HL & SL differences

It is a fundamental principle of the Diploma programme that an HL programme should be more demanding than an SL programme - as indicated by the names of 'Higher' as opposed to 'Standard'.

An initial reading of the Language B Subject Guide (2018) may suggest that the differences between the two levels is ... well, slight. The basic course ingredients of Themes, Text types, Conceptual understandings, and Principles of course design are common to both levels; and as explained below, the assessment criteria are very largely the same at both levels. The only obvious distinction is that Literature is to be studied and assessed at HL and not at SL.

However, a closer reading of the Subject Guide indicates that there are significant differences in expectations at the two levels, which are at times implicit rather than explicit. This page, therefore, sets out to clarify those differences, in the two obvious areas of course construction and of assessment.

Course distinctions

Goals & outcomes The Subject Guide has a section called 'Distinction between SL and HL' (pp.7-8). In fact, while this sounds explicit enough, it is actually more a description of what SL and HL students should be able to achieve at the end of the course, rather than an explanation of how teaching should be different or how assessment standards are distinct. But that's fine - if the different outcomes are described, we can then work out easily enough how we should supply different teaching materials and activities.

Prior knowledge & course placement The Subject Guide states (under the heading Prior learning p.11) that students' level of knowledge of the language at the beginning of the course may guide whether an individual should do SL or HL. It refers to  the study Benchmarking Selected IB Diploma Programme Language Courses to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, and indicates that

  • students already at CEFR A2 or B1 in the target language can comfortably take language B SL
  • students already at CEFR B1 or B2 can comfortably take language B HL

This implies that, in principle, HL classes will be composed of students with a higher initial level of language than students in SL classes; which in turn implies that the level of challenge at HL should be more demanding than in SL classes.

In practice, of course, the realities of programming and timetabling very often mean that English B classes may either (a) combine SL and HL students because only a single class can be programmed; or (b) include students entered for SL who could perfectly well do the HL course but who have already filled their allocation of HL subjects.

Total contact hours The general IB requirement for all Diploma subjects is as follows:- 

  • HL = 240 hours
  • SL = 150 hours

This implies that HL students have more time available for challenging and developed activities (for example, more detailed study of the Themes) - which should result in higher expectations at the end of the course.

Literature at HL The Subject Guide requires that HL students should study "two literary works originally written in the target language". Such study should cover fundamental elements such as 'themes, plot and characters', but the Guide notes that "literary criticism is not an objective of the language B course" (p.20).

Assessment distinctions

Assessment Criteria for Paper 1 Writing and for Oral Internal Assessment are very similar.

To be specific, if you add together all the ‘bullet-points’ in Written & Oral Criteria, there is a grand total of 26 bullet-points or ‘descriptor categories’ ... of which 18 are the same at both levels, and 8 are different in some way. The differences are as follows:-

  • 4 are 'stepped' - i.e. there is a one mark band difference between the same wordings used at HL and at SL. However, in effect this means only two distinct bulletpoints, since the two bullet points under Criterion A Language are repeated for both Written and Oral language use
  • 3 are 'applied differences' - i.e. the text of the Oral Criterion B1 uses different phrasing because the tasks are different at each level, but the qualifiers are fairly similar
  • 1 is only applied at SL and not at HL - i.e. the reference in the SL Oral Criterion B1 to "ideas linked to the target culture" 

Overall pattern of Criteria bullet points

(text in purple indicates bullet points where there is some difference between HL and SL wordings)

Writing

Criterion A: Language

How successfully does the candidate command written language?

  • To what extent is the vocabulary appropriate and varied?
  • To what extent are the grammatical structures varied?
  • To what extent does the accuracy of the language contribute to effective communication?

Criterion B: Message

To what extent does the candidate fulfill the task?

  • How relevant are the ideas to the task?
  • To what extent are ideas developed?
  • To what extent do the clarity and organization of ideas contribute to the successful delivery of the message?

Criterion C: Conceptual understanding

To what extent does the candidate demonstrate conceptual understanding?

  • To what extent is the choice of text type appropriate to the task?
  • To what extent are register and tone appropriate to the context, purpose and audience of the task?
  • To what extent does the response incorporate the conventions of the chosen text type?

Oral

Criterion A: Language

How successfully does the candidate command spoken language?

  • To what extent is the vocabulary appropriate and varied?
  • To what extent are the grammatical structures varied?
  • To what extent does the accuracy of the language contribute to effective communication?
  • To what extent do pronunciation and intonation affect communication? vague relation

Criterion B1: Message—visual stimulus

How relevant are the ideas to the selected stimulus?

  • How well does the candidate engage with the stimulus in the presentation?  qualifiers very similar, but references different due to different tasks
  • How well are the ideas linked to the target culture(s)? SL ONLY 

Criterion B2: Message—conversation

How relevant are the ideas in the conversation?

  • How appropriately and thoroughly does the candidate respond to the questions in the conversation?
  • To what depth are the questions answered?

Criterion C: Interactive skills—communication

To what extent does the candidate understand and interact?

  • How well can the candidate express ideas?
  • How well can the candidate maintain a conversation?

Different bullet points

So, these are the bullet points where there are differences, to a greater or lesser extent:-

Writing

Criterion A: Language

  • To what extent is the vocabulary appropriate and varied?
  • To what extent are the grammatical structures varied?

the same as for Oral assessment

Oral

Criterion A: Language

  • To what extent is the vocabulary appropriate and varied?
  • To what extent are the grammatical structures varied?

the same as for Writing assessment

  • To what extent do pronunciation and intonation affect communication?

vague relation - there is a kind of 'step'

Criterion B1: Message—visual stimulus (SL) / literary extract (HL)

How relevant are the ideas to the selected stimulus?

  • How well does the candidate engage with the stimulus in the presentation?

qualifiers very similar, but references different due to different tasks

  • How well are the ideas linked to the target culture(s)?

SL ONLY  ('target culture' does not apply at HL)

    Assessment construction

    The ground rules for the various assessments have slight but noticeable differences at each level.

    Paper 1 Writing

    Time allowed - SL - 1 hr 15 mins  ;  HL - 1 hr 30 mins

    Length of task / word count  - SL = 250-400 words ; HL = 450-600 words

    At both levels - students select one task from a choice of three ... but tasks at HL may be devised to be more intellectually challenging and/or demand a wider range of language skills than at SL

    At both levels - students will select a text type from a list provided ... but text types provided at HL may be more complex than those at SL

    Assessment 2

    Listening section:

    Overall total times - SL = 45 mins ; HL = 1 hr

    Specified component text times: each of the three component texts has an upper limit i.e. 'up to...(x minutes)'

    Text A : SL > 2 mins  ;  HL > 3 mins

    Text B : SL > 3 mins  ;  HL > 4 mins

    Text C : SL > 4 mins  ;  HL > 5 mins

    Text difficulty: HL texts more 'complex' than SL texts

    Question difficulty: HL questions more 'challenging' than SL questions

    Reading Section:

    Overall total time - 1 hr at both levels

    Component texts - 3 at both levels

    Text difficulty: HL texts more 'complex' than SL texts

    Question difficulty: HL questions more 'challenging' than SL questions

    IA Individual Oral

    Preparation time - SL = 15 mins ; HL = 20 mins

    Stimulus - the stimulus for the Part 1 presentation is radically different at the two levels:

    SL = visual stimulus, relating to theme from course (each student chooses one from a choice of two)

    HL = literary extract, from a literary work studied during the course (each student chooses one from a choice of two)

    Length of interview - both levels = 12-15 mins

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