ACTON28: AGAINST THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC

Parent page: IB Learner Profile

English A: Language and literature (Cat.1): Module Four Syllabus Construction – (draft II)

English A: Language and literature (Cat.1): Module Two Syllabus Construction – A checklist for language and literacy (draft I)

See Guide, pages 20-21. Use: Prescribed Reading List.

HIGHER LEVEL (6 works) STANDARD LEVEL (4 works)	concepts	place* (3 / 2)	period* (3 / 2)	literary form* (3 / 2)	Areas of Exploration
PRL (English) 1: William Shakespeare	representation	England/ Europe	16th/17th century	literary text: poetry	readers, writers & texts
PRL (English) 2: Nurrudin Farah	perspective	Somalia	20th/21st century	literary text: prose fiction / drama	time & space
PRL (translated) 1: Persepolis & Persepolis II (Marjane Satrapi)	Cultures & identity: How does a text bridge a cultural boundary and create an insight? How do we approach texts from different times and cultures to that of our students?	Iran /France /Austria	21st century	literary text: graphic novels	connecting texts
PRL (translated) 2: Hanqing Guan / The Ballad of Mulan, anonymous / Njal’s saga, Óþekktur höfundur	communication: How can texts offer multiple perspectives of a single issue, topic or theme?	China/ Iceland	13th century; 4th century onwards; 12th-14th century	literary text: drama / poetry / prose fiction	readers, writers & texts
Free choice 1: The Levellers	creativity: how does the listener understand the meaning of a song and its lyrics; How are we affected by texts in varied ways?	UK/ Europe	20th/21st century	literary text: music lyrics	time & space
Free choice 2: Tash Aw	why & how do we study language and literature?	Malaysia	21st century	literary text: prose fiction/novel
various	all	global	21st century	non-literary text: websites	readers, writers & texts; times & space; connecting texts
various	all	global	various	non-literary text: opinion columns	readers, writers & texts; times & space; connecting texts
various	all	global	20th/21st century	non-literary text: magazine and newspaper covers	readers, writers & texts; times & space; connecting texts
various	all	global	pre-21st century; 20th century	non-literary text: public information texts	readers, writers & texts; times & space; connecting texts
various	all	global	pre-21st century; 20th century	non-literary text: propaganda pamphlets	readers, writers & texts; times & space; connecting texts
various	all	global	pre-21st century; 20th century	non-literary text: advertisements	readers, writers & texts; times & space; connecting texts
various	all	global	21st century	non-literary text: blogs	readers, writers & texts; times & space; connecting texts
various	all	global	20th/21st century	non-literary text: self-help guides	readers, writers & texts; times & space; connecting texts
various	all	global	various	non-literary text: photography	readers, writers & texts; times & space; connecting texts
various (some translated)	all	global	various	non-literary text: speeches	readers, writers & texts; times & space; connecting texts
various (some translated)	all	global	various	non-literary text: quotations	readers, writers & texts; times & space; connecting texts

The Levellers were chosen for their breadth and depth of lyrics. I absolutely agree that I would be focusing on an exploration of the lyrics (as a form of poetry) more than any other aspect. The subculture of music videos, album art, posters, and instruments representing voices would supplement a non-literary body of work.

“Your daddy, well he died in the Falklands; Fighting for another man’s cause; And your brother he was killed in the last war; Now your mother’s, well she’s lying home alone” – Another Man’s Cause, The Levellers

There are songs within their 12 (or so) album catalogue that cover topics like human rights (food roof family), refugees (The Shame), peace (Exodus), anti-war (The Recruiting Sergeant), the 1917 Étaples Mutiny (Mutiny), homelessness (Cardboard Box City), identity (England My Home), nuclear trouble (Belaruse), being human (Julie), inequality (Dirty Davey), class and humanity (This Garden), a dived world (Generation Fear) and huge range of emotions, personalities and periods of time. There are many songs that mark a journey and an exploration of the individual. Some are simple. Some are deep.

“My father when I was younger; Took me up on to the hill; That looked down on the city smog; Above the factory spill” – One Way, The Levellers

The indie folk rock genre that The Levellers have inhabited for over three decades. They formed their own festival in opposition to the increasing numbers of festivals of a highly commercial nature. At first I was thinking about bands that are highly accessible like Coldplay and U2, but then I thought why not go off the beaten track?!

“The year is 1991, it seems that freedom’s dead and gone; The power of the rich is held by few; Keep the young ones paralysed, educated by your lies” – Sell Out, The Levellers

The Levellers were formed in the 1990s and were not afraid to speak and sing the truth. They’ve been on a musical revolution for over three decades. They edged on the fringes of pop in their early days but have found their home more across genres than any other British band. They have likely influenced more musicians disillusioned by the commercial and closed state of the music industry. Their lyrics have been heard by musicians, writers and poets. The alternative scene to as establishment has a voice that can echo far. This is a band named after a political movement during the 17th century, formed in the years of the late William Shakespeare’s growing influence (on the English language).

“They’re sending in the elite, complete with guns; To advertise the way to go; Faxing through the fax to make it clear; That they’re the ones who know” – Liberty Song, The Levellers\