1. Welcome to yr 10
IGCSE World
Literature
2012-2014
What you need to
know
2. FIRST
You have elected to do this course which
hopefully means you enjoy reading and the study of a variety of
Literature!
This means that at the end of Yr 11 you will sit two exams for two
Qualifications:
IGCSE Language
IGCSE World Literature.
All of the following information can be found in your
Welcome to Yr 10 Document
The IGCSE World Literature has a coursework and exam
component.
3. You will have 2 hrs per week for your World
Lit course with the same teacher.
This course will cover the syllabus for the
IGCSE coursework and Exams as well as
introducing some skills on other texts and
skills such as Text into Film .
4. Coursework: 50%
There are 3 pieces of coursework to
be submitted to the exam board:
• A piece of Empathetic Writing
based on the Novel Mr Pip by
Lloyd Jones. 25 marks
• An analytical piece of writing
based on the SIS Poetry
Anthology. 25 marks
• A Recorded Conversation based
on one of your Exam Texts: Sound
5. Empathetic Response:
600–1000 words.
• Assumes the voice of one character in one
prose or drama text.
• The task prescribes a particular moment in
the text (which may be the end of the text).
• The text must not be on the examination
(Paper 3) or the same text as for the critical
essay (written assignment 1).
6. Analytical/Critical Essay:
800–1200 words (including quotations but
not references/bibliography).
• Based on one text.*
• The text must not be on the
examination (Paper 3) or the same text for
the empathic response (written assignment
2).
(*In cases where a text is a selection of
poems/short stories, the essay must cover
at least two poems/short stories, but it does
not have to be comparitive.)
7. Recorded Conversation:
4–7 minutes.
• A conversation with the teacher on an aspect
of the candidate’s chosen text:
EITHER the way a novelist or playwright
presents a particular character
OR the way their chosen writer (from prose,
drama or poetry) presents a particular
theme.
• Text may be an examination (Paper 3) set
text or a text studied for one of the other
coursework assignments.
• The conversation must be recorded.
8. In the portfolio as a whole there should be
work on at least two different forms
(poetry/prose/ drama), and the texts should be
from at least two different countries/cultures.
9. EXAM: 50% 1hr 15mins
There are two papers for your IGCSE WL:
Paper 2 – Unseen Commentary
This component carries 25% of the assessment of
the syllabus as a whole. Candidates answer one
question from a choice of two.
Each question asks candidates for a critical
commentary on (and appreciation of) previously
unseen writing printed on the question paper.
10. One question is based on a passage of literary
prose (such as an extract from a novel or a short
story); the other question is based on a poem, or
extract of a poem. The material will be taken from
writing either originally in English or in English
translation.
There are no set texts for this paper.
Candidates are advised to spend around 20
minutes reading their selected question and
planning their answer before starting to write.
In the How to Write an Unseen Commentary
which you will be given, there are a number of
past extracts that you will work through with
11. EXAM:
Paper 3: Set Text – 1hr 30mins.
This component carries 25% of the
assessment of the syllabus as a whole.
Questions will be set on a range of prose and
drama texts in English translation, or
originally written in English.
On each set text there will be two questions:
one extract-based question and one general
essay question. Each question carries the
same number of marks.
12. The paper is divided into:
• Section A: extract-based questions
• Section B: essay questions.
Candidates answer two questions: one question from
each section.
They may answer both of their questions on the same set
text, or on two different texts.
This is a ‘closed books’ paper: set texts may not be taken
into the examination room.
Extract-based questions focus on one section of the text
asking candidates to re-read a specific passage from the set
text before answering. The passage will be printed on the
question paper.
14. Texts you should purchase & read:
For your Literature IGCSE Course you must purchase the following texts:
Mr Pip by Lloyd Jones - Novel
Antigone by Jean Anouilh – Drama
The Sound of Waves – Yukio Mishima – Novel
A letter will be emailed to both you and your parents this week with these titles,
ISBN numbers and suggestions of how to purchase them.
You must read Mister Pip as you will begin studying this in January.
15. Turnitin
As with your IGCSE Language all written
coursework must be submitted to Turnitin.
If you have not set up a Turnitin Acc you need to do
so now.
Your teacher will give you your Class ID and
passcode to enable you to submit your
coursework.
Please record this somewhere carefully for your
future reference.
16. It is really important to organise your folders and save
any work you do in class and for coursework.
You must also make sure that you back up your files
regularly onto an external hard drive – every year there
are students who lose vital bits of work that they need
for their exams because they have not backed up their
work – BE WARNED
17. Core Files to set up now:
• Text into Film
• Unseen Commentary
• Mr Pip
• Lit Coursework
• Antigone
• Sound of Waves
