Middle School Curriculum Booklet 25-27

English Literature

Cambridge IGCSE (9-1) English Literature 0992

What does the course cover? The course develops pupils’ ability to understand and respond to a wide range of literary texts, including prose, poetry and drama. Pupils will respond critically and in detail to the use of language, structure and form in the texts they encounter. They will also be taught to write in a succinct and focused manner and to select and evaluate relevant material. In addition, pupils will study the cultural, social, political, historical and religious contexts of their set texts, and the literary traditions to which they belong. Why study English Literature? By reading a wide range of literature, pupils will explore how novels, poetry and drama reflect the world around us. They will consider the historical, religious and cultural contexts of works of fiction to evaluate authorial intent, including the political, social and moral dimensions of literature. Pupils will also learn how to craft clear, structured and analytical essays in which they are encouraged to adopt an empathetic response to the lives of others. They will consider and evaluate contrasting viewpoints and different ways of reading texts. The essay-writing skills acquired will stand pupils in good stead across a variety of GCSEs and well beyond.

How is the course assessed? The final grade is based on performance in three written examinations:

Paper 1: Poetry and Prose 50% of final mark, 1 hour 30 minutes

Pupils answer one 25-mark question based on a poem from the examination board’s own anthology, Songs of Ourselves. To prepare for this, pupils study a selection of 15 poems spanning the sixteenth century to the present day, including poems by Shakespeare, Aphra Behn, William Blake, Gillian Clarke and Seamus Heaney. Pupils then answer one 25-mark question on their set novel, choosing either an extract-based question or a whole text question that explores the presentation of a character or theme. Recent texts selected for study by the examination board include I’m the King of the Castle by Susan Hill, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Paper 2: Drama 25% of final mark, 45 minutes

Pupils answer one 25-mark question on a Shakespeare play, choosing either an extract-based question or a whole-text question that explores the presentation of a character or theme. This is an open text examination, so pupils may refer to a clean copy of the set text.

Paper 3: Unseen 25% of final mark, 1 hour 15 minutes

Pupils answer one 25-mark essay question on an unseen text, choosing either a question based on a passage of literary prose (e.g. an extract from a novel or short story) or a question based on a poem or

extract from a poem. Both questions require candidates to write a critical commentary.

6