Welcome to English A: Language and Literature!
The English A: Language and Literature course is designed to develop your critical and insightful thinking through the deep analysis of a wide range of texts. At its heart lies the mastery of language—spoken and written—with a systematic emphasis on precision and effectiveness.
As one great author once remarked, “Language is the greatest terrorist.” Though hyperbolic, this striking statement captures something essential: whoever knows what to say and how to say it holds immense power. Language has the ability to persuade, to challenge, to inspire, and to shape the way we see the world. To master it is to acquire a formidable tool that will serve you in any walk of life.
Throughout the course, you will gain a strong understanding of how language constructs meaning, as well as how texts relate to one another, to cultural contexts, and to both local and global issues. Many students come to love this subject because they discover just how empowering it is to use language with clarity, insight, and confidence.
The curriculum balances literary and non-literary study. Over two years, HL students explore six literary works, while SL students study four. In IB1, for example, we focus on Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, and Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis. Alongside this, the non-literary component introduces you to the analysis of diverse text types, ranging from political speeches, advertisements, and magazine covers to photography, street art, films, websites, infographics, and manifestos.
This combination ensures that you develop a sharp analytical eye and an appreciation of how literature and language shape—and are shaped by—the world around us.
The English A: Language and Literature course is designed to develop your critical and insightful thinking through the deep analysis of a wide range of texts. At its heart lies the mastery of language—spoken and written—with a systematic emphasis on precision and effectiveness.
As one great author once remarked, “Language is the greatest terrorist.” Though hyperbolic, this striking statement captures something essential: whoever knows what to say and how to say it holds immense power. Language has the ability to persuade, to challenge, to inspire, and to shape the way we see the world. To master it is to acquire a formidable tool that will serve you in any walk of life.
Throughout the course, you will gain a strong understanding of how language constructs meaning, as well as how texts relate to one another, to cultural contexts, and to both local and global issues. Many students come to love this subject because they discover just how empowering it is to use language with clarity, insight, and confidence.
The curriculum balances literary and non-literary study. Over two years, HL students explore six literary works, while SL students study four. In IB1, for example, we focus on Ibsen’s A Doll’s House, Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, and Satrapi’s graphic novel Persepolis. Alongside this, the non-literary component introduces you to the analysis of diverse text types, ranging from political speeches, advertisements, and magazine covers to photography, street art, films, websites, infographics, and manifestos.
This combination ensures that you develop a sharp analytical eye and an appreciation of how literature and language shape—and are shaped by—the world around us.
- Διδάσκων: Ourania Chatsiou