the most passionate English teacher you have had and then multiply that by 10…you want to sound like you are genuinely engaged with your analysis.

And that's it! This guide to the IO has given you everything you need to get started, but if you are looking to secure top marks, reach out to us and we can arrange sessions with our specialised IB tutors to help you prepare your script, practice and succeed in your English Individual Oral task!

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Planning Guide for the Individual Oral

There’s no reason to fear this assessment!  Once you understand what’s required, the rest can actually be quite enjoyable. As long-time IB teachers, we’ve identified key aspects each student should include in their IO.  Let us guide you!

Part of our IBDP English A Student Toolkit , The Individual Oral Complete Planning Guide includes:

• 100+ pages of updated material
• The best of our website videos and documents
• NEW content not available in Teacher Resource Packs
• 4 samples with examiner notes
• Highlighted transcripts of all recordings
• Full assortment of graphic organizers
• Sentence stems and other guidance for analysis

Individual Oral “Start to Finish” Video Course

This assessment doesn’t have to be difficult…we can help you!  Use our 15-video course and let us guide you step-by-step through the entire process.  We’ll show you how to craft a strong Global Issue statement, discuss the extracts, discuss the works as a whole, and how to get ready for the Q and A.  Our students use these methods and achieve their goals.  Join them!

Part of our IBDP English A Student Toolkit , the  Individual Oral Start to Finish Guide includes:

• step-by-step approach to building the IO
• 15 lessons and 2 hours of new videos
• side-by-side highlighted IO transcripts
• “Start to Finish” graphic organizers
• 3 NEW sample recordings, outlines, and more!
• Guidance on outlines and the Q/A

Let's Meet the Assessment:

So what is the Individual Oral anyway?  How much is it worth?  What if I’m taking IB Literature and not IB Language and Literature.  What is my objective in this thing?  No worries!  Dave and Andrew answer all your questions here.  You can’t defeat the beast until you learn what you’re up against. 

The Course Guide has too many words. Watch this video and understand the assessment.

Document: “IO – Essential Information”

Still a bit confused? This video clarifies what "to do" and what "not to do."

Document: “IO – What It Is, What It Isn’t”

We're lead IO Examiners. Be sure to add these 5 ingredients to maximize your IO score.

Document: “IO – Five Essential Ingredients”

Sure, we've told you all you need to know. But it's always wise to fully understand the Criteria.

Document: “IO – Unpacking the Criteria”

The Individual Oral

This assessment doesn’t have to be stressful!  Trust us, if you follow the advice on this page, we’ll guide you through the entire process.  Our students crush this assessment, and so can you.  Take a deep breath.  Relax.  You’ve got this!

2024 IO Update!

It’s hard to believe that our first IO videos were released more than two years ago.  Since then, we’ve examined more recordings and added some more insights to our videos.  Be sure to watch the new series!

The Entire Process!

Moving from topic to GI

Global Issue Update 2024

Annotating the Extract

Delivering a Strong Introduction

Extract Analysis – The First Minute

Remember: The Global Issue is the "Backbone"

We’ve said it a thousand times.  You’ve got to keep the Global Issue as the focal point of your entire presentation.  And, if indeed it’s the backbone, it better be strong.

A strong Global Issue is needed for IO success. Learn how to arrive at something you're proud of and love.

Document: “Refining the Global Issue”

Just like you, sometimes we need to do things twice. Watch until the end. We nail the GI in this video!

Document: “Refining the Global Issue 2.0”

Still confused? Try this video for another approach to GI statements. This just might be what you're missing!

Document: “Global Issue Workshop”

The Individual Oral - The Complete Course

Now you understand the nuts and bolts of the IO, so it’s time to move on to our “Complete Course” for the Individual Oral.  Working through each video sequentially will lead to a strong IO that you can be proud of.  Our students use this series, and so should you!

Learn to choose your texts and think about the Global Issue. Start with Video 1 of 5

Document – Starting the IO and Selecting Texts

Locate and annotate those extracts! What authorial choices show your GI?

Document – Choosing and Annotating Extracts

Please don't forget to discuss the Work as a Whole or BoW as a Whole!

Document – Examining Whole Text / Whole BoW

It time for the “official” outline. You only get 10 bullet points, so choose wisely!

Document – Creating the Outline

Listen to this sample recording. Steal the good stuff. Notice weaknesses. Listen and learn!

Document – Sample Recording Document – Recording Transcript

Skill Practice and Support for the IO

Nice!  You’ve finished “Individual Oral – The Complete Course.”  But, are you sure you have command of all the skills?  Remember to make sure your structure, discussion of the extracts, discussion of the literary work as a whole (or BoW as a whole) are fully explored in a balanced way.  Make sure you have a clear introduction, a clear conclusion, and you speak in an engaging and passionate way.  No robotic or speed racer deliveries!

Check out this video for three different structural approaches to the IO.

Document: How to Structure the IO

The introduction is the handshake (or bow, or wai, or namaste) with your examiner. Make a good first impression!

Document: How to Deliver the Introduction

Check out this video and make sure your extract analysis satisfies the task.

Document – How to Zoom In

About half the candidates miss this step! Don't be like them!

Document – How to Zoom Out

Poetry is IO gold. Stop rolling your eyes and give it a try.

Document – Zooming In With Poetry

Stop repeating yourself in the conclusion! Watch this video and end with a flourish.

Document: Concluding the IO

Don't forget this assessment has a listener! Learn 10 ways to impress your examiner.

Document: Deliver and Speak with Confidence

This video provides students with 10 important tips for the Q and A session of the IO.

Document: 10 Tips for the Q and A

Watch and hear what we learned from our students last exam session.

Document: Examiner's Reflection

Don't forget to use clear transitions and signposts between sections!

Document: Transitions and Signposting

All extracts aren't created equal...choose the "right" one!

Document: Choosing the RIGHT extract

Photography

The ability to read images is crucial for Language and Literature success.  As you know, many of the texts we explore are multimodal, meaning they have both text and image.  So, we need to understand how to read photographs, analyze them, and make meaning.  There are some basic terms and approaches to close reading that will open up some important analytical doors.  Watch these videos and improve your visual analysis!

Our students use this mnemonic with great success...give it a try!

Analyzing Photographs

Let's apply our skills to a great image from a famous photographer.

Website: Body of Work – Philip Jones Griffiths

Our students use this mnemonic with great success…give it a try!

Let’s apply our skills to a great image from a famous photographer.

Films, Documentaries, and Series

If you're using film for your IO, you must watch this video! You MUST discuss these elements!

Key Terms for Analyzing Film

You're using a film or documentary for your IO? Nice choice - watch this video or you will miss important IO requirements!

If you're using film, documentaries, or videos for your IO, then this video is MUST WATCH. Our student will show you how it's done!

Student Recording Recording Transcript Student Notes and Planning

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How to Prepare For Your IB English Individual Oral (IO)!

The English IO is a crucial part of your grade, whether you’re studying Language & Literature or Literature, at HL or SL. We’ve broken down the best tips on how to make sure that you’re going to smash the IO on the day! Whichever subject you’re taking, we guarantee that these tips will put you on the path to success.

Breaking Down the Criteria

To know how to score well in any IB assignment, we need to know how we’re graded. In your IO, you are assessed in 4 areas: 

• Knowledge, Understanding, and Interpretation
• Analysis and Evaluation
• Focus and Organization

Each of these areas is equally weighted, so your actual content is actually only worth 50%, with the other 50% coming from the format and presentation of your IO. As such, while it’s important to make sure that you are knowledgeable about the excerpts and how they relate to the global issue, don’t sleep on the importance of word choice, and (as will be discussed), how to structure your ideas!

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Think of the IO as an Essay

Too many times students completely disregard the notion of structure when they are asked to do an oral presentation. While we are taught the importance of introduction/body paragraphs/conclusion in writing, it feels as if this is less important in your IO as you’re just speaking… but that is NOT TRUE! When you are preparing for your IO, write out a clear essay structure and follow this on the day of your presentation. Not only will you find it easier to say on track, but your teacher (who ultimately grades your presentation) will understand what you’re trying to say and thus may score you better not only in criteria 3, but criteria 1 and 2!

Spend Time Choosing Your Global Issue

Fundamentally your grade will come down to how well you connect your excerpt(s) with the global issue of your choice. If you have thus established an inadequate global issue, everything you do after that will essentially be meaningless. Remember that a global issue needs to check off the following categories:

• It has significance on a wide/large scale
• It is transnational
• Its impact is felt in everyday local contexts

For example, interesting global issues could be ‘How does sexism affect perceptions of women worldwide?’ or ‘How does the media portrayal of African-Americans further racist stereotypes?’ – make sure to discuss with your English teacher before your IO so that they can give you tips on what they think makes a good global issue! Remember, they’re the ones who grade it in the end!

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Practice Speaking for 10 Minutes

10 minutes of uninterrupted speaking is a lot longer than you think it is… trust us. Time and time again students find themselves rushing through their points and are out of things to say after 8 minutes. What naturally ensues is 2 minutes of waffling before you get to the teacher’s questions. Those 2 minutes are in fact losing your points as they are probably unstructured ramblings. It’s incredibly important that in your preparation you continuously time yourself so that you are incredibly confident with the pace you should be speaking at to reach the time limit! Don’t lose points by going too fast!

Your Teacher is Trying To Help!

At the end of your IO you’ll have 5 minutes of questions from your teachers (which you are definitely still graded on). Trust us, your teacher wants to give you a good score on your IO as not only is it good for you, but they want their students to do well! As such, they’ll ask questions that they really think that you know the answer to already, most likely because you’ve discussed it in class. Make sure that in the weeks leading up to the IO you pay extra attention in class because your teacher might drop hints as to the types of questions that they’ll ask, and you can prepare for those questions. In addition, if you’re asked a question that you don’t quite understand, ask for clarification rather than trying to guess. Remember, waffling is never going to get you points, so make sure you have a clear answer in mind before you respond.  Don’t let the questions stump you – come prepared and the questions will be yet another part of the IO to impress the teacher in.

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IB Oral Presentation Ideas and Examples

As a seasoned IB writer with extensive experience in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program, I’m excited to share some creative and effective strategies for your IB Oral Presentations. In my years working with IB students, I’ve seen the transformative power of well-crafted presentations. Today, I will give you some IB IOP ideas and tell you how to make your presentation stand out!

What Is the IB Individual Oral Presentation?

The IB Individual Oral Presentation (IOP) is a critical component of the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum, particularly in subjects like IB English. As someone who has guided many students through this process, I can attest to its importance in shaping students’ analytical and communicative abilities. The IOP allows students to demonstrate their understanding of a specific aspect of their coursework in a creative and personalized manner.

The student’s ability to connect with the material is central to the IOP. They are tasked with presenting a topic of their choice related to their course syllabus, which allows them to showcase their unique insights and analytical skills. It’s an exercise in critical thinking, organization, and persuasive work. Key elements of the IB Individual Oral Presentation include:

• Topic Selection . Students choose a topic related to their course syllabus. It could range from a deep analysis of a literary work in IB English to a critical examination of historical events in IB History.
• Content and Structure . The presentation must be well-structured, with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. It should present a coherent argument or analysis supported by evidence from the course material.
• Presentation Skills . Effective communication is crucial. It includes clear speech, engaging delivery, and visual aids or other presentation tools to enhance the audience’s understanding.
• Critical Analysis . Students must go beyond mere description to analyze and interpret the chosen topic, offering personal insights and connections to broader themes.
• Time Management . Typically, the IOP should last 10 to 15 minutes, requiring students to convey their ideas concisely and effectively within this timeframe.

So, the IB Individual Oral Presentation is a dynamic and challenging component of the IB program. It encourages students to engage with their course material actively, develop critical thinking skills, and hone their ability to effectively communicate ideas.

IOP Rubric: Assessment of the Oral Presentation

The IOP (Individual Oral Presentation) rubric in the International Baccalaureate (IB) program is a crucial framework for evaluating student presentations. Drawing from my extensive experience in the IB program, I can attest to the importance of understanding and adhering to this rubric. It breaks down into several critical areas for a successful presentation. So, when preparing for an IOP, students should focus on the following areas as outlined in the rubric:

• Knowledge and Understanding . It includes the depth of understanding of the chosen material, the ability to provide relevant examples and references, and connecting the topic to broader themes.
• Organization and Development . It focuses on the clarity and coherence of the presentation’s structure, logical progression of ideas, and effective introduction and conclusion.
• Presentation Skills . Here, the emphasis is on language clarity, voice and body language use, and the effective use of visual aids or other presentation tools.
• Critical Analysis . This area requires the ability to creatively and insightfully analyze the topic, provide a personal viewpoint supported by evidence, and engage with different perspectives.
• Engagement with the Audience . It involves maintaining the audience’s interest, being responsive to them, and tailoring the presentation to their level of understanding.

Each category is typically scored on a scale, contributing to the final grade. A thorough understanding and application of these criteria can significantly impact the effectiveness and success of a student’s presentation. By focusing on these areas, students can craft informative, well-structured, engaging presentations that reflect their critical and analytical skills. Such an approach is essential for excelling in the IB Oral Presentation.

Choosing Your Topic: IB English IOP Ideas

Based on my extensive experience with the IB program, I can offer some valuable insights into selecting a topic that aligns with the course requirements and resonates with your interests and strengths. Consider the following English IOP ideas and strategies when choosing a topic.

1. Literary Analysis

Focus on a specific literary work from your course syllabus. You might analyze a character’s development, explore thematic elements, or examine the author’s use of literary devices. For instance, discussing the symbolism in “The Great Gatsby” or the narrative technique in “Chronicle of a Death Foretold.”

2. Comparative Study

Compare and contrast two works from your syllabus. Consider thematic similarities, differing portrayals of a particular issue, or contrasting authorial styles. A comparison between Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” and Orwell’s “1984” on power and corruption could be intriguing.

3. Historical and Cultural Context

Examine how a work’s historical or cultural context influences its content and themes. For example, consider researching how the Victorian era shapes gender dynamics in “Jane Eyre.”

4. Author’s Study

Dig into the works of a single author from your syllabus, examining their stylistic evolution, recurring themes, or unique narrative techniques. Exploring the existential themes in the works of Albert Camus could be captivating.

5. Adaptation Analysis

Analyze how a literary work has been adapted into another form, such as film or theater. Discuss the interpretation of key themes or character portrayal in the adaptation versus the original text.

6. Creative Presentation

Take a creative approach by assuming the voice of a character or author or by composing an original piece of literature that mimics the style of a studied author or text.

7. Literary Theory Application

Apply a particular literary theory, such as feminist, Marxist, or post-colonial criticism, to a work or selection of works from your syllabus.

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Creative Approaches to IOP Presentation Ideas

Creative approaches to your Individual Oral Presentation can significantly enhance the impact of your presentation and demonstrate your ability to think outside the box. As an experienced IB educator, I’ve seen firsthand how creativity can transform an IOP. Here are some innovative strategies to infuse creativity into your presentation.

1. Dramatization

Bring a scene or character to life by performing a short dramatization. For example, consider acting out a scene from a novel or embodying a character to deliver a monologue. It’s a compelling way to demonstrate your understanding of character development and narrative elements.

2. Multimedia Integration

Use technology by incorporating multimedia elements such as videos, audio clips, or digital animations. This approach can be particularly effective for illustrating themes or settings or comparing different text adaptations.

3. Interactive Presentation

Engage your audience with interactive elements. It could include conducting a mini-workshop, involving the audience in a debate, or using interactive polls or quizzes. Interactive presentations can make your IOP more engaging and memorable.

4. Creative Writing

Make a piece of creative writing that reflects the style or themes of a studied text. You could write a new ending, a different perspective, or a prequel/sequel to a story. It showcases your understanding of the text and your creativity and writing skills.

5. Artistic Expression

Use visual arts to complement your presentation. It could be creating original artwork, a series of photographs, or a graphic novel-style text rendition. Artistic expressions can provide a unique perspective on themes, characters, or settings.

6. Analysis Through Different Mediums

Analyze a literary work and its adaptation (like a film or play) to compare and contrast interpretations. This approach allows you to research how different mediums handle the same material.

7. Thematic Investigation

Create a presentation focusing on a specific theme, using various textbook texts to illustrate different perspectives or interpretations. It can demonstrate a deep and comparative understanding of the theme.

8. Podcast or Radio Show Format

Present your IOP in a podcast or radio show style, complete with interviews, discussions, and sound effects. This format can be especially engaging and offers a fresh take on traditional presentation styles.

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IB English IOP Examples: Learning from the Best

As an experienced IB educator, I’ve witnessed many outstanding IOPs, each unique in its approach but consistent in quality and engagement. Here, I’ll share insights into what these exemplary presentations typically include, helping you to make your own impactful IOP.

One memorable IOP example involved a student performing a detailed analysis of a character from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” The student researched the character’s development and motivations and connected these to broader play themes, such as betrayal and madness. Using quotations and specific scenes to back up points was particularly effective.

Another impressive presentation goes into the theme of societal conformity in Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World.” The student skillfully linked the novel’s themes to contemporary issues, drawing parallels that resonated with the audience. The presentation was well-structured, moving seamlessly from one point to the next, making complex ideas accessible and engaging.

A student once compared the portrayals of war in “All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich Maria Remarque and Wilfred Owen’s war poetry. This IOP stood out for its insightful analysis of how different literary forms can convey similar themes. The student used comparative language effectively and supported their points with well-chosen textual evidence.

A particularly creative IOP involved a student interpreting the symbolism in Sylvia Plath’s poetry. The presentation was almost poetic, weaving in quotes from Plath’s work and integrating visual aids that mirrored the imagery in her poems. This creative approach helped illuminate the depth of Plath’s work compellingly and memorably.

An impressive IOP presentation requires creativity, organization, and passion. By following these guidelines and injecting your unique ideas, you’re well on your way to delivering a captivating and memorable presentation. Remember, this is your platform to shine and demonstrate your intellectual prowess. So impress your audience, and most importantly, enjoy the process! And if you need some help, our experts at IB Writing Service are always by your side!

Nora Spinster

Nora Spinster is a multi-talented individual who is an educator, lawyer, youth, expert IB tutor, education activist, and language and writing enthusiast. Nora has a wealth of experience in copywriting, having worked with various organizations and businesses to craft compelling and effective copy. Nora has published articles on young learners and teenage students in the International House Journal and occasionally posts on ibwritingservice.com educational blog

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English Collaborative

IB English A: Language and Literature: Individual Oral Assessment Considerations

Please note:  The purpose of this information is to elaborate on the nature of the IB assessment tasks, define and explain the assessment criteria and their implications, share observed challenges in students’ submitted assessment work, and offer strategies and approaches for assessment preparation.    

This post is not meant to replace a reading of the IB Language A: Language and Literature Subject Guide or the Teacher Support Materials available on  My IB .  Those resources should always be the first stop for teachers in checking the requirements of each assessment task and how the task should be facilitated.    

Individual Oral Overview

30% at sl; 20% at hl, nature of the task.

• The Individual Oral is 15 minutes long. For the first 10 minutes, the students will deliver their response to the prompt, which is then followed up with a 5-minute discussion led by the teacher.  
• The prompt for the Individual Oral is: “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 bodies of work that you have studied. 1 ” 
• The rubric on which the Individual Oral is assessed is worth a total of 40 marks. 
• On the day of the exam, students will bring blank copies of their literary and non-literary extracts as well as 10 bullet-pointed notes into the room. The extracts they choose should be representative of the way in which a global issue is presented in the work and may also provide the students a few talking points about authorial choices that contribute to that presentation as well. The extracts are not the center of the discussion but rather serve as launching points to talk about the work(s) as a whole, and Criterion C assesses that the students are balanced in their examination of both extracts and works. 
• After the first 10 minutes, teachers ask the student follow-up questions. This can be an opportunity for a teacher to nudge students in the direction of aspects of the prompt/assignment requirements that were not adequately addresses in the assessment.  While it may be helpful for the teacher to pre-prepare follow up questions, the teacher-student discussion tends to be more organic and helpful to the student if the questions build upon points the student has made in their oral.  Furthermore, teachers should avoid leading questions, or general questions about the global issue outside of the context of the works. 

Selection of the global issue

• A global issue is an issue within the work that exists transnationally but is also something that manifests in local contexts. Something like “how a community is dependent on fracking in Colorado” would be too precise to be a global issue. Something broader like “how the harvesting of energy sources impacts communities” might be more appropriate as it can be applied to other locations and situations. 
• Students and teachers should refer to the five Fields of Inquiry in the Language A guide 2  or the  UN Sustainable Development Goals  (SDGs) as launching points for developing more specific global issues.  

Fields of Inquiry   

• Culture, identity and community 
• Beliefs, values and education 
• Politics, power and justice 
• Art, creativity and the imagination 
• Science, technology and the environment 

Sustainable Development Goals  

• Zero hunger
• Good health and well-being
• Quality education
• Gender equality
• Clean water and sanitation
• Affordable and clean energy
• Decent work and economic growth
• Industry, innovation and infrastructure
• Reduced inequalities
• Sustainable cities and communities
• Responsible consumption and production
• Climate action
• Life below water
• Life on land
• Peace,justice and strong institutions
• Global partnerships
• The student should further narrow the global issue from these broad fields.  A specific and more narrowed global issue helps students sustain focus in the task and adequately develop their ideas in the 10 minutes allocated to the presentation portion of the Individual Oral.  
• Penalty:  Orals that discuss more than one global issue will score a zero in Criterion A. 

Selection of work s/bodies of work

• SL Students should note that the literary work they choose is not eligible to be used for their Paper 2.  
• HL students should note that the works they choose cannot be used for the Paper 2 (literary) or the HL Essay (literary or non-literary).  
• Students must also select an extract from their literary work and non-literary body of work that serves as a supportive example of what they are asserting about each work’s presentation of the global issue.  
• The learner portfolio can be a helpful place for students to look back on their coursework and identify global issues that are prominent throughout the works and bodies of work they have studied.  
• Penalty:  Students who base their oral on two literary works or two non-literary works will score a zero in Criterion A. Students who select bodies of work originally written in languages other than English without providing an official translation will also risk penalty.  

Selection of the extracts

Selection of the extracts   

The extract should contain 40 consecutive lines (max), or the equivalent. 

• “The equivalent” can be interpreted as a significant moment or sequence in a text or film that is typically a page in length. 
• A complete text such as a poem, song, or advertisement can be an extract. 
• An extract from a film may highlight of a sequence of stills, or a mix of stills and consecutive lines of screenplay. The stills should correspond to the extracted portion of the screenplay. 
• A “sequence of stills” averages around 4 stills but may be shorter or longer depending on the depth and complexity of the sequence. 
• For images, extracts should be replicated in color when possible. 
• Adding line numbers and/or figure numbers to the extract will help the listener locate specific parts of the extract with ease. 

A note about uploading extracts:    The IB requires that candidates upload the non-literary and literary extracts. Each extract’s provenance should be identified with the title of work/body of work and author. The 10 bullet points are not necessary to upload, but teachers should hold onto them in case a review needs to be made.   

What is the Individual Oral Assessing?

Criterion a:  knowledge, understanding, and interpretation (10 marks), defined terms.

• The student’s answer to the prompt should consist of two overarching conclusions, one for how each work/body of work presents the global issue. These can be presented as thesis statements at the beginning of the oral. According to the rubric, orals that do not interpret implications in relation to the global issue (i.e., by offering a conclusion) are unlikely to score above a 4 in criterion A. 
• The response should discuss the ways in the global issue is presented in both the extract and the work/body of work.  Responses that only discuss the extract or only discuss the work/body of work are unlikely to show “adequate” understanding.   
• When the extract serves as optimal evidence for how the global issue is presented in the entire work, this helps the student balance their discussion, make connections, and fluidly discuss both the extract and the work/body of work. 
• During the 5-minute teacher-led discussion, students can demonstrate further knowledge and understanding through their responses to their teacher’s questions which can enhance their mark in Criterion A. This can be an opportunity to recall more details from the work and body of work or add more nuance to an interpretation.

Activities and protocols that develop skills related to knowledge, understanding, and interpretation.

Formulating Interpretive Statements

This activity scaffolds the process of developing an “interpretive statement” in response to a text or work.  This is achieved through a sentence completion exercise […]

Continue Reading

This protocol helps students independently synthesize information, events, or key ideas from a work/body of work.  Process Ask students to identify 5 words that represent […]

Card, Stack, and Shuffle

Assumptions play an important role in our understanding and interpretation of work, and this protocol helps students critically evaluate assumptions.  The types of assumptions will […]

Concept Formation

In this activity, students use small examples to establish what a concept is (and is not).  This inductive strategy works to give depth, ownership, and […]

In this activity, students publicly identify their position in response to ideas and issues and justify that position with like-minded (and differently minded) peers.  This […]

Interviews using Naïve Questions

Conversations with a naïve partner can be an effective means to engage in reflection and identify gaps in knowledge or understanding.  The protocol below can […]

Criterion B:  Analysis and evaluation (10 marks)

• The identification of authorial choices, whether they be visual, rhetorical, formal, or literary, can only get students so far. These features should be mentioned only if they support claims about the presentation of the global issue (see the “Focus” element of Criterion C). If the analysis of authorial choices is not in reference to the global issue, the rubric indicates that students are unlikely to score in the adequate bands and above. 
• Students are rewarded for making meaningful references to genre-specific and text type-specific elements and using corresponding terminology correctly, assuming the analysis is in reference to the presentation of the global issue.  “Simple” or more obvious authorial choices are rewarded in the middle bands of the criterion.  The higher bands reward attention to detail and perceptive insight which often includes a careful, close reading of the work.  
• Because the IO prompt asks the student to consider both the “content and form” of the works, there is an implied expectation they address the literary form and its corresponding formal features and then also the “format,” or structural components, of the non-literary body of work.  As teachers prepare students for this assessment, they can remind students to consider structural choices (in addition to language choices) made in the extract and in the work as whole.  
• Credit for “evaluation” is only attainable in the top two mark bands of Criterion B. Students must work to appreciate how those authorial choices present the global issue. Their conclusions might even weave in discussions about why the text communicates its ideas about the global issue in a specific way; it might have to do with the specific formal elements of a text type, the function of literary or non-literary texts, the culture in which the text was produced, etc. 
• During the 5-minute follow-up discussion, teachers might ask students to provide further analysis of the extracts and the works which can enhance the student’s mark in Criterion B. This can be an opportunity to further detail the effects of specific authorial choices or recognize patterns of or connections between authorial choices that work to develop the global issue.  

Activities and protocols that develop skills related to analysis and evaluation

Why might this detail matter?

This activity gets students to think about the significance of minor details in a work.  These details can be used as evidence to form the […]

Ladder of Abstraction

This activity allows students to process the ways in which details from a work might represent larger abstract ideas. Process Divide students in groups of […]

This activity helps students visually see and appreciate the ways in which parts make up a whole.  One of the challenges many students have is […]

Diversity Rounds

This protocol directs students to reflect on the ways in which their identity shapes their reading/ audience response compared to others in a group.  The […]

Criterion C:  Focus, organization, and development (10 marks)

• There is no prescribed way for students to organize the ideas they wish to present. However, like with the other IB English assessments, students must think about how they can best convince someone of their drawn conclusions, which often includes considering the order in which they present their ideas so as to develop the most effective line of reasoning.  
• It is important that students balance their presentation.  There are two considerations here:  the first is balancing the discussion between the literary work and non-literary body of work; the second is balancing the discussion of each extract and its corresponding work/body of work. This plays an important role when awarding marks in this criterion. 
• It is worth noting that comparative analysis and evaluation is not a requirement of the assessment criterion, but students may discuss connections and contrasts between the work and body of work if it seems natural or interesting to do so. However, this should not be the focus of the task.  
• Criterion C will only be assessed based on the first 10 minutes of the individual oral; a student’s response cannot be improved or damaged based on the organization of their responses to their teacher’s questions [3].
• The extent to which students adhere to the 10-minute time limit is considered in this criterion. Orals that have long stretches of silence or are considerably under or over the 10-minute mark, may be limited in what they can achieve in this criterion.  

Activities and protocols that develop skills related to organization and development

Generate, Sort, Connect, Elaborate: Concept Mapping Significant MOMENTS in a Work

This activity asks students to individually identify significant moments in a work and collaboratively connect the moments to ideas, issues, and other moments in the […]

Generate, Sort, Connect, Elaborate: Concept Mapping IDEAS in a Work

This activity asks students to individually identify ideas and issues developed in a work and collaboratively connect and develop one another’s ideas.  This ultimately helps […]

This protocol helps students consider which ideas, issues, and feelings are playing a significant role in shaping their personal response to a work. Process Give […]

Criterion D:  Language (10 marks)

• Though this is an oral assessment, the student’s language is assessed in a similar way to the other assessments, considering clarity, accuracy, variety, and style. It is important to note that even a student with occasional errors can still score well if their language is effective (persuasive and nuanced) enough to enhance their presentation of the ideas in the oral.  
• Unlike in the previous oral, students now can “practice” the presentation of their ideas before the exam. Students can take advantage of this to try to think about enriching the vocabulary they use, transitioning fluidly from point to point, and using a variety of sentence structures. However, students may not prepare a “script” for their presentation, and the 10 bullet points they bring cannot be excessively long, which means it should still be a verbal articulation of ideas rather than a recitation. 
• A wider vocabulary and knowledge of sentence structures gives students more language tools to express abstract and complex thoughts.   
• Correct use of terminology may be considered in awarding marks in this criterion; however, jargon is not the sole focus.   
• The Individual Oral is a formal assessment and therefore students are expected to sustain a formal register throughout the presentation.  Of course, voice is welcomed in all IB assessment tasks: formal assessments do not need to be turgid. 

Activities and protocols that develop skills related to use of language

Interpretive Statement Wall

This protocol helps students develop revision skills by asking clarifying and critical questions about each other’s interpretive statements or thesis statements.  This helps students develop […]

Evaluating Thesis Statements

This activity helps students understand the role language plays in communicating specific and complex ideas in a thesis statement.  The approach invites active collaboration, and […]

Discussion Posts and Personalized Learning

This formative assessment gives students an opportunity to personalize their learning while engaging in collaborative discussion with their peers around their chosen text(s) or work. […]

Stir the Classroom

This protocol requires that members take ownership of the ideas discussed within a group so that if called, they can synthesize them for their next […]

This protocol helps students generate ideas in response to a work. Process Give students a writing task, asking them to identify one thing they think […]

[1] Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 54.

[2] Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 55.

[3]  “10 tips for schools & teachers for the individual oral”. My IB Website, IBO: 2020.  

[4] Language A: Language and Literature Guide, First assessment 2021 , IBO: 2019. pp. 59.

L&L Individual Oral Samples

Individual Oral Samples

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IB English A Individual Oral (IO) Exemplar

Free ib teaching materials.

Download my new IB teaching resources for Language and Literature Paper 1 on my new website:

Watch my example IO

Below you will find my example IO in which I analyse Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto and Call Me by Your Name directed by Luca Guadagnino. This will be particularly useful to you if you have chosen a film as your Body of Work.

Underneath this video you can download my script and extracts.

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• Support Sites

English A: Language and Literature Support Site

Outlining the io.

What's your plan for the individual oral (IO)? You are allowed 10 bullet points for your outline. It should include your global issue and list the works from which the extracts are taken. Use the outline form below for your outline.

How should you structure your IO? Here are two methods you can use. These not prescribed. They are, however, tried and tested by many students. Check out this video, the posters, and the worksheets below.

Just to clarify...

What is meant by 'feature 1, 2 and 3'? Depending on your literary work, you may focus on diction, imagery, narrative technique,  symbolism or something else. With so little time, it's important that you 'pick your battles' and it's important to pick big battles that matter. Rather than focusing on the use of onomatopoeia in line 6 of a poem, for example, it's better to focus on how an author appeals to a sense of sound in one poem and other poems. 'Features 4, 5 and 6' are labelled as such to indicate that the features of the non-literary Body of Work (BOW) may be very different than those explored in the literary work. See the Individual oral FAQs for answers to any other questions you may have.

Related pages

• IO Instructions
• IO Discussion questions
• Unit: Dove Campaign for Real Beauty

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• Orals: what's expected?

The procedure for the Oral Individual Interview, introduced by the 2018 Subject Guide, was put into practice for the first time in the May 2020 session ... in, shall we say, extraordinary circumstances!

From this experience, it is possible to draw conclusions about how to carry out the Interview successfully - in terms of (i) preparing for the interviews; (ii) running the interviews effectively; and (iii) applying the marking criteria appropriately..

The following observations are my own personal interpretations, and are thus not 'official', but they are based on a close reading of the Subject Guide, and on my direct experience as a senior examiner for the English B Oral IA.

The key issues

Three areas are worth considering in some detail:- 

Selecting suitable stimulus material

Part 1 presentation: criterion b1.

• Conducting the Parts 2 & 3 conversations (Criterion B2)

Neither Criterion A: Language nor Criterion C: Interactive skills - communication are discussed here, because it seems to me that their application is relatively straightforward. See the page  Oral IA Criteria, unpacked - and the subordinate pages which contain in-depth discussion of each of the criteria.

The stimulus material at both levels serves the same basic purpose - to give the students something to talk about, and thus demonstrate their linguistic skills, their organisational skills in presenting their ideas, and their intellectual skills in analysing the stimulus. However, the approach will be different at each level - at SL, there is a visual stimulus, and at HL, an extract from a literary work.

So what is a 'good' stimulus at each level?

SL visual stimulus

As with the 'current' system, it is best to think that the image should work as

(i) a reminder of subject matter studied in class; and

(ii) a springboard for interpretation, speculation, and the expression of opinion (as opposed to the drab repetition of facts).

So, it is worth bearing in mind the following notes...

• the term 'visual stimulus' covers all forms of graphics : i.e. it is not restricted to 'a colour photograph' as in the 'current' system
• no caption is required - indeed, the complete absence of reference to captions in the Subject Guide suggests that captions are ruled out. (Also, note that the Subject Guide states "Any language that naturally appears on the image should be minimal and must be in the target language." p.43)
• the image should be related to one of the Themes
• the image should be sufficiently complex to enable some detailed description
• the image should be sufficiently subtle to enable some personal interpretation
• the image should enable the student to link it to an Anglophone culture

Note the last three bullet points in particular: these are directly related to Criterion B1. Students need to draw on "explicit and implicit details", provide "personal interpretations", and make "clear links to the target culture(s)". In order to score well, all students need to be given fertile material to analyse and develop their ideas.

HL literary extract

What is a 'suitable extract'? The following explicit instructions can be found in the Subject Guide

• length: " 300 words approximately" (p.51), showing title and author
• sufficiently interesting to "provide opportunities to stimulate discussion " (p.51)

But there's more to it than that: the extract has to be appropriately accessible so that the student can carry out the Part 1 presentation effectively. In that respect, then, I would suggest that the extract has to be

• essentially self-contained - i.e. it should make clear sense within the 300 words allowed, without needing to remember many details from elsewhere in the literary work (although some cross-reference to illuminate the extract would be natural)
• related to some key point of the argument of the work i.e. theme / point of view / stance / vision. And by the way, 'key point' could involve a crux in the plot, but the main expectation seems to be that the extract should focus on some important aspect of what the work has to say (point), rather than what happens (plot).
• sufficiently complex for the student to be able to develop "observations and opinions" (see wording of Criterion B1)

In choosing the extract, bear in mind that the purpose is to encourage 'interpretation' of "the events, characters, ideas and messages" (p.52) of the literary work - and this does not mean 'Lit.Crit.' The Subject Guide explicitly rules this out in talking about the purpose of literary works within the course: "...literary criticism is not an objective of the language B course; literary criticism lies within the remit of the DP studies in language and literature courses."   (pp.22-23)

(Having said that, it's hard to see how students can talk intelligently about a decent piece of literary text without involving literary critical ideas! After all, if you're expected to interpret "characters", you'll naturally comment on 'characterisation', and if you're expected to interpret "ideas and messages", this will almost certainly involve mentioning how something is said, not just what is said. So don't fret about this - teach the students to read the text as intelligently and in as much depth as they can, and if this involves 'Lit.Crit.' concepts, then fine. There will surely be no penalty for mentioning the word 'metaphor' !)

The headline descriptor, at both SL and HL, emphasises 'relevance' - so tell students that they should concentrate on explaining what is in front of them; and that any references to more general knowledge (about the Theme of the visual stimulus, or about the literary work as a whole) should be carefully and explicitly linked directly to what can be seen in the graphic, or read in the extract.

That said, at SL, students are expected to 'make links to the target culture' - but such references should not be general remarks about Anglophone culture, but rather directly inspired by what can be seen in the image (hence the importance of choosing graphics with 'anglophone imagery'). Reference to 'target culture' is not mentioned in the HL criterion.

Now, what ideas should students be trying to develop and include in their presentations?

Content at SL

The key terms at SL are 'description' and 'personal interpretation ' - the more of both, the higher the mark. So, encourage students to do (some) methodical description, leading on to (more) imaginative interpretation.

Also, notice the reference at two points in the SL Criterion B1 to 'explicit and implicit details' . This pair should be seen as parallel terms to the description/interpretation pair - dealing with explicit details is likely to mean describing the obvious, whereas dealing with implicit details will involve subtle and imaginative interpretation.

So, I would suggest that students should be told to:-

• study the image, decide what it's about, and therefore which aspect of the Theme it is probably related to
• make a quick list of the most obvious / noticeable features of the image
• make a shorter list of features of the image which are not immediately obvious / mysterious  - how are these to be explained?
• decide "What does this image mean to me?" (especially relating to the Theme, including what relevant material we might have studied or discussed in class)
• think what link(s) to Anglophone culture can be made from the image - remember any related info. from class?
• make a brief plan, or 'MAP', showing the running order of the various comments you are going to make about the image
• devise a brief introduction, along the lines of "This image shows us.... The first thing you notice is.... It suggests to me the Theme of...."
• after the introduction, summarise your plan, or 'MAP', very quickly - "First I'm going to talk about... Then I'm going to explain.... And finally..."
• if you can, write a brief conclusion - and aim to get there.

Overall, encourage the idea of lively personal response, interested in the image (as opposed to some laborious and mechanical description).

Content at HL

The wording of the HL criterion is based on two terms: 'make use' and 'observations and opinions' . What do these mean in practice?

The answer lies in two verbs used for the top mark-band: "develop and support" . Simply put, 'develop' means 'think through ideas in detail', and 'support' means 'draw directly and explicitly on evidence from the text to make your ideas convincing'.

• read the extract carefully, and mark / annotate / highlight sections that seem important
• then, select / underline one or two of these 'important bits' that seem to be the Key Points - these should then be the focus of your presentation, or the 'angle' of your approach
• think about how the extract as a whole, and the important bits in particular, relate to the work as a whole - to what the work has to say
• decide what (limited) reference to the rest of the work you need to make in order to develop a clear explanation about the extract
• make a brief plan, or 'MAP', showing the running order of the various comments you are going to make about the extract
• devise a brief introduction, along the lines of "This extract is about.... It comes from the point in the book when.... It concentrates on the theme of...."

Above all, emphasise that "effective use of the extract" (top mark-band) means explaining each step in your argument clearly AND backing each step with reference to the extract itself (and, to a limited extent, to the context of the work as a whole).

HL presentations

In May 2020, there was agreement among senior examiners about what worked well in the HL Part 1 presentation -

1. The better marks were awarded to candidates who gave detailed readings of the extract i.e. referred often to specific quotes, and explained what they meant. In other words, a detailed commentary or read-through of the extract. These detailed comments might well be then linked to general comments about themes in the work as a whole, but these general comments were short, clear and well-focused.

2. Middling marks were given to those who might talk mainly about the extract, but with little reference to quotes or to details in the extract - the generalised remarks were sensible enough, but were little supported and did not illuminate understanding of the extract in detail.

3. The lower marks went to those who mainly talked about the work as a whole - such as a general summary of the story, general comments on what the author wanted to say, even background information / period, etc, even if these were quite well explained and organised. (Although many good presentations might include a brief introduction about the work along these lines.)

In short, students should be advised to base their presentations on a detailed commentary on the wording of the text, and trained in how to deliver this.

Conducting the Parts 2 & 3 conversations ( Criterion B2 )

I refer you to the detailed analysis in the page Criterion B2    ... and also to the section on 'overlap' in the page  Oral IA Criteria, unpacked which deals with distinguishing between different aspects of Message in Criteria B1, B2 and C .

The key word here is probably 'developed' - that students should aim to explain their ideas as fully as possible, and to be as agile and as active as possible in their response to the stimulus at either level. So how do we help students to demonstrate how well they can develop their ideas?

Of course, the teacher's role is vital here, in asking the right sort of questions. Good questions should be:-

supportive ... and the best way of supporting is to start from where the student is: for instance, make notes during the presentation, and then ask the student to expand on what has already been mentioned - "Oh! I didn't know you were involved in playing the bagpipes... how did you get into that?"

interested ... aiming to draw out the best of what the student might have to offer - "I remember you saying in class that you were involved in Greenpeace... why do you think that's important?"

challenging ... using the classic ToK-type questions of define-your-terms "You mentioned 'penalties' - I see what you mean, but exactly what sort of penalties did you have in mind?"