Course+Outline+for+ISHelsinki

ISHelsinki, by MN Kilmer
 * Language and Literature course plan**

===Part 1: Language in Cultural Context (August-October 2011) === //In this section of the course, we will be looking at how language is used within a culture and between cultures generally and specifically in English language cultures (whatever that means). //

**topic 1: language and identity **
//How do groups (national, social, gender, professional, ethnic, etc.) use power to create collective identity? How does an individual use language to create her own identity? //

**topic 2: English in the 21st century **
//How did we get the English we have today? (A quick review of our MYP5 unit.) What is the status of English in the world today, why, and what are the repercussions? What cultural and multicultural developments change the language? //

**topic 3: The margins of language **
//Why is some language more or less acceptable? Why do we swear? What is hate speech and how does it work? What is censorship and is it effective? //

===Part 2: Language and Mass Communication (October 2011 - January 2012) === //In part 2, we will look at how language is used within mass media. //

**topic 1: Report, judgement and bias **
//In news and other reporting, how might bias and judgement be presented? Is objectivity possible? How do politicians and advertisers use the same techniques? //

**topic 2: Language and the Online World **
//How do language, purpose and audience interact on blogs, ‘social networking’ and other participatory culture sites? Who benefits from these media, and how do they interact with a wider culture? //

**topic 3: Political language **
//How does a politician or an aspiring politician use language? How is political advertising constructed? What is propaganda and how widely is it used? //

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Part 4: Critical study (February - May 2012)
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">We will look at the themes and literary techniques of these texts.
 * **Text 1: The poetry of Robert Frost**
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Text 2: //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1984 //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> by George Orwell **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Text 3 (Higher Level only): //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Hamlet //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> by William Shakespeare **

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Parts 1&2 Higher Level (August - October 2012)
//<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In this section, we will look at a broad topic with specific sub-topics from the two parts of the syllabus. This is subject to change based on the outcome of our discussions in the first year of the course. Here is an example of topic we might explore: // __ **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Women and men ** __
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Part 1: Language and gender, changes to language regarding gender **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Part 2: Targeted advertising, portrayal in popular culture **

===<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Part 3: Literature, texts and contexts (October 2012 - March 2013) === //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">As we study these works, in addition to looking at how the author constructs the text, we will also example how that text is affected by the culture in which it was produced, the critical reception of it over time and our own construction of the text as readers affected by our own culture. //
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Text 1: //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Candide //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> by Voltaire **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Text 2: //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Awakening //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">by Kate Chopin **
 * **<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Text 3 (Higher Level only): //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Crucible //<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">by Arthur Miller **