How to Pass the Individual Oral Commentary and Discussion for IB English

What is the individual oral commentary and discussion for IB English?

This is an internally-marked section of the syllabus which, along with the individual oral presentation,  is worth 15% of the total marks available for IB English. This is therefore a crucial part of the overall assessment for the award. The oral assessment is taken individually and is a formal exam; it cannot be retaken. 

What is the format of the individual oral commentary and discussion?

One teacher conducts the oral with each student. The student is given the extract and some guiding questions and has twenty minutes to prepare their commentary. They are supervised during this preparation period. The student then gives a commentary for eight minutes; following this, the teacher asks questions for two minutes. For Higher Level students, this is followed by a further ten minute discussion referencing another text which has been studied. 

Which texts are used for the individual oral commentary and discussion?

The text for the commentary is chosen from the prescribed list of authors. It should be noted that these are authors, not texts. The text is chosen by the teacher and should be between 20 and 30 lines long. If the text is a poem, a shorter length is acceptable. The second text for discussion during the Higher Level examination only is also chosen from the prescribed list of authors. Students do not know which text or texts will be selected for their oral exam before the preparation time starts. 

How are the marks awarded for the individual oral commentary and discussion?

The grading criteria are based on four areas, summarized as follows:

• Knowledge and understanding: how well do you situate the text in the context of when it was both written and received?
• Understanding of literary features: can you identify and analyse the literary features used in the text, explaining their effects on the reader?
• Organisation: is your commentary well-structured and organized along clear lines?
• Language: do you speak formally, with confidence, and using complex sentence structures?

How should I prepare for the individual oral commentary and discussion?

• Know your texts well – ensure you have studied their context, themes and development.
• Practise speaking in a formal style, developing your confidence through repeatedly taking every opportunity offered to speak in front of others. 
• Consider symbolism, mood, allusions and more complex ideas if you are aiming for the top grades. 
• Develop a ‘thesis’ or ‘theory’ that shows you have an individual, personalized response to the texts.