IB Oral Commentary English IV AP/IB Mrs. Snipes. General Information: 15% of the Language A1 diploma requirements 15% of the Language A1 diploma requirements.

IB Oral CommentaryIB Oral Commentary

English IV AP/IBEnglish IV AP/IB

Mrs. SnipesMrs. Snipes

General Information:General Information: 15% of the Language A1 diploma requirements15% of the Language A1 diploma requirements Preparation time = 20 minutesPreparation time = 20 minutes Recording time = 10 – 15 minutesRecording time = 10 – 15 minutes Candidates are provided with an extract for Candidates are provided with an extract for

commentary from one of the Part II works: commentary from one of the Part II works: HamletHamlet, , MacbethMacbeth, poetry of Keats, or poetry of , poetry of Keats, or poetry of FrostFrost

Guiding questions will be provided by the Guiding questions will be provided by the teacherteacher

The commentary is recorded and externally The commentary is recorded and externally evaluated/assessedevaluated/assessed

What IB Says About Commentary:What IB Says About Commentary:

““Commentary” refers to a close detailed analysis Commentary” refers to a close detailed analysis of writing, showing an understanding of both of writing, showing an understanding of both what what is said and is said and how how it is said. It requires it is said. It requires students to demonstrate close detailed students to demonstrate close detailed knowledge and appreciation of: (1) elements knowledge and appreciation of: (1) elements such as subject matter and theme, (2) the such as subject matter and theme, (2) the means (literary and style technique) by which means (literary and style technique) by which these elements are explored and presented, and these elements are explored and presented, and (3) the effects of such exploration, or (3) the effects of such exploration, or presentation, for the development of the work as presentation, for the development of the work as a whole, and for the reader’s understandinga whole, and for the reader’s understanding

Basically, you should be able to:Basically, you should be able to:

Demonstrate thorough knowledge and Demonstrate thorough knowledge and understanding of the works studied understanding of the works studied

Distinguish details and elements that are Distinguish details and elements that are significant to the overall purpose of the significant to the overall purpose of the work from those that are notwork from those that are not

Deduce meaning and make valid Deduce meaning and make valid interpretations from relevant textual interpretations from relevant textual materialmaterial

Discern, where appropriate, the writer’s Discern, where appropriate, the writer’s particular view(s) or attitude(s) toward the particular view(s) or attitude(s) toward the issues he/she raises, explores or alludes issues he/she raises, explores or alludes toto

Appreciate the role played by language Appreciate the role played by language and style (including diction, imagery, and style (including diction, imagery, symbols, tone, sound, and sentence symbols, tone, sound, and sentence structure) in achieving the writer’s purposestructure) in achieving the writer’s purpose

Understand and discuss how, and to what Understand and discuss how, and to what purpose, elements such as characters, purpose, elements such as characters, events, situations, and settings are events, situations, and settings are created and to what effectcreated and to what effect

Discuss the use of relevant literary Discuss the use of relevant literary techniques in a manner that shows techniques in a manner that shows understanding of how they create and understanding of how they create and develop meaning in the textdevelop meaning in the text

Become aware of the ways in which Become aware of the ways in which writers use the features of particular writers use the features of particular genres for effectgenres for effect

Compare and contrast in effective waysCompare and contrast in effective ways Make consistent and effective use of the Make consistent and effective use of the

most persuasive textual evidence to most persuasive textual evidence to illustrate claimsillustrate claims

Offer individual insights and independent Offer individual insights and independent perspectives on the works studiedperspectives on the works studied

Appreciate as fully as possible the close Appreciate as fully as possible the close relationship between form and contentrelationship between form and content

WHEW!WHEW!

How to Prepare for the IOC:How to Prepare for the IOC:

Step I:Step I:

Read the passage/poem carefully three Read the passage/poem carefully three times: times:

1. silently, for first impression of total effect1. silently, for first impression of total effect

2. aloud—noting shifts of pattern, thought, 2. aloud—noting shifts of pattern, thought, voice, tone, flowvoice, tone, flow

3. again, to reinforce or adjust first 3. again, to reinforce or adjust first impressionimpression

Step 2:Step 2:

Establish how this extract fits into the Establish how this extract fits into the larger work: what is this excerpt doing on larger work: what is this excerpt doing on its own? In the whole?its own? In the whole?

Ask yourself: why did the Ask yourself: why did the teacher/examiner choose this passage?teacher/examiner choose this passage?

Step 3:Step 3:

Go through CLOSE READING questions:Go through CLOSE READING questions:

WHO is speaking?WHO is speaking?

TO WHOM?TO WHOM?

WHAT? WHY? (Situation, purpose)WHAT? WHY? (Situation, purpose)

HOW? (tone, style)HOW? (tone, style)

PATTERNS? (structure, form)PATTERNS? (structure, form)

TENSION? (contrasts, conflicts, ironies)TENSION? (contrasts, conflicts, ironies)

SO WHAT? (dominant effect)SO WHAT? (dominant effect)

STOP BAD FITSTOP BAD FIT

SSymbolymbolTThemehemeOOrganizationrganizationPProgressionrogressionBBig 3 (speaker, audience, situation)ig 3 (speaker, audience, situation)AAtmospheretmosphereDDictionictionFFigurative languageigurative languageIImagery magery TToneone

Dramatic context: how does the passage build Dramatic context: how does the passage build on the existing dramatic tension?on the existing dramatic tension?

Unresolved questions: what don’t you Unresolved questions: what don’t you understand the passage or its context?understand the passage or its context?

Personal response: what part of the passage Personal response: what part of the passage stands out to you?stands out to you?

How is the passage structured?How is the passage structured? What are the most significant patterns?What are the most significant patterns? What are the most significant stylistic devices? What are the most significant stylistic devices? Is the passage consistent throughout? Is there Is the passage consistent throughout? Is there

anything unresolved?anything unresolved?

If you were to explain the excerpt to a If you were to explain the excerpt to a friend, what would you say? Keep it simple friend, what would you say? Keep it simple but include everything that your but include everything that your consideration of the passage has revealed consideration of the passage has revealed to be important. to be important.

Step 4:Step 4:

Compose and be ready to deliver the Compose and be ready to deliver the commentary: make notes and organize the commentary: make notes and organize the structure of the commentarystructure of the commentary

Look again at the SO WHAT and taking this Look again at the SO WHAT and taking this dominant effect as your thesis, select relevant dominant effect as your thesis, select relevant details of evidence to support your argument details of evidence to support your argument and to include in your commentaryand to include in your commentary

Be sure to include no detail without relating it to Be sure to include no detail without relating it to its specific effect and place it in the wholeits specific effect and place it in the whole

Organize your commentary in any way Organize your commentary in any way that suits your argument, but let the that suits your argument, but let the passage or poem guide you to the shaping passage or poem guide you to the shaping of your commentaryof your commentary

Caveats:Caveats:

There is not one formulaThere is not one formula This is an exploration and not a “Watch This is an exploration and not a “Watch

me, Mom!” display of all you knowme, Mom!” display of all you know Don’t forget that the characters are Don’t forget that the characters are

fictional; the writer is/was not—therefore fictional; the writer is/was not—therefore focus on authorial intent and literary focus on authorial intent and literary features and techniques used to achieve features and techniques used to achieve that intentthat intent

Guiding Questions:Guiding Questions: The purpose of the guiding questions is to offer The purpose of the guiding questions is to offer

candidates a starting point for organizing the candidates a starting point for organizing the commentarycommentary

They will help you explore such aspects asThey will help you explore such aspects asthe presentation & role of charactersthe presentation & role of charactersrelationshipsrelationshipsthemesthemesuse of languageuse of languagesignificance of the extract to the significance of the extract to the

development of the larger workdevelopment of the larger workeffects of structure, style, technique effects of structure, style, technique

Guiding questions should not:Guiding questions should not:

refer to fine detail, or any particular refer to fine detail, or any particular

interpretation of the extractinterpretation of the extract

restrict the candidate’s ability to restrict the candidate’s ability to explore explore

independently all significant aspectsindependently all significant aspects

dealt with in the extractdealt with in the extract

Types of Guiding Questions:Types of Guiding Questions: In what ways do you think this extract defines In what ways do you think this extract defines

the role of X, a character in the extract? What do the role of X, a character in the extract? What do you think the extract reveals about X’s state of you think the extract reveals about X’s state of mind?mind?

What is established in this opening passage? By What is established in this opening passage? By what means has this been achieved?what means has this been achieved?

To what extent is our perception of the To what extent is our perception of the relationship between X and Y developed in this relationship between X and Y developed in this passage?passage?

What is the primary significance of this What is the primary significance of this passage?passage?

Which literary/stylistic techniques are used Which literary/stylistic techniques are used and to what effect?and to what effect?

What are the effects of the dominant What are the effects of the dominant images in this extract?images in this extract?

What are the dominant themes in this What are the dominant themes in this extract?extract?

Delivery and Subsequent Delivery and Subsequent Discussion:Discussion:

Candidates will be allowed to deliver their Candidates will be allowed to deliver their commentaries without interruptioncommentaries without interruption

Teachers may not distract candidates or Teachers may not distract candidates or attempt to rearrange their commentariesattempt to rearrange their commentaries

Teachers will only intervene if a candidate Teachers will only intervene if a candidate panics and needs positive encouragement panics and needs positive encouragement or if he/she is off target or is finding it or if he/she is off target or is finding it difficult to continuedifficult to continue

Teachers may engage in a discussion with Teachers may engage in a discussion with candidates to probe further into their candidates to probe further into their knowledge and understanding of the work knowledge and understanding of the work or topicor topic

Teachers may inquire about a candidate’s Teachers may inquire about a candidate’s understanding of specific words, phrases, understanding of specific words, phrases, and allusionsand allusions

Teachers must be satisfied with the Teachers must be satisfied with the candidate’s understanding of the candidate’s understanding of the relationship between the extract and the relationship between the extract and the whole workwhole work

Criterion:Criterion:

Knowledge and interpretation of extract of Knowledge and interpretation of extract of work(s) work(s)

Interpretation and personal response--5Interpretation and personal response--5 Presentation (organization)Presentation (organization) Use of languageUse of language Each category worth up to a score of 5Each category worth up to a score of 5

Some tips:Some tips:

For For Hamlet Hamlet and and MacbethMacbeth, don’t forget , don’t forget about dramatic features as well as about dramatic features as well as poetic/stylistic devices; for Frost and poetic/stylistic devices; for Frost and Keats, remember poetic/stylistic devices, Keats, remember poetic/stylistic devices, structure, etc. structure, etc.

Refer to specific line numbers in your Refer to specific line numbers in your analysisanalysis

Avoid a colloquial/informal toneAvoid a colloquial/informal tone

More tips:More tips:

Stay within the context of the passage: Stay within the context of the passage: “You must not be tempted to discuss “You must not be tempted to discuss everything you know about the whole text. everything you know about the whole text. Your commentary must focus on the Your commentary must focus on the specific extract that you are given for specific extract that you are given for discussion. discussion. You should relate it to the You should relate it to the work only where relevant—for example, to work only where relevant—for example, to establish context, or discuss its establish context, or discuss its importance to the work as a whole” (IB importance to the work as a whole” (IB Handbook) Handbook)

More tips:More tips: Avoid doing a line by line analysisAvoid doing a line by line analysis Organize your commentary by idea, not in the order of Organize your commentary by idea, not in the order of

the extractthe extract For For HamletHamlet, remember to go beyond just translating. For , remember to go beyond just translating. For

example, if you are doing “to be or not to be,” you need example, if you are doing “to be or not to be,” you need to go past just saying, “in this extract, Hamlet is debating to go past just saying, “in this extract, Hamlet is debating whether or not he should commit suicide. He doesn’t whether or not he should commit suicide. He doesn’t know if he should exist or not exist.” A way to extend know if he should exist or not exist.” A way to extend beyond a translation is to do just what you do for beyond a translation is to do just what you do for everything else you read: analyze technique. Example: everything else you read: analyze technique. Example: “Shakespeare highlights Hamlet’s unbalanced mental “Shakespeare highlights Hamlet’s unbalanced mental state by incorporating many examples of antithesis into state by incorporating many examples of antithesis into this soliloquy. The most obvious of these is ‘to be or not this soliloquy. The most obvious of these is ‘to be or not to be’ in line 1” (and then develop from there).to be’ in line 1” (and then develop from there).

Final thought:Final thought: Relax! I know; it’s hard to actually relax after reading Relax! I know; it’s hard to actually relax after reading

this looooooong list of tips and listening to Mrs. Snipes this looooooong list of tips and listening to Mrs. Snipes drone on and on about it. But remember how capable drone on and on about it. But remember how capable you actually are. It’s good to feel some nerves, but you actually are. It’s good to feel some nerves, but remember that at the end of the day, it’s only a test. remember that at the end of the day, it’s only a test. While your IOC is an important part of IB English, your While your IOC is an important part of IB English, your score will not define your life or who you are. The score will not define your life or who you are. The process is more important than the end result. Simply process is more important than the end result. Simply going through an assessment like this will make you a going through an assessment like this will make you a better communicator and more interesting person. better communicator and more interesting person. Remember that not all rewards in life come in the form of Remember that not all rewards in life come in the form of a grade.a grade.