Self-Taught Language A: Creating your Book List

As a language A: literature SSST student you will have to read nine works. You will choose these from a list of authors that the IB has created called: Prescribed reading list/Liste de lectures/Lista prescrita de lectura (ibo.org) Your tutor will help you to create your Book List and the SSST Coordinator will ensure that none of the authors are part of your Book List in your other Language A or Language B course. (The IB does not permit students to read the same author in two classes). Families will need to purchase or collect these works either digitally or in hard copy with the help of the tutor and SSST Coordinator.

You should compile a list of literary works to be studied in the SSST course according to the following requirements:  

• nine works overall, written by authors on the Prescribed reading list (above) 

• a minimum of two works studied linked to each of the areas of exploration of the course  

• coverage of at least three of the four literary forms (poetry, drama, fiction, non-fiction)  

• coverage of at least three time periods  

• a minimum of four works originally written in the language A being studied, by authors on the Prescribed Reading List  

• a minimum of three works translated into your language A, originally written in a different language than the language A being studied, by authors on the Prescribed reading list  

• works from a minimum of three places as defined by the Prescribed reading list in relation to the language A you are studying, covering at least two different continents.  

All of the works on your Book List must be chosen from the Prescribed Reading List. In this resource, there are authors who have written in the language A that you are studying. The reading list also contains various selections of authors who have written in other languages.  

The Language A: literature guide defines a “work” as “one single major literary text, such as a novel, autobiography or biography; two or more shorter literary texts such as novellas; five to ten short stories; five to eight essays; ten to 15 letters; or a substantial section or the whole of a long poem (at least 600 lines) or 15 to 20 shorter poems”. When more than one text is studied as part of a “work”, they must be from the same author. It is important to remember this definition when choosing works to study.  

When deciding on a Book List, you should try to include works that balance gender, time, place, and literary forms. You can use the search filters in the Prescribed Reading List to find authors who have written in particular languages, literary forms, periods and places. These filters can help ensure that you have chosen works that meet the course requirements. Remember that some writers publish in more than one literary form, so it is important when choosing specific works by these authors that you fulfill the literary form requirement of the course.  

In discussions with your tutor, SSST coordinator, other teachers, peers or family members, you can also consult them on ways you can make your Book List more varied in terms of different voices and perspectives.  

Please remember to devote enough time to thinking about the Book List, the extent to which it addresses all the requirements of the course and the extent to which it offers opportunities to prepare for the assessment components.