ib english written commentary
DESCRIPTION
A powerpoint guiding students through the IB English written commentary. Original content by Brent Rohol of Sprucecreek HS. Current design by Michelle Alspaugh, Mt. Vernon HS. Photos taken from www.flikr.comTRANSCRIPT
IB Assessments… where the commentary is
Commentary is
“a literary composition with a definite subject consisting of a
systematic series of comments or annotations on the text of a literary
work.” (OED)
An analysis of the words on the
page
OR
an analysis of
author techniques
used in the creation of meaning
“To give a reading of a work which increases
the audience’s
understanding of it.”
Concerns / Motivations of:
Character, Narrator, Speaker
The
and emotion
through the passage
Stating the obvious…
patterns, voice/tone, imagery, argument
Mention author’s name to introduce
each idea
Mention “the reader”
often
those who understand
that literature is a creation
which needs to
be examined.
1)Look at Structure
2) Discuss Meaning of passages without assuming it is only to be found during a treasure hunt or must inevitably become a lecture about life.
Concentrate on the way in which a character is presented or a scene is set
or an image is developed
An integration of:
interpretation of the content
discussion of the technique Assessment of the effects achieved
The ideal commentary treats literary techniques
as inseparable from meaning (with a focus on how the features develop
meaning)
Stronger candidates stated a kind of overview of what the piece was about, and then set about showing how this was achieved.
Always Tie Technique with Meaning
Metaphor
Resist the urge to simply list what you see.
Strike a balance
between literal reading and
over- interpretation.
the passage or poem is not a kind of puzzle with a definite solution.
DO NOT turn commentaries into lengthy, personal, pseudo-philosophical musings on the themes
raised by the passages.
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