The Global issues are relevant topics in IB English Hl & SL. In this topic, students learn about problems that affect people globally and need to be resolved. These problems hurt society all over the world.Here is a deep dive with our IB English Tutors.
What Are Global Issues in IB English?
The IB has included Global Issues in its curriculum to give students a sense of global responsibility. The curriculum provides students with a transnational perspective, allowing them to analyze and understand global issues through literature.
IB Exam Pattern: The IB English examination includes two papers. Papers 1 and paper 2. The First Paper analyzes a literary text and writes an essay after studying it. While Paper 2 compares two literary works by different authors. Apart from these two papers, there is one English Individual Oral exam in which students prepare a presentation about a selected text. Examiners also ask questions related to the chosen literary text. The level of HL students is deeper and more complex than that of SL students. An additional essay writing component is added to HL English.
Common Global Issues IB English HL & SL
The global issues topic in IB English includes several global issues. Here are a few global matters –
| Poverty and hunger | Corruption |
| Social inequality | Income inequality |
| Migration | Social mobility |
| Gender discrimination | Social media |
| Access to healthcare | Erosion of cultures |
| Conflicts due to religions | Masculinity |
Things to Remember While Choosing a Global Issue
Students should choose a topic by considering a few important points while choosing the global issue. Here few suggestions by our IB English Online Tutors for your help:
- Depth: You should remember that the topic you have chosen should provide detailed information. Collect the in-depth knowledge about the topic. Gather information about that particular topic that you have chosen so that you can have good information.
- Embedded Arguments: You should give sound arguments to prove how the problem affects a larger world population. You can use examples to prove your points.
- Complex but not convoluted: Be careful that your topic is complex, but it should not be so confusing that the examiner will hurt your presentation.Cause and effect and relationship: you should also talk about the root causes of the problem and its effect on the population and the environment.
- Significant on a wide scale: you should never forget that the topic you choose should be a problem for many people. You cannot select a topic related to a limited population of a particular area. It should cover a wide range. You should check whether the problem has affected many people or is limited to a few. You cannot call it a global issue if it is limited to a particular area.
- Transnational: Global issues should affect many countries. For example, global warming affects many countries. Remember that the problem should not be limited to one country only.
- Impact felt in everyday contexts: You should observe that the Global issue you are choosing negatively impacts people’s everyday lives.
Analyzing Texts Through the Lens of Global Issues
Analyzing text in IB global issues very carefully. For this, go through the text carefully and find all the literary devices used in the particular text. Try to simplify the vocabulary used in the text and make an analysis with specific evidence. You should also properly consider the author’s tone, theme, characters, and style. The text also impacts the reader so that an impact analysis can be made from different perspectives. Here are a few essential things you should remember while analyzing the text in IB English.
Make a list of texts studied: You should list texts you have already studied and note the global issues you have observed in those texts. You should note the literary devices’ phrases and other important details about the text.
Look for Connections Between Texts:
You can also compare different texts and how authors reflected the same problem with different perspectives.
- Start with the text you Enjoy: You must have deep interest in it, so choose a story and author you like the most.
- Choose a Theme: It is also essential to know the story’s central idea or theme in which the poet or author wants to convey a message
- Try to find out the literary techniques: You should also try to find out the language and structure of the text. Observe the development of characters and what type of perspective they were reflecting. Try to explain the author’s aim for writing the story with that particular issue. Literary devices include:
1. Imagery
2. Metaphor
3. Symbolism
4. Tone moon and style of the author
5. Personification and other figure of speech
Ask Questions to Yourself About the Global Issues
You can also ask yourself a few questions after reading the whole text. You can ask questions like how this particular text illustrated the problem and the impact of this issue on society. What are the reasons behind that specific problem?
Global issues in IB English have a good weightage, and students have opportunities to use their analytical skills to learn about global issues. This helps students develop an understanding of the world’s problems and also develops a critical thinking approach. They also learn how to analyze a book.
IB Elite Tutor is a decade-old academy. We have a team of highly abled IB Online Tutors who can help you choose and analyze Global Issues topics in IB English HL and SL. Book a free introductory IB English Tuition class and start your academic journey with us.
