The Themes required by the 2018 Subject Guide are wider than the Topics of the 'old' Subject Guide - but in fact, they cover much the same ground as the old Topics. So, how do we deal with them?

It is worth bearing in mind from the start that these Themes are specified so as to define suitable subject matter with which to practise the use of the language. Language has to be about something ... and Language as part of the IB's Diploma programme should be about something challenging (not just gossip about what you did last weekend!). On the other hand, the Subject Guide is clear that factual information, as such, is not assessed - so we should not imagine that we are required to be devising Sociology ('Social organisation') or Psychology ('Identity') courses.

Note that the introduction to the Guide's section about Themes (pp.18-20) states three significant purposes of the study of Themes:-

• Themes should provide "opportunities for students to communicate about matters of personal, local or national, and global interest" - note the wide range of what is considered relevant and suitable
• the study of the Themes will also "allow students to compare the target language and culture(s) to other languages and cultures with which they are familiar". Notice that this does not require that the Themes should be exclusively focused on studying Anglophone Culture, but rather that the approach should be intercultural
• discussing the Themes will allow "students to make connections to other disciplinary areas in the DP" - drawing in ideas from Economics, Biology, and so on, to enliven and support exploration of the area

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Selected Pages

Identities 24 November 2018

The concept of 'identity' covers a massive area, from the identity of the individual to the identity of social groups. And...
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The Migrant's Tale 3 November 2018

Sharing experience ... we 'share the planet' with other people, and the most basic aspect of sharing is to try to share...
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The Migrant's Tale annexe 3 November 2018

For ease of reference, here are the answers to the tasks. By all means argue with your students about whether they are the...
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On nationalism 3 November 2018

Do nations share? ... perhaps the nation state is the biggest stumbling-block in the development of the concept of 'sharing...
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Negative globalization 3 November 2018

Sharing the downsides? ... that everything is becoming 'global' is now a trite cliché, a statement of the obvious - but...
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Nationalist myths 2 November 2018

The experience of nationalism ... It is pretty clear that nationalist movements are based powerfully on the experience of...
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