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If you're taking English A, you've probably heard of the Individual Oral. In this post, we'll break down everything you need to know so it feels less overwhelming and you’re fully equipped when it's time to start preparing your own.
IB Individual Oral Presentation Explained
What is the Individual Oral
The individual oral is a presentation that you do as part of your English A course. The presentation, just like any other internal assessment, is assessed internally by your school teacher and then moderated by official IB examiners. It accounts for 30% of your final grade at SL and 20% at HL.
The main premise of the IO is to provide a verbal presentation in which you provide analysis of literary and non-literary works.
The global issue
The whole idea of the individual oral is to select a global issue and then analyse how that issue is explored in two texts you studied during your course.
A global issue is any topic that is transnational, significant on a broad scale, and relevant to everyday life.
Your task is to explore the two works through the lens of the global issue. You need to analyse how the issue is presented or manifested in each work. This involves examining how both authors engage with the issue and offering a thorough analysis that includes meaningful insights and comparisons.
A global issue must be specific and clearly defined. For example, a strong global issue might be ''the restrictive approach to the roles of women in society,'' rather than something vague like ''sexism.'' The more precise the issue, the more deeply you’ll be able to analyse the texts through that lens.
If you want to learn more about global issues and how to choose a strong one, make sure to visit this post.
IO Structure
The IO lasts 15 minutes. The first 10 minutes are devoted to the student's oral presentation, in which they introduce their texts and global issue, analyse the texts, and provide a conclusion. In the remaining 5 minutes, the examiner will ask the student questions about their analysis.
- Introduction
- Text 1
- Literary Extract
- Literary BOW
- Text 2
- Non-literary Extract (For Literature students A translated Literary Extract)
- Non-literary BOW (For Literature students A translated BOW)
- Conclusion
- Examiner follow-up questions
The structure of the individual oral is the same for both Language and Literature students as well as Literature students, except that Literature students must focus on a second literary text rather than a non-literary one.
For the purpose of the IO, an 'extract' refers to a 40-line passage from a chosen text. In the context of non-literary works, an 'extract' is a single piece of work.
The Body of Work (BOW) is the broader work of the author. In the context of literary BOWs, a BOW could be, for example, a collection of poems from the same series. In the context of non-literary BOWs, a BOW might be a series of advertisements from the same advertising campaign.
If you want to learn more about the exact format and structure of the IO, and how to manage your time for each section, make sure to read this blog.
How to prepare for your Individual Oral?
The first step is to select a strong global issue. Make sure to check out our blog that explains everything about global issues and how to choose a strong one.
Once you’ve selected a global issue, you should choose the specific extracts and bodies of work you’ll analyse. This is a back-and-forth process. Since your global issue needs to fit the text – and vice versa – it’s completely normal (and expected) to refine your global issue and change your texts over time until you find the perfect combination.
Once you're set on a global issue and have chosen texts that allow for in-depth analysis, it’s time to structure your presentation. The best way to do this is to write out your full script. This ensures that all your points of analysis are clearly thought out.
When your script is fully refined, you can begin committing it to memory. This is crucial, as the IB only allows you to bring 10 short bullet points of notes into the examination room. You will not be allowed to read from your script.
However, this doesn’t mean you should memorise your script word for word and recite it like a robot – that will actually cost you marks. You need to speak naturally during your IO. The idea is to know exactly what you want to say and explain it in your own words, in a natural tone.
To help with this, create a bullet-point list with short cues that guide you through your plan and help keep you on track. This is especially useful if nerves kick in. To see examples of how to structure such a bullet-point list, click here.
When it comes to preparing for the 5-minute question section, the best strategy is to study your texts in depth. You need to be able to analyse and explain them from every angle. Be ready for different types of questions. The examiner may for instance ask you about a specific line from your extract that you didn’t discuss, or invite you to expand further on a point you made by providing additional evidence. The key is to know your texts inside and out.
We hope you found this post helpful. For more useful materials associated with the IB check out the wide variety of IA, EE and TOK exemplars available at Clastify and other guides available on our blog.
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