2016-11-D-2-en-4

Schola Europaea
Office of the Secretary-General
Pedagogical Development Unit
Ref: 2016-11-D-2-en-41
Orig.: EN
Syllabus for English LI – Secondary cycle

APPROVED BY THE JOINT TEACHING COMMITTEE ON 9 AND 10 FEBRUARY
2017 IN BRUSSELS
Entry into force : on 1 September 2017
1) Attainment descriptors:
On 1 September 2018 for S1-S5
On 1 September 2019 for S6
On 1 September 2020 for S7
1st Baccalaureate session in June 2021
2) New model of written exam – Harmonisation L1:

Immediate entry into force for S6
1st Baccalaureate session in June 2018
1Further to the decision of the BIS taken by Written Procedure 2020/16 on 15 May 2020, the different
materials for the written examination papers to be used in the context of adoption of the new marking
system in the European Baccalaureate for English Language I were inserted in the syllabus.
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1. General objectives
The European Schools have the two objectives of providing formal education and of
encouraging pupils’ personal development in a wider social and cultural context.
Formal education involves the acquisition of competences – knowledge, skills and
attitudes across a range of domains. Personal development takes place in a variety of
spiritual, moral, social and cultural contexts. It involves an awareness of appropriate
behaviour, an understanding of the environment in which pupils live, and a
development of their individual identity.
These two objectives are nurtured in the context of an enhanced awareness of the
richness of European culture. Awareness and experience of a shared European life
should lead pupils towards a greater respect for the traditions of each individual country
and region in Europe, while developing and preserving their own national identities.
The pupils of the European Schools are future citizens of Europe and the world. As
such, they need a range of competences if they are to meet the challenges of a rapidly-
changing world. In 2006 the European Council and European Parliament adopted a
European Framework for Key Competences for Lifelong Learning. It identifies eight
key competences which all individuals need for personal fulfilment and development,
for active citizenship, for social inclusion and for employment:
1. communication in the mother tongue;
2. communication in foreign languages;
3. mathematical competence and basic competences in science and technology
4. digital competence;
5. learning to learn;
6. social and civic competences;
7. sense of initiative and entrepreneurship;
8. cultural awareness and expression.2
The European Schools’ curriculum seeks to develop all of these key competences in
the students. The language syllabuses make a significant contribution not only to the
development of communicative competences, but also to social and civic competences
and to the students’ cultural awareness and expression. Numerical, statistical and
scientific content in written texts, physical or electronic, support the development of
students’ mathematical, scientific, technological and digital competences. Creating
opportunities for individual research and private study assists students in learning to
learn in those ways that best fit both the subject studied and their personal preferences.
The teaching of L1 has a special importance in the European Schools: it is a vital
means of establishing and confirming the pupil’s linguistic and cultural identity, thereby
2 see page 13 below for commentaries on how the Key Competences are addressed in this syllabus
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providing a foundation for engagement with other subjects, notably other languages
and cultures. A course in L1 should:
• develop pupils’ abilities to communicate effectively in speech and writing and to
listen and respond with sensitivity and understanding;
• encourage pupils to be enthusiastic, responsive and knowledgeable readers;
• assist pupils‘ development when transferring these skills to other learning
contexts;
• enrich pupils’ lives by introducing them to experiences beyond those
encountered in their daily lives, and contribute to their personal and social
development.
Its position as a global language means that English is vital for communicating with
others in schools and in the wider world, and is fundamental to learning in other
curriculum areas. Through studying English, pupils develop skills in speaking, listening,
reading and writing that are necessary to participate in society and employment; pupils
learn to express themselves precisely, creatively and imaginatively and to
communicate with others confidently and effectively.
Literature in English is rich and universally influential. It reflects the experiences of
people from many countries and societies and from different times; it contributes to
individuals’ sense of cultural identity. Through its study, pupils learn to become
enthusiastic and critical readers of stories, poems and plays as well as of non-fiction,
media and multimodal texts, gaining access both to the personal pleasure and
enlightenment that reading offers and to the world of knowledge and experience that it
reveals.
Studying the patterns, structures, origins and conventions of English helps pupils
understand how the language works and how to develop and improve their own use of
it. Drawing on this understanding, pupils can choose and adapt what is appropriate to
say and write in different situations, as well as appreciate and interpret the choices
made by other writers and speakers.
2. Didactic principles3
The following didactic principles are intended to guide the teaching and learning of
English LI:
➢ communicative and intercultural competences are overarching learning goals;
➢ an integrated approach to teaching should be adopted, in which the skills of
speaking, listening, reading, and writing should all have a place;
3 See Annex 1, page 11 below, for commentary on these principles
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➢ a variety of teaching methods and approaches should be used. A range of types
of differentiation strategies is needed in order to meet the individual needs of all
students;
➢ students’ mistakes and errors should be viewed as an integral part of the
learning process and be used constructively as a springboard for improvement;
➢ students should be encouraged to draw on and extend their existing subject
skills and learning strategies;
➢ students’ individual strengths and weaknesses, their preferred styles and pace
of learning and their social skills should be taken account of in planning lessons;
➢ students should be helped to achieve independence in learning through using
a wide range of learning materials, including digital and electronic resources.
Access to ICT (Information and Communication Technology) should be allowed
wherever possible and appropriate;
➢ approaches to teaching and learning should reflect the contextualised nature of
language use, historically and socially, in order to enable students’
understanding of how language has developed as a system;
➢ students’ sociolinguistic competence should be developed to make them aware
of differences in linguistic register, language varieties, etc. so that they are able
to use language appropriately in different contexts;
➢ priority should be given not only to functionality in teaching syntax, morphology
and vocabulary, but to creativity and to the use and recognition of imaginative
uses of language and how these achieve particular effects.
The above list is neither exhaustive nor in order of importance. Further detail is
provided in Annex 1, Commentaries.
3. Learning objectives4
3.1 The competence model

By the end of year 7, students should have achieved overall:
a) subject-specific competences in the narrower sense, i.e. the ability to elaborate
a personal interpretation and to express different points of view using different
sources of information and set texts or books covering a wide range of social,
cultural, political and literary topics;
b) subject-specific competences in a broader sense, i.e. differentiated
communication skills and interpersonal and social skills through engagement
with and reflection on language, literature and media;
4 See Annex 1, page 13 below, for commentary on these objectives
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c) cross-curricular competences, i.e. the acquisition of learner independence and
autonomy, including the development of metacognitive strategies and
techniques such as academic writing and presentation skills in order to
guarantee success in further/higher education.
Specific competences, which may be learnt and assessed separately or in
combination, will be acquired throughout the student’s secondary education, from cycle
1 to cycle 3. They are:
• reading;
• writing;
• arguing/reasoning;
• language awareness;
• interpretation;
• subject/specialist;
• critical thinking.
An explanation of these competences is provided in Annex 1, Commentaries. They
serve as reference for the assessment of English (First Language) in the European
Baccalaureate written examination.
3.2 Learning objectives for the 1st cycle (S1-S3)

By the end of the 1st cycle, the student should be able to:
1. read and understand written texts of appropriate lexical demand from a
range of fiction and non-fiction sources, including electronic and digital
media, identifying obvious linguistic, literary and presentational features and
ideas;
2. write coherent texts in varying forms and structures on topics which express
individual points of view, or describe personal experiences, impressions and
ideas;
3. in speech or writing, present reasons and explanations for opinions and
ideas in a variety of forms;
4. listen and respond appropriately to others’ spoken or written productions;
5. show some awareness of how language and literature relate to their social,
cultural and historical setting;
6. show some awareness of how language changes over time and in different
contexts;
7. begin to choose and use strategies to organise individual learning, applying
a range of study skills and tools suggested by the teacher.
3.3 Learning objectives for the 2nd cycle (S4-S5)

By the end of the 2nd cycle the student should be able to:
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1. read and understand written texts of increasing lexical demand from a range
of fiction and non-fiction sources, including electronic and digital media,
responding to and interpreting linguistic, literary and presentational features,
ideas and concepts;
2. write coherent texts in an increasing range of forms and structures, and of
increasing length and complexity, from impersonal as well as personal
viewpoints;
3. in speech or writing, present developed reasons and explanations for
opinions and ideas in a variety of forms and in different contexts;
4. listen and respond appropriately to others’ spoken or written productions,
challenging content or expression when appropriate;
5. show increasing awareness of how language and literature reflect their
social, cultural and historical setting;
6. show increasing awareness of how language changes over time and in
different contexts;
7. choose and use effective strategies to organise learning, developing
individual responsibility for identifying appropriate study skills and tools.
3.4 Learning objectives for the 3rd cycle (S6-S7)

By the end of the 3rd cycle the student should be able to:
1. read and understand written texts of complex lexical demand from a range
of fiction and non-fiction sources, including electronic and digital media,
analysing and evaluating sophisticated linguistic, literary and presentational
features and ideas;
2. write complex and sophisticated texts, using appropriate forms, structures
and registers, on a range of challenging topics;
3. in speech or writing, present supported, evidenced reasons and
explanations for opinions and ideas, in a variety of forms, contexts and
situations;
4. listen and respond appropriately to others’ spoken or written productions,
challenging where appropriate and acknowledging successes;
5. show detailed understanding of how language and literature relate to their
social, cultural and historical setting;
6. show knowledge and understanding of how language changes over time and
in different contexts;
7. accept full responsibility for organising his/her individual learning,
independently adopting a variety of appropriate study skills and tools.
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4. Content5
4.1 Cycle 1 (S1-S3) and 2 (S4-S5)

Building on the knowledge and skills already gained in the primary cycle, students
should have acquired by the end of Cycle 1, and continue to broaden and develop
during Cycle 2, the ability to:
1. speak and listen in a range of contexts, both formal and informal, learning to adapt
their speech to different situations; participate in small and large group discussions
and in a wide range of drama activities; consider and reflect on significant features
of their own and others’ spoken performances;
2. read a variety of literary and non-literary texts, both fiction and non-fiction, across
a range of genres, in print and in electronic, digital or multimodal formats; in Cycle
1, the range of literary reading should include: one play by Shakespeare; a drama
text by another significant playwright; a work from the English literary heritage pre-
1900; two post-1900 works of fiction; a substantial selection of poems from different
periods, including pre-1900; one text written in English from another culture or
tradition; in Cycle 2, students should read at least one additional text from each of
the preceding six categories;
3. write in a wide variety of genres and for different purposes, for themselves and for
specific or unknown readers, choosing appropriate language, styles, forms and
structures; take notes from written and oral sources, summarising and reporting
accurately; develop the use of narrative, non-narrative and dramatic techniques;
4. use the grammatical, lexical and orthographic features of standard English as
appropriate; write neatly, fluently and legibly; use ICT skills to produce printed,
electronic or digital copy; employ a variety of simple, compound and complex
phrase, clause and sentence structures to enable precise shades of meaning; show
awareness of effective discourse structure; use an increasing range of punctuation
and presentational devices;
5. develop an awareness of how language changes over time and of how meanings
relate to specific social, cultural and historical contexts;
6. develop self-awareness and self-assessment skills as a speaker, listener, reader
and writer and set appropriate targets to improve and enhance competences in
English.
4.2 Cycle 3 (S6-S7)

Building on the knowledge and skills already gained in Cycles 1 and 2 students should,
by the end of Cycle 3, have acquired the ability to:
5 See Annex 1, page 16 below, for commentary on content
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1. show increasing independence when speaking and listening in an extensive
range of contexts, both formal and informal, involving subject-matter of a
challenging or complex nature, learning to adapt their speech to different
situations through participation in a variety of activities, including self-review and
assessment;
2. read a variety of literary and non-literary texts, both fiction and non-fiction,
across a range of genres, in print and in electronic, digital or multimodal formats
and from different social, cultural and historical settings; the scope of this
reading will be influenced by, but not limited to, texts and themes set for the
current European Baccalaureate written examination;
3. write with sophistication, creativity, flair and sensitivity in a variety of genres and
for different purposes, and on a range of challenging or complex subjects, for
themselves and for specific or unknown readers, successfully choosing and
adapting appropriate language, styles, forms and structures;
4. use accurately the grammatical, lexical and orthographic features of standard
English, or choose to consciously employ non-standard forms for effect; use
handwriting or ICT to produce appropriate final copy; employ a full range of
grammatical structures to enable precise and fine shades of meaning; employ
effective discourse structure to shape texts; use a full range of punctuation and
presentational devices to affect the reader or listener;
5. develop an understanding of how and why language changes over time,
showing understanding of how meanings are shaped by social, cultural and
historical contexts;
6. develop a sophisticated self-awareness of personal skills as a speaker, listener,
reader and writer; be constructively self-critical, identifying and relishing ways
to improve and enhance competences in English.
5. Assessment
5.1 Cycle 1 (S1-S3)

Formative assessment
The assessment should be mainly formative. It builds on the learning achieved and
progress made in the primary cycle. By means of an initial assessment, teacher
observation, tests and self- and peer-assessment, students should be enabled to
enhance their awareness of both their current levels of attainment in each of the skill
areas and of how to make further progress throughout the course. The basis of
assessments should be the competences and the learning objectives for the cycle
(section 3 above). Use should be made of the detailed assessment grids in the current
Handbook for English L1/L1A to identify precisely students’ achievement and targets
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for improvement and of the attainment descriptors (Annex 2). Marks awarded should
correspond to the harmonised marking scale currently in use.
5.2 Cycle 2 (S4 - S5)

A) Formative assessment
The assessment should be mainly formative. It builds on the learning achieved and
progress made in cycle 1. By means of an initial assessment, teacher observation,
tests and self- and peer-assessment, students should be enabled to enhance their
awareness of both their current levels of attainment in each of the skill areas and of
how to make further progress throughout the course. The basis of assessments should
be the competences and the learning objectives for the cycle (section 3 above). Use
should be made of the detailed assessment grids in the current Handbook for English
L1/L1A to identify precisely students’ achievement and targets for improvement and of
the attainment descriptors (Annex 2). Marks awarded should correspond to the
harmonised marking scale currently in use.
B) Summative assessment
At the end of the cycle there will be a harmonised written examination to assess
reading comprehension and written production. Detailed requirements for the format,
content and administration of this examination are found in the current Handbook for
English L1/L1A. The calculation of a student’s final mark will follow current regulations
issued by the Pedagogical Development Unit of the Office of the Secretary General of
the European Schools.
5.3 Cycle 3 (S 6- S7)

A) Formative assessment
Much assessment, especially in S6, will be formative. It builds on the learning achieved
and progress made in cycle 2. By means of an initial assessment, teacher observation,
tests and self- and peer-assessment, students should be enabled to enhance their
awareness of both their current levels of attainment in each of the skill areas and of
how to make further progress throughout the course. The basis of assessments should
be the competences and the learning objectives for the cycle (section 3 above). Use
should be made of the detailed assessment grids in the current Handbook for English
L1/L1A to identify precisely students’ achievement and targets for improvement and of
the attainment descriptors (Annex 2). Marks awarded for classwork and homework,
which constitute the ‘A’ mark when calculating the overall Baccalaureate mark, should
correspond to the harmonised marking scale currently in use.
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B) Summative assessment
Summative end of semester examinations, including the ‘Part Bac‘ which is in essence
a ‘mock‘ examination for the Baccalaureate, contribute to the candidate’s ‘B‘ mark that
is included in the calculation of the final Baccalaureate mark.
At the end of cycle 3 all students take a written Baccalaureate examination, which
assesses all the competences through reading comprehension, written production and
understanding literature. Students also take an oral Baccalaureate examination, which
assesses a number of competences, principally: reading; argumentation/reasoning;
interpretation; and language awareness. Annex 3 provides details of the oral
examination.
The calculation of a student’s final mark in the Baccalaureate, in individual subjects
and overall, will follow current regulations issued by the Pedagogical Development Unit
of the Office of the Secretary General of the European Schools.
Specific guidance concerning the requirements for proposals for both the written and
oral examinations, and marking schemes, together with other assessment procedures,
will be issued annually by the Pedagogical Unit of the Office of the Secretary General
of the European Schools and/or by the national inspector(s).
5.3 European Baccalaureate proposals and calculation of candidates’ marks

Guidance concerning the requirements on schools to submit proposals for both the
written and oral examinations will be issued annually by the Pedagogical Unit of the
Office of the Secretary General of the European Schools and/or by the national
inspector.
Any required updating of marking schemes together with other assessment procedures
and materials, and instructions concerning the calculation of a candidate’s final mark
in the European Baccalaureate, will also be issued by the Pedagogical Unit of the
Office of the Secretary General of the European Schools and/or the national inspector
as appropriate
5.4 Attainment descriptors

A set of attainment descriptors, detailing expected attainment at different marks/grades
across all seven subject competences in all three secondary cycles, is included as
Annex 2(a) below. These attainment descriptors should be used as the basis of all
generic, formative assessments. Specific marking schemes for summative
assessments in S1-S5 should be developed by teachers to match tasks set, ensuring
that the level of demand equates to the attainment descriptors in Annex 2(a). Marking
grids to use in assessing the work of candidates in the European Baccalaureate, or in
summative pre-Baccalaureate tests/examinations, are provided in the NMS
assessment grids/matrices attached to this document.
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Annex 1: COMMENTARIES
The following section expands on those parts of the syllabus where clarification and/or
exemplification is felt to be helpful for the preparation of schemes of work that will meet
the syllabus requirements. Quotations from the syllabus are in italics.
a) Didactic principles
➢ An integrated approach to teaching should be adopted, in which the skills of
speaking, listening, reading, and writing should all have a place.
All four skill areas should be developed. They should be given equal weighting
within schemes of work; authentic language contexts and situations should be
drawn upon wherever possible. A wide range of texts should be presented, and
varied forms of writing required; speaking and listening activities should draw
on different contexts, including social media.
➢ A variety of teaching methods and approaches should be used. A range of

differentiation strategies is needed in order to meet the individual needs of all
students … Students’ individual strengths and weaknesses, their preferred
styles and pace of learning and their social skills should be taken account of in
planning lessons.
It is important to employ a variety of teaching methodologies appropriate to the
subject-matter, the skills being taught and the needs of all learners. Different
methods of classroom organisation, and active learning tasks such as pair and
group work, independent research and project work, role play, and portfolio
work are effective. Whole-class teaching should take account of individual
needs, e.g. through questioning, recapitulation and re-presentation as
necessary. In order to address heterogeneous grouping, differentiation must be
used, such as in the level of difficulty of chosen texts or tasks and by taking
account of the learner’s ability, interests, learning styles and preferences
through a variety of teaching methods.
➢ Students’ mistakes errors should be viewed as an integral part of the learning

process and be used constructively as a springboard for improvement.
Mistakes and errors can be used to enhance the students’ learning. Accuracy
and correct usage of the language should be the aim but the correction of
mistakes should be constructive, and not hinder fluidity in speaking nor
discourage students from writing. Errors or infelicities should provide the basis
for specific targets for improvement; the processes of planning, drafting and re-
drafting should be encouraged.
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➢ Students should be encouraged to draw on and extend their existing language
skills and learning strategies.
Teachers should take into account the competences students have learned and
developed in the Primary Cycle, using the principle of continuity to develop and
consolidate them. The focus should be on progressive learning between the
Primary and Secondary Cycle, especially in the transition between P5 and S1.
Account should be taken of students’ learning styles and strengths (visual,
auditory, kinaesthetic, etc.) are linked to different intelligences (linguistic, logical,
musical, etc.).
➢ Students should be helped to achieve independence in learning through using

a wide range of learning materials, including digital and electronic resources.
Access to ICT (Information and Communication Technology) should be allowed
wherever possible and appropriate.
Different resources should be provided not only by the teacher but may be
suggested also by the students themselves, as they develop independence and
responsibility, to explore both at school and in self-directed study at home. The
increasing significance in the modern world of electronic and digital sources
should be acknowledged.
➢ Approaches to teaching and learning should reflect the contextualised nature of

language use, historically and socially, in order to enable students’
understanding of how language has developed as a system … Students’
sociolinguistic competence should be developed to make them aware of
differences in linguistic register, language varieties, etc. so that they are able to
use language appropriately in different contexts.
Through studying a range of fiction and non-fiction texts, and records of speech,
from a variety of societies, cultures and times, students should be helped to
appreciate how and why language changes and evolves over time and in
different settings. This understanding will enable them to be sensitive to the
appropriate use of language in their own lives.
➢ Priority should be given not only to functionality in teaching syntax, morphology

and vocabulary, but to creativity and to the use and recognition of imaginative
uses of language and how these achieve particular effects.
Instrumental functions and purposes of language should not dominate schemes
of work and teaching approaches to the exclusion of studies and practices that
focus on creative and imaginative approaches.
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b) Learning objectives, the European Framework for Key Competences for
Lifelong Learning and subject competences
The learning objectives derive from the skill areas within English of:
• speaking and listening
• reading
• writing
• language development and change
In order to meet one of the requirements of the European Framework for Key
Competences (KCs) for Lifelong Learning (page 2, above), the learning objectives
refer also to the importance of developing students’ study skills and providing
opportunities for independent learning (KC 5). KC 1 (communication in the mother
tongue) underpins the entire syllabus; other KCs are supported through students’
development, in reading and responding to spoken and written texts, of social and
civic competences and of cultural awareness and expression (KCs 6 and 8);
studying and responding to texts in translation may support students’
understanding of communication in other languages (KC 2); numerical, statistical
and scientific content in texts, including electronic media, enhances students’
mathematical, scientific, technological and digital skills, as does their own use of
electronic media in producing their own texts (KCs 3 and 4). Finally, encouraging
creativity and confidence as both receivers and producers of texts develops
students’ potential for initiative and entrepreneurship (KC 7).
Subject competences are addressed in greater detail below.
➢ Reading competence
• Identifying and using the general and particular information which a text
contains.
• The ability to reflect on the purpose of the text, on the communication
objectives, on what the text articulates, on the intention of the
author/narrator, on the different respective viewpoints, whatever the kind
of text.
Sub-competences: 1. Understanding and using content

2. Picking out the significant details in the text
3. Analysing the significant details in texts from
a linguistic and literary viewpoint
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➢ Writing competence
• The ability to use language with sufficiently accurate syntax, vocabulary

and spelling.
• The ability to produce texts which comply with the instruction given and
with their context.
• The ability to use different language registers and the stylistic devices
which are suited to the genre of text and to its theme and purpose.
Sub-competences: 1. Producing texts which take account of the

target readership
2. Meeting textuality criteria
3. Meeting style/expression criteria
4. Formal accuracy, compliance with the rules
➢ Arguing/reasoning competence
• The ability to argue, in speech or writing, contentious questions and

important issues of a social, political and/or cultural nature, by adopting
different viewpoints.
• The ability to convince, to persuade, to refute or to follow a line of thought
in speech or writing, using theses, arguments and examples.
• The ability to formulate a clear, structured and coherent strategy for
presenting arguments in speech or writing, employing appropriate
syntactical, lexical and grammatical elements.
Sub-competences: 1. Identifying and presenting lines of argument

2. Appraising strategies for presenting
arguments in a given text
3. Forming a personal opinion on a set theme
➢ Language awareness
• The ability to recognise specific linguistic features of spoken or written

texts and the ability to create spoken or written texts with regard to
appropriate purpose, content, register and context.
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➢ Interpretation competence
• The ability, in speech or writing, to put forward explanations and to

evaluate and appraise polysemic sources, such as poetic texts, songs
and images.
• The ability to recognise the extra-linguistic factors which determine
language use (pragmatic awareness).
• The ability to transcribe or re-create possible meanings of spoken or
written texts through spoken or written personal responses, drawing on
relevant knowledge external to the text.
Sub-competences: 1. Grasping the source text’s intentions and

reporting them critically
2. Formulating plausible interpretative
hypotheses
➢ Subject/specialist competence
• Knowing concepts and terminology relevant to the subject area.

• Knowing main aspects of the subject and links with others. Specialist
competence in a subject is expressed through the use of appropriate
language and the accuracy of the content presented.
• This competence encompasses knowledge of the wider world as it
affects the reception and production of written and spoken texts in
English.
Sub-competences: 1. Identifying and understanding a theme or

facts and appropriate contextual aspects or
influences
2. Drawing on knowledge external to the text
(general knowledge of the world and of
different topics)
3. Drawing on and selecting specialist
knowledge, for example, of literary genres
and traditions
➢ Critical thinking competence
• This involves reflection, in speech or writing, on how texts, in various

genres or forms, present the real or imagined world to the listener or
reader.
• It allows students to develop personal viewpoints, beliefs and values that
they may bring to bear critically on texts, on their linguistic and literary
features and on the issues raised by them.
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c) Content
Cycles 1, 2 and 3
➢ speak and listen in a range of contexts, both formal and informal

Pupils should talk for a range of purposes that includes: explaining, describing,
narrating and reporting; exploring and hypothesising; considering ideas,
including those expressed in literature and the media; expressing personal
feelings, opinions and attitudes; arguing, debating and persuading; analysing
and evaluating.
In order to develop as effective communicators through speaking, pupils should
learn to: be confident users of standard spoken English; structure their talk
clearly and helpfully; sift, summarise and use salient points and a range of
markers to aid the listener; make contributions that clarify and synthesise others'
ideas, taking them forward and building on them to reach a conclusion or a
consensus, or in agreeing to differ; ask and answer questions and modify their
ideas in the light of what others say; cite evidence where appropriate, judging
the effective use of generalisation and detail; construct persuasive arguments,
using e.g. humour or exaggeration for effect; use gesture, tone and intonation
appropriately; show consideration for others, taking different views into account
when expressing personal feelings, opinions and attitudes.
In order to develop as effective listeners, pupils should learn to: listen attentively
and carefully, both in situations where they remain silent and where they have
opportunities to respond; identify and understand the major elements of what is
being said; appreciate how register, tone, implicit meaning and other indicators
(e.g. gesture, body language and style of delivery) indicate a speaker's
purposes or intentions; notice how ambiguities, vagueness, use and abuse of
evidence, and unsubstantiated statements may show bias in what they hear;
recognise the impact of a speaker’s lexical choice (e.g. standard English, dialect
or slang) and interference from other languages.
Opportunities should be given for individual presentations; pair and small group
work; larger group discussions, including formal debate; and drama activities,
both scripted and unscripted, including role-play.
➢ read a variety of literary and non-literary texts, both fiction and non-fiction,
across a range of genres, in print and in electronic, digital or multimodal formats
Pupils should read for a range of purposes that includes: becoming
independent, responsive and enthusiastic readers; gaining a swift overview of
the content of texts by scanning or skimming; responding to the substance and
style of individual texts through detailed study; responding both imaginatively
and intellectually to what they read; appreciating the distinctive qualities of texts
through activities such as performances of drama and poetry readings;
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developing discrimination in what they read, recognising why they make
choices; sharing their enthusiasm for writers and texts with others.
Texts selected for study should include works that: use language in rich,
imaginative and diverse ways; embrace a diverse range of structures, forms,
styles, literary and presentational techniques and devices; develop pupils’
understanding of significant oral and literary traditions; develop pupils'
understanding of drama in performance (e.g. aspects of staging, interpretation
and portrayal of character, theme and setting); enrich pupils' intellectual, moral,
emotional, social and cultural understanding and personal development.
Throughout Years S1-S5, pupils’ reading should also include a wide range of:
literary non-fiction (e.g. autobiographies, biographies, journals, letters, travel
writing); non-literary texts (e.g. magazines, newspapers, advertising and
promotional materials); media, moving-image and multimodal texts (e.g. film
trailers, television advertising and websites), including e.g. works originally
written for film and television as well as adaptations of print-based texts. The
increasing significance of social media as a means of communication should be
considered.
In order to develop as effective readers, pupils should learn: to adopt different
strategies for different purposes (e.g. skimming, scanning or detailed study); to
select and summarise information and ideas; synthesise and compare
information and ideas drawn from different sources; to evaluate how information
is presented and how it affects the reader’s response to non-fiction texts; to sift
the relevant from the irrelevant, and distinguish between fact and opinion, bias
and objectivity; to talk and write about a wide range of reading, learning to
articulate informed personal opinions; appreciate characteristics that distinguish
literature of high quality and texts that have significant and lasting influence (e.g.
Greek myths, the Authorised Version of the Bible, Arthurian legends); to
appreciate distinctive features of vocabulary, grammar and structure in different
text types (e.g. technical terms, rhetorical devices, figures of speech and
imagery, impersonal constructions, literary language, sound patterning,
organisational features); to explain how writers’ choice of language and style
affects meaning, both explicit and implicit; analyse and discuss alternative
interpretations and ambiguity; to discern and reflect on writers’ attitudes and
ideas, the motivation and behaviour of characters, the development of plot and
themes, and the overall impact of fiction texts; distinguish between the attitudes
and assumptions displayed by characters and those of the writer; to consider
how texts are changed, and how this affects the impact on an audience, when
adapted to different media or genres (e.g. televised or film versions of a
Shakespeare play, or stage versions of a novel).
➢ write in a wide variety of genres, for themselves and for specific or unknown
readers, choosing appropriate language, styles, forms and structures
Pupils should write for a range of purposes that includes: personal, aesthetic
and imaginative fulfilment (e.g. keeping a diary or creating a story or poem);
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practical reasons (e.g. taking notes, writing an examination essay, an aide-
memoire or business letter); informing and challenging others through
instruction, explanation, argument, narration, reportage, description, persuasion
and paraphrase (e.g. in a letter to a newspaper, lodging a complaint or making
a website posting); recollection and reflection, through review, analysis,
hypothesis, and summary (e.g. a critique/review of an artefact, performance or
exhibition, historical or [auto]biographical texts and memoirs); they should
publish and display their writing in different ways for different audiences, e.g. in
classrooms, school newspapers, websites.
Pupils should learn to: use an increasing range of punctuation (e.g. full stops,
question and exclamation marks, commas, semi-colons, colons, inverted
commas and speech marks, apostrophes, brackets, dashes and hyphens);
develop their use of apt and imaginative vocabulary, figurative language,
imagery and other linguistic devices to gain, sustain and direct the reader’s
response; regular patterns of spelling, including word families, roots of words
and their derivations; spell correctly increasingly complex words, including those
that do not conform to regular or expected patterns; analyse critically and
improve their writing, developing competence in planning, drafting, redrafting
and proofreading on paper and on screen, using dictionaries, spell checks and
grammar checks where appropriate; make appropriate use of a range of
presentational devices (e.g. (sub) headings, bullet points, illustrations, different
fonts and point sizes, hyperlinks); develop a distinctive, personal style through
writing at all times with commitment and vitality.
Appropriate use should be made of electronic media and information and
communication technology in planning, drafting and presenting written text.
➢ develop an awareness of how language changes over time

Pupils should study aspects of the patterns, structures and conventions of
written and spoken English in order to support their development as effective
speakers and listeners, readers and writers.
Much of this area of study will be taught in the context of activities planned to
develop pupils’ skills in listening and speaking (e.g. attitudes towards different
dialects), reading (e.g. changes in language over time) and writing (e.g.
conventions of spelling and grammatical functions).
Pupils should learn: how spoken and written language evolve in response to
changes in society and technology and how this process relates to personal
identity and cultural diversity; to recognise differences in the grammar and
vocabulary of speech and writing, and of standard, non-standard or dialectal
varieties of English; that attitudes to language (its form, structure and usage)
vary, and are influenced by social, cultural and historical factors; to appreciate
the origins of words, and to understand borrowings from other languages; to
recognise how new words are coined and to appreciate changing attitudes to
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spelling and syntax (e.g. text messages and social networking websites); the
functions of word components e.g. (stem, prefix, suffix, inflection); the
grammatical functions of parts of speech (e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives,
adverbs, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, demonstratives); how to use
dictionaries and thesauruses to explore derivations and meanings of words in
order to broaden their vocabulary and make their expression more precise.
➢ develop self-awareness and self-assessment skills … set appropriate targets to

improve
Assessment criteria should be shared with pupils and students and they should
be encouraged to make realistic judgements of their competence across the
range of English skills. In conjunction with their teacher, they should learn to set
specific targets for improvement and develop the ability to recognise progress
towards them and strategies for further improvement.
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Annex 2: common attainment descriptors for L1 at the end of Cycles 1, 2 and 3, covering all competences
Mark Denominat Grade Descriptors

or
End of Cycle 1 End of Cycle 2 End of Cycle 3
9-10 Excellent A Competences for written and oral performance
Reading The student shows excellent – The student shows excellent – The student shows excellent –
though not flawless – understanding though not flawless – understanding though not flawless – understanding
of literary/non-literary text(s) at the of literary/non-literary text(s) at the of literary/non-literary text(s) at the
S3 level; he/she is capable, under S5 level; he/she is capable, with S7 level; he/she is capable, without
the teacher’s guidance, of instructions, of recognising, using further instructions, of recognising,
recognising and using relevant and analysing relevant information, using and analysing relevant
information, including important including important details, information, including important
details, excellently. excellently. details, excellently.
Writing The student is able excellently – The student is able excellently – The student is able excellently –
though not flawlessly – under the though not flawlessly – with though not flawlessly – without
teacher’s guidance, to produce instructions, to produce structured further instructions, to produce
structured texts which meet the texts which meet the requirements of structured texts which meet the
requirements of a concrete a concrete assignment and requirements of a given assignment
assignment and which are related context; he/she is capable of and context; he/she is capable of
to his/her everyday environment; formulating correct sentences, using formulating correct sentences, using
he/she is capable of formulating appropriate and varied vocabulary appropriate and varied vocabulary
correct sentences, using appropriate and correct spelling, in a suitable and correct spelling, in a suitable
and varied vocabulary and correct register, excellently. style/register, excellently.
spelling, in a suitable register,
excellently.
Arguing/ The student is able excellently, The student is able excellently, on The student is able excellently,
reasoning under the teacher's guidance, the basis of an assignment with without further instructions, to
to argue on topics from his/her instructions, to argue on concrete argue on a variety of topics; he/she
everyday environment; topics; he/she is capable of is capable of adopting different
He/she is capable of taking a adopting a viewpoint for or against viewpoints and of formulating his/her
position and of formulating his/her and of formulating his/her argument(s) in a clear, coherent and
argument(s) in a clear way, making argument(s) in a clear and coherent structured way, making use of
use of linguistically appropriate way, making use of linguistically linguistically appropriate means,
means, excellently. appropriate means, excellently. excellently.
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or
9-10 Excellent A Interpretation The student is able excellently, The student is able excellently, with The student is able excellently,
under the teacher's guidance, to instructions, to interpret and grasp without further instruction, to
interpret a literary/non-literary text at the intentions of a literary/non- interpret and grasp the intentions of
the S3 level. He/she is capable of literary text at the S5 level and/or to a literary/non-literary text at the S7
evaluating the text excellently. formulate hypotheses about it. level and/or to formulate hypotheses
He/she is capable of evaluating the about it. He/she is capable of
text excellently. evaluating the text and of reporting
on it critically, excellently.
Subject/ The student shows an excellent The student shows an excellent The student shows an excellent
specialist knowledge of the most important knowledge of the most important knowledge of the most important
basic aspects and terms of the aspects and terms of the subject aspects, concepts and terminology
subject (think of literary and (think of literary, grammatical and of the subject (think of literary,
grammatical terminology) at the S3 linguistic terminology) at the S5 level grammatical, linguistic concepts and
level. and he/she is able, under the basic concepts of pragmatics,
teacher's guidance, to relate them socio- and psycholinguistics) at
to other subjects (history, the S7 level and he/she is able,
philosophy, etc.). without further instructions, to
relate them to other subjects (history,
philosophy, etc.).
Language The student is capable, under the The student is capable, with The student is capable, without
awareness teacher's guidance, of analysing the instructions, of analysing the further instructions, of analysing the
features of a text at the S3 level, in features of a text at the S5 level at features of a text at the S7 level, in
terms of content and communication the S5 level, in terms of content and terms of content and communication
context, excellently; he/she is able, communication context, excellently; context, excellently; he/she is able,
also excellently, on the basis of a he/she is able, also excellently, on also excellently, without further
concrete assignment and with the the basis of assignments with instructions, to produce a wide
teacher’s guidance, to produce a instructions, to produce several variety of texts of his/her own.
simple text of his/her own about a different texts of his/her own
topic in his/her everyday
environment.
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or
9-10 Excellent A Critical The student is able excellently, The student is able excellently, with The student is able excellently,
thinking under the teacher's guidance, to instructions, to reflect on topics in without further instructions, to
reflect on topics in his/her everyday everyday reality and to convey the reflect on social reality and to
environment and to convey the outcomes of this process in language. convey the outcomes of this process
outcomes of this process in language. in language.
For oral performance only

Oral The student is capable of giving a The student is capable of giving a The student is capable, without
competence presentation which meets the presentation which meets the further instructions, of giving a
requirements of a concrete requirements of a well-defined well-structured presentation which
assignment at the S3 level assignment with instructions at the meets the requirements of a complex
regarding his/her everyday S5 level, excellently. In a given assignment at the S7 level,
environment, excellently. In a setting, he/she is able to excellently. In a variety of different
concrete situation, he/she is able to communicate excellently and to start contexts, he/she is able to
communicate excellently and to start conversations. He/she formulates communicate excellently and to start
a conversation. He/she formulates sentences accurately, makes use of conversations. He/she formulates
sentences accurately, makes use of appropriate and varied vocabulary, in sentences accurately, makes use of
appropriate and varied vocabulary, in a suitable register. appropriate and varied vocabulary, in
a suitable register. a suitable style/register.
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or
8-8.9 Very good B Competences for written and oral performance
Reading The student shows very good The student shows very good The student shows very good
understanding of literary/non-literary understanding of literary/non-literary understanding of literary/non-literary
text(s) at the S3 level; he/she is text(s) at the S5 level; he/she is text(s) at the S7 level; he/she is
capable, under the teacher's capable, with instructions, of capable, without further
guidance, of recognising and using recognising, using and analysing instructions, of recognising, using
relevant information, including relevant information, including and analysing relevant information,
important details, very well. important details, very well. including important details, very well.
Writing The student is able very well, under The student is able very well, with The student is able very well,
the teacher's guidance, to produce instructions, to produce structured without further instructions, to
structured texts which meet the texts which meet the requirements of produce structured texts which meet
requirements of a concrete a concrete assignment and the requirements of a given
assignment and which are related context; he/she is capable of assignment and context; he/she is
to his/her everyday environment; formulating correct sentences, using capable of formulating correct
he/she is capable of formulating appropriate and varied vocabulary sentences, using appropriate and
correct sentences, using appropriate and correct spelling, in a suitable varied vocabulary and correct
and varied vocabulary and correct register, very well. spelling, in a suitable style/register,
spelling, in a suitable register, very very well.
well.
Arguing/ The student is able very well, under The student is able very well, on the The student is able very well,
persuading the teacher's guidance, basis of an assignment with without further instructions, to
everyday environment; topics; he/she is capable of is capable of adopting different
He/she is capable of taking a adopting a viewpoint for or against viewpoints and of formulating his/her
use of linguistically appropriate way, making use of linguistically linguistically appropriate means, very
means, very well. appropriate means, very well. well.
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or
8-8.9 Very good B Interpretation The student is able very well, under The student is able very well, with The student is able very well,
the teacher's guidance, to interpret instructions, to interpret and grasp without further instruction, to
a literary/non-literary text at the S3 the intentions of a literary/non- interpret and grasp the intentions of
level. He/she is capable of evaluating literary text at the S5 level and/or to a literary/non-literary text at the S7
the text very well. formulate hypotheses about it. level and/or to formulate hypotheses
text very well. evaluating the text and of reporting
on it critically, very well.
Subject/ The student shows a very good The student shows a very good The student shows a very good
basic aspects and terms of the aspects and terms of the subject aspects, concepts and terminology
subject (think of literary and (think of literary, grammatical and of the subject (think of literary,
teacher's guidance, to relate them socio- and psycholinguistics) at
to other subjects (history, the S7 level and he/she is able,
philosophy, etc.). without further instructions, to
philosophy, etc.).
Language The student is capable very well, The student is capable very well with The student is capable very well,
awareness under the teacher's guidance, of instructions, of analysing the without further instructions, of
analysing the features of a text at the features of a text at the S5 level, in analysing the features of a text at the
S3 level, in terms of content and terms of content and communication S7 level, in terms of content and
communication context; he/she is context; he/she is able also, on the communication context; he/she is
able also, on the basis of a basis of assignments with able also, without further
concrete assignment and with the instructions, to produce several instructions, to produce a wide
teacher’s guidance, to produce a different texts of his/her own, very variety of texts of his/her own, very
simple text of his/her own about a well. well.
environment, very well.
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or
8-8.9 Very good B Critical The student is able very well, under The student is able very well, with The student is able very well,
thinking the teacher's guidance, to reflect on instructions, to reflect on topics in without further instructions, to
topics in his/her everyday everyday reality and to convey the reflect on social reality and to
environment and to convey the outcomes of this process in language. convey the outcomes of this process
outcomes of this process in language. in language.

Oral The student is capable of giving a Speaking skills: The student is Speaking skills: The student is able
competence presentation which meets the capable of giving a presentation very well, without further
requirements of a concrete which meets the requirements of a instructions, to give a well-
assignment at the S3 level well-defined assignment with structured presentation which meets
regarding his/her everyday instructions at the S5 level In a the requirements of a complex
environment, very well. In a given setting, very well. He/she is assignment at the S7 level. In a
concrete situation, he/she is able to able to communicate very well and to variety of different contexts, he/she
communicate very well and to start a start conversations. He/she is able to communicate very well and
conversation. He/she formulates formulates sentences accurately, to start conversations. He/she
sentences accurately, makes use of makes use of appropriate and varied formulates sentences accurately,
appropriate and varied vocabulary, in vocabulary, in a suitable register. makes use of appropriate and varied
a suitable register. vocabulary, in a suitable
style/register.
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or
7-7.9 Good C Competences for written and oral performance
Reading The student shows good The student shows good The student shows good
important details, well important details, well. including important details, well.
Writing The student is able well, under the The student is able well, with The student is able well, without
teacher's guidance, to produce instructions, to produce structured further instructions, to produce
structured texts which meet the texts which meet the requirements of structured texts which meet the
requirements of a concrete a concrete assignment and requirements of a given assignment
assignment and which are related context; he/she is capable of and context; he/she is capable of
to his/her everyday environment; formulating correct sentences, using formulating correct sentences, using
he/she is capable of formulating appropriate and varied vocabulary appropriate and varied vocabulary
correct sentences, using appropriate and correct spelling, in a suitable and correct spelling, in a suitable
and varied vocabulary and correct register, well. register, well.
spelling, in a suitable register, well.
Arguing/ The student is able well, under the The student is able well, on the The student is able well, without
persuading teacher's guidance, basis of an assignment with further instructions, to argue on a
to argue on topics from his/her instructions, to argue on concrete variety of topics; he/she is capable
everyday environment; topics; he/she is capable of of adopting different viewpoints
He/she is capable of taking a adopting a viewpoint for or against and of formulating his/her
use of linguistically appropriate way, making use of linguistically linguistically appropriate means, well.
means, well. appropriate means, well.
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or
7-7.9 Good C Interpretation The student is able well, under the The student is able well, with The student is able well, without
teacher's guidance, to interpret a instructions, to interpret and grasp further instructions, to interpret and
literary/non-literary text at the S3 the intentions of a literary/non- grasp the intentions of a
level. He/she is capable of evaluating literary text at the S5 level and/or to literary/non-literary text at the S7
the text well. formulate hypotheses about it. level and/or to formulate hypotheses
text well. evaluating the text and of reporting
on it critically, well.
Subject/ The student shows a good The student shows a good The student shows a good
basic aspects and terms of the aspects and terms of the subject aspects, concepts and terminology of
subject (think of literary and (think of literary, grammatical and the subject (think of literary,
teacher's guidance, to relate them to socio- and psycholinguistics) at
other subjects (history, philosophy, the S7 level and he/she is able,
etc.). without further instructions, to
philosophy, etc.).
Language The student is capable well, under The student is capable well with The student is capable, without
awareness the teacher's guidance, of instructions, of analysing the further instructions, of analysing the
analysing the features of a text at the features of a text at the S5 level at features of a text at the S7 level, in
S3 level, in terms of content and the S5 level, in terms of content and terms of content and communication
communication context; he/she is communication context; he/she is context; he/she is able also, without
able also, on the basis of a able also, on the basis of further instructions, to produce a
concrete assignment and with the assignments with instructions, to wide variety of texts of his/her own,
teacher’s guidance, to produce a produce several different texts of well.
simple text of his/her own about a his/her own, well.
environment, well.
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or
7-7.9 Good C Critical The student is able well, under the The student is able well, with The student is able well, without
thinking teacher's guidance, to reflect on instructions, to reflect on topics in further instructions, to reflect on
topics in his/her everyday everyday reality and to convey the social reality and to convey the
environment and to convey the outcomes of this process in language. outcomes of this process in language.
outcomes of this process in language.

requirements of a concrete requirements of a well-defined well-structured presentation which
regarding his/her everyday S5 level in a given setting, well; assignment at the S7 level, well. In
environment, well. In a concrete he/she is able to communicate well a variety of different contexts,
situation, he/she is able to and to start conversations. He/she he/she is able to communicate well
communicate well and to start a formulates sentences accurately, and to start conversations. He/she
conversation. He/she formulates makes use of appropriate and varied formulates sentences accurately,
sentences accurately, makes use of vocabulary, in a suitable register. makes use of appropriate and varied
appropriate and varied vocabulary, in vocabulary, in a suitable register.
a suitable register.
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or
6-6.9 Satisfactory D Competences for written and oral performance
Reading The student shows satisfactory The student shows satisfactory The student shows satisfactory
text(s) at the S3 level; he/she is text(s) at the S5 level he/she is text(s) at the S7 level; he/she is
important details, satisfactorily. important details, satisfactorily. including important details,
satisfactorily.
Writing The student is able satisfactorily, The student is able satisfactorily, The student is able satisfactorily,
under the teacher's guidance, to with instructions, to produce without further instructions, to
produce structured texts which meet structured texts which meet the produce structured texts which meet
the requirements of a concrete requirements of a concrete the requirements of a given
assignment and which are related assignment and context; he/she is assignment and context; he/she is
to his/her everyday environment; capable of satisfactorily formulating capable of satisfactorily
he/she is capable of satisfactorily correct sentences, the vocabulary is formulating correct sentences, the
formulating correct sentences, the satisfactory but not very varied, the vocabulary is satisfactory but not
vocabulary is satisfactory but not spelling is satisfactory but mistakes very varied, the spelling is
very varied, the spelling is are regularly to be seen. satisfactory but mistakes are
satisfactory but mistakes are regularly to be seen, use is made of a
regularly to be seen. suitable register to a satisfactory
extent.
Arguing/ The student is able satisfactorily, The student is able satisfactorily, on The student is able satisfactorily,
persuading under the teacher's guidance, the basis of an assignment with without further instructions, to
everyday environment; topics; he/she is satisfactorily is capable of adopting different
He/she is capable of satisfactorily capable of adopting a viewpoint for viewpoints and of formulating his/her
taking a position and of formulating or against and of formulating his/her argument(s) in a clear, coherent and
his/her argument(s) in a clear way, argument(s) in a clear and coherent structured way, making use of
making use of linguistically way, making use of linguistically linguistically appropriate means, to a
appropriate means. appropriate means. satisfactory extent.
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or
6-6.9 Satisfactory D Interpretation The student is able satisfactorily, The student is able satisfactorily, The student is able satisfactorily,
under the teacher's guidance, to with instructions, to interpret and without further instructions, to
interpret a literary/non-literary text at grasp the intentions of a interpret and grasp the intentions of
the S3 level. He/she is capable of literary/non-literary text at the S5 a literary/non-literary text at the S7
evaluating the text satisfactorily. level and/or to formulate level and/or to formulate hypotheses
hypotheses about it. He/she is about it. He/she is capable of
capable of evaluating the text evaluating the text and of reporting
satisfactorily. on it critically, to a satisfactory
extent.
Subject/specia The student shows a satisfactory The student shows a satisfactory The student shows a satisfactory
list knowledge of the most important knowledge of the most important knowledge of the most important
basic aspects and terms of the aspects and terms of the subject aspects, concepts and terminology of
subject (think of literary and (think of literary, grammatical and the subject (think of literary,
teacher's guidance, to relate them to socio- and psycholinguistics) at
other subjects (history, philosophy, the S7 level and he/she is able,
etc.). without further instructions, to
philosophy, etc.).
Language The student is capable satisfactorily, The student is capable satisfactorily, The student is capable satisfactorily,
awareness under the teacher's guidance, of with instructions, of analysing the without further instructions, of
analysing the features of a text at the features of a text at the S5 level at analysing the features of a text at the
S3 level, in terms of content and the S5 level, in terms of content and S7 level, in terms of content and
communication context; he/she is communication context; he/she is communication context; he/she is
able also satisfactorily, on the basis able also satisfactorily, on the able also satisfactorily, without
of a concrete assignment and with basis of assignments with further instructions, to produce a
the teacher’s guidance, to produce instructions, to produce several wide variety of texts of his/her own.
a simple text of his/her own about a different texts of his/her own
environment.
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or
6-6.9 Satisfactory D Critical The student is able satisfactorily, The student is able satisfactorily, The student is able satisfactorily,
thinking under the teacher's guidance, to with instructions, to reflect on topics without further instructions, to
reflect on topics in his/her everyday in everyday reality and to convey reflect on social reality and to
environment and to convey the the outcomes of this process in convey the outcomes of this process
outcomes of this process in language. language. in language.

requirements of a concrete requirements of a well-defined structured presentation which meets
assignment at the S3 level assignment, with instructions, at the requirements of a complex
regarding his/her everyday the S5 level in a given setting, assignment at the S7 level,
environment, satisfactorily. In a satisfactorily; he/she is able to satisfactorily. In a variety of
concrete situation, he/she is able to communicate satisfactorily and to different contexts, he/she is able to
communicate satisfactorily and to start conversations. He/she is communicate satisfactorily. He/she
start a conversation. He/she is capable of formulating appropriate is capable of formulating appropriate
capable of formulating appropriate sentences satisfactorily; the sentences satisfactorily, the
sentences satisfactorily; the vocabulary is satisfactory but not vocabulary is satisfactory but not
vocabulary is satisfactory but not very varied. very varied, use is made of a suitable
very varied. register to a satisfactory extent.
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or
5-5.9 Sufficient E Competences for written and oral performance
Reading The student shows some The student shows some The student shows some
more or less capable, under the more or less capable, with more or less capable, without
teacher's guidance, of recognising instructions, of recognising, using further instructions of recognising,
and using relevant information, and analysing relevant information, using and analysing relevant
including important details. including important details. information, including important
details.
Writing The student is able to some extent, The student is able to some extent, The student is able to some extent,
under the teacher's guidance, to with instructions, to produce a without further instructions, to
produce a structured text which structured text which meets the produce a structured text which
meets the requirements of a requirements of a concrete meets the requirements of a given
concrete assignment and which is assignment and context; he/she is assignment and context; he/she is
related to his/her everyday capable to a slight extent of capable to a slight extent of
environment; he/she is capable to a formulating correct sentences, using formulating correct sentences, using
slight extent of formulating correct appropriate vocabulary and correct appropriate vocabulary and correct
sentences, using appropriate spelling. However, the vocabulary is spelling. However, the vocabulary is
vocabulary and correct spelling. limited and spelling mistakes are limited and spelling mistakes are
However, the vocabulary is limited regularly made. regularly made. The student does
and spelling mistakes are regularly not show a clear awareness of a
made. suitable register.
Arguing/ The student is able to some extent, The student is able to some extent, The student is able to some extent,
persuading under the teacher's guidance, to on the basis of an assignment with without further instructions, to
argue on topics from his/her instructions, to argue on concrete argue on a variety of topics; he/she
everyday environment; he/she is topics; he/she is more or less is more or less capable of adopting
more or less capable of taking a capable of adopting a viewpoint for different viewpoints and of
position and of formulating his/her or against and of formulating his/her formulating his/her argument(s) in a
argument(s) in a clear way, making argument(s) in a clear and coherent clear, coherent and structured way,
use of linguistically appropriate way, making use of linguistically making use of linguistically
means. appropriate means. appropriate means.
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or
5-5.9 Sufficient E Interpretation The student is able to some extent, The student is able to some extent, The student is able to some extent,
under the teacher's guidance, to with instructions, to interpret and without further instructions, to
interpret a literary/non-literary text at grasp the intentions of a interpret and grasp the intentions of a
the S3 level. He/she is more or literary/non-literary text at the S5 literary/non-literary text at the S7
less capable of evaluating the text. level and/or to formulate level and/or to formulate hypotheses
hypotheses about it. He/she is more about it. He/she is more or less
or less capable of evaluating the text. capable of evaluating the text and of
reporting on it critically.
Subject/ The student shows some knowledge The student shows some knowledge The student shows some knowledge
specialist of the most important basic aspects of the most important aspects and of the most important aspects,
and terms of the subject (think of terms of the subject (think of literary, concepts and terms of the subject
literary and grammatical terms) at the grammatical and linguistic terms) at (think of literary, grammatical,
S3 level. the S5 level and he/she is able to linguistic terms and basic
some extent, under the teacher's pragmatics, socio- and
guidance, to relate them to other psycholinguistics terms) at the S7
subjects (history, philosophy, etc.). level and he/she is able to some
extent, without further instructions,
to relate them to other subjects
(history, philosophy, etc.).
Language The student is able to some extent, The student is able to some extent, The student is able to some extent,
awareness under the teacher's guidance, to with instructions, to analyse the without further instructions, to
analyse the features of a text at the features of a text at the S5 level, in analyse the features of a text at the
S3 level, in terms of content and terms of content and communication S7 level, in terms of content and
communication context; he/she is context; he/she is able also to some communication context; he/she is
able also to some extent, on the extent, on the basis of able also to some extent, without
basis of a concrete assignment assignments with instructions, to further instructions, to produce a
and with the teacher’s guidance, to produce several different texts of wide variety of texts of his/her own.
produce a simple text of his/her own his/her own.
about a topic in his/her everyday
environment.
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or
5-5.9 Sufficient E Critical The student is able to some extent, The student is able to some extent, The student is able to some extent,
thinking under the teacher's guidance, to with instructions, to reflect on without further instructions, to
reflect on topics in his/her everyday topics in everyday reality and to reflect on social reality and to
environment and to convey the convey the outcomes of this process convey the outcomes of this process
outcomes of this process in language. in language. in language.

Oral The student is able to some extent The student is able to some extent The student is able to some extent,
competence to give a presentation which meets to give a presentation which meets without further instructions, to give
the requirements of a concrete the requirements of a well-defined a structured presentation which
regarding his/her everyday S5 level. In a given setting, he/she assignment at the S7 level. In a
environment. In a concrete situation, is able to communicate to some variety of different contexts, he/she is
he/she is able to some extent to extent and to start conversations. able to communicate to some extent
communicate and to start a He/she is capable to a slight extent and to start conversations. He/she is
conversation. He/she is capable to a of formulating correct sentences and capable to a slight extent of
slight extent of formulating correct using appropriate vocabulary. formulating correct sentences and
sentences and using appropriate However, the vocabulary is limited. using appropriate vocabulary.
vocabulary. However, the vocabulary However, the vocabulary is limited.
is limited. The student does not show a clear
awareness of a suitable register.
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or
3-4.9 Failed F Competences for written and oral performance
(weak) Reading The student shows little The student shows little The student shows little
text(s) at the S3 level; he/she text(s) at the S5 level; he/she text(s) at the S7 level; he/she
recognises little relevant information recognises little relevant information recognises little relevant information
or important details, even with or important details, even with or important details.
(extra) guidance from the teacher. (extra) instructions.
Writing The student is hardly able, even The student is hardly able, even The student is hardly able, without
with (extra) guidance from the with (extra) instructions, to produce further instructions, to produce a
teacher, to produce a short text a text which meets the requirements structured text which meets the
which meets the requirements of a of a given assignment and context; requirements of a given assignment
given assignment and context; he/she is hardly capable of and context; he/she is hardly
he/she is hardly capable of formulating correct sentences, using capable of formulating correct
formulating correct sentences, using appropriate vocabulary and correct sentences, using appropriate
appropriate vocabulary and correct spelling. However, the vocabulary is vocabulary and correct spelling.
spelling. However, the vocabulary is very limited and there is a However, the vocabulary is very
very limited and there is a comparatively large number of limited and there is a comparatively
comparatively large number of spelling mistakes. large number of spelling mistakes.
spelling mistakes. The student does not show any
awareness of a suitable register.
Arguing/ The student is hardly able, even The student is hardly able, even on The student is hardly able, without
persuading with (extra) guidance from the the basis of an assignment with further instructions, to
teacher, to argue on topics from (extra) instructions, to argue on argue on a variety of topics; he/she
his/her everyday environment; concrete topics; he/she is hardly is hardly capable of adopting
he/she is hardly capable of taking a capable of adopting a viewpoint for different viewpoints and of
position and of formulating his/her or against and of formulating his/her formulating his/her argument(s) in a
argument(s) in a clear way, making argument(s) in a clear and coherent clear, coherent and structured way,
use of linguistically appropriate way, making use of linguistically making use of linguistically
means. appropriate means. appropriate means.
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or
3-4.9 Failed F Interpretation The student is hardly able, even with The student is hardly able, even with The student is hardly able, without
(weak) (extra) guidance from the teacher, (extra) instructions, to interpret and further instructions, to interpret and
to interpret a literary/non-literary text grasp the intentions of a literary/non- grasp the intentions of a literary/non-
at the S3 level. He/she is hardly literary text at the S5 level and/or to literary text at the S7 level and/or to
capable of evaluating a text. formulate hypotheses about it. He/she formulate hypotheses about it. He/she
is hardly capable of evaluating a text. is hardly capable of evaluating the
text and of reporting on it critically.
Subject/ The student shows some knowledge The student shows some knowledge The student shows some knowledge
specialist of the most important basic aspects of the most important aspects and of the most important aspects,
and terms of the subject (think of terms of the subject (think of literary, concepts and terms of the subject
literary and grammatical terms) at the grammatical and linguistic terms) at (think of literary, grammatical,
S3 level. the S5 level and he/she is hardly linguistic terms and basic
able, even under the teacher's pragmatics, socio- and
guidance, to relate them to other psycholinguistics terms) at the S7
subjects (history, philosophy, etc.). level and he/she is hardly able,
without further instructions, to relate
them to other subjects (history,
philosophy, etc.).
Language The student is hardly able, The student is hardly able to analyse The student is hardly able,
awareness even with (extra) guidance from the the features of a text at the S5 level, without further instructions, to
teacher, to analyse the features of a in terms of content and analyse the features of a text at the
text at the S3 level, in terms of communication context, even on the S7 level, in terms of content and
content and communication context; basis of (extra) instructions; he/she communication context; he/she is
he/she is also hardly able, on the is also hardly able, on the basis of also hardly able, without further
basis of a concrete assignment (extra) instructions, to produce instructions, to produce, a wide
and with (extra) guidance from the several different texts of his/her variety of texts of his/her own.
teacher, to produce a simple text of own.
his/her own about a topic in his/her
everyday environment.
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or
3-4.9 Failed F Critical The student is hardly able, even with The student is hardly able, even with The student is hardly able,
(weak) thinking (extra) guidance from the teacher, (extra) instructions, to reflect on without further instructions, to
to reflect on topics in his/her topics in everyday reality and to reflect on social reality and to
everyday environment and to convey the outcomes of this process convey the outcomes of this process
convey the outcomes of this process in language. in language.
in language.

Oral The student is hardly able to give a The student is hardly able to give a The student is hardly able, without
competence presentation which meets the presentation which meets the further instructions, to give a well-
assignment at the S3 level assignment with instructions at the the requirements of a complex
environment. In a concrete situation, is hardly able to communicate and to variety of different contexts, he/she is
he/she is hardly able to communicate start conversations. He/she is hardly able to communicate and to
and to start a conversation. He/she is hardly capable of formulating correct start conversations. He/she is hardly
hardly capable of formulating correct sentences and using appropriate capable of formulating correct
sentences and using appropriate vocabulary. However, the vocabulary sentences and using appropriate
vocabulary. However, the vocabulary is very limited. vocabulary. However, the vocabulary
is very limited. is very limited. The student does not
show a clear awareness of a
suitable register.
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or
0-2.9 Failed FX Competences for written and oral performance
(very weak) Reading The student shows no understanding The student shows no understanding The student shows no understanding
of literary/non-literary text(s) at the of literary/non-literary text(s) at the of literary/non-literary text(s) at the
S3 level; he/she recognises no S5 level; he/she recognises no S7 level; he/she recognises no
relevant information or important relevant information or important relevant information or important
details, even with (extra) guidance details, even with (extra) details.
from the teacher. instructions.
Writing The student is unable, even with The student is unable, even with The student is unable, without
(extra) guidance from the teacher, (extra) instructions, to produce a further instructions, to produce a
to produce a short text which meets text which meets the requirements of structured text which meets the
the requirements of a given a given assignment and context; requirements of a given assignment
assignment and context; he/she is he/she is hardly capable of and context; he/she is hardly capable
hardly capable of formulating correct formulating correct sentences, using of formulating correct sentences,
sentences, using appropriate appropriate vocabulary and correct using appropriate vocabulary and
vocabulary and correct spelling. spelling. However, the vocabulary is correct spelling. However, the
However, the vocabulary is inadequate and there is a vocabulary is inadequate and there is
inadequate and there is a comparatively large number of a comparatively large number of
comparatively large number of spelling mistakes. spelling mistakes.
spelling mistakes. The student does not show any
awareness of a suitable register in a
given context.
Arguing/ The student is unable, even with The student is unable, even on the The student is unable, without
persuading (extra) guidance from the teacher, basis of an assignment with (extra) further instructions, to
everyday environment; he/she is topics; he/she is incapable of is incapable of adopting different
incapable of taking a position and adopting a viewpoint for or against viewpoints and of formulating his/her
of formulating his/her argument(s) in and of formulating his/her argument(s) in a clear, coherent and
a clear way, making use of argument(s) in a clear and coherent structured way, making use of
linguistically appropriate means. way, making use of linguistically linguistically appropriate means.
appropriate means.
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or
0-2.9 Failed FX Interpretation The student is unable, even with The student is unable, even with The student is unable, without
(very weak) (extra) guidance from the teacher, (extra) instructions, to interpret and further instructions, to interpret and
to interpret a literary/non-literary text grasp the intentions of a literary/non- grasp the intentions of a literary/non-
at the S3 level. He/she is incapable literary text at the S5 level and/or to literary text at the S7 level and/or to
of evaluating a text. formulate hypotheses about it. He/she formulate hypotheses about it. He/she
is incapable of evaluating a text. is incapable of evaluating the text
and of reporting on it critically.
Subject/ The student shows no knowledge of The student shows no knowledge The student shows no knowledge
specialist the most important basic aspects and of the most important aspects and of the most important aspects,
terms of the subject (think of literary terms of the subject (think of literary, concepts and terms of the subject
and grammatical terms) at the S3 grammatical and linguistic terms) at (think of literary, grammatical,
level. the S5 level and he/she is unable, linguistic terms and basic
even under the teacher’s guidance, pragmatics, socio- and
to relate them to other subjects psycholinguistics terms) at the S7
(history, philosophy, etc.). level and he/she is unable, without
further instructions, to relate them
to other subjects (history, philosophy,
etc.).
Language The student is unable, even with The student is unable, even on the The student is unable,
awareness (extra) guidance from the teacher, basis of (extra) instructions, to without further instructions, to
to analyse the features of a text at analyse the features of a text at the analyse the features of a text at the
the S3 level, in terms of content and S5 level, in terms of content and S7 level, in terms of content and
communication context; he/she is communication context; he/she is communication context; he/she is
also unable, on the basis of a also unable, on the basis of also unable, without further
concrete assignment and with assignments with (extra) instructions, to produce a wide
(extra) guidance from the teacher, instructions, to produce several variety of texts of his/her own.
to produce a simple text of his/her different texts of his/her own.
own about a topic in his/her
everyday environment.
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or
0-2.9 Failed FX Critical The student is unable, even with The student is unable, even with The student is unable,
(very weak) thinking (extra) guidance from the teacher, (extra) instructions, to reflect on without further instructions, to
to reflect on topics in his/her topics in everyday reality and to reflect on social reality and to
everyday environment and to convey the outcomes of this process convey the outcomes of this process
convey the outcomes of this process in language. in language.
in language.

Oral The student is unable to give a The student is unable to give a The student is unable, without
competence presentation which meets the presentation which meets the further instructions, to give a
assignment at the S3 level assignment with instructions at the the requirements of a complex
environment. In a concrete is unable to communicate and to variety of different contexts, he/she is
situation, he/she is unable to start conversations. He/she is unable to communicate and to start
communicate and to start a incapable of formulating correct conversations in a wide variety of
conversation. He/she is incapable sentences and using any appropriate contexts. He/she is incapable of
of formulating correct sentences and vocabulary. formulating correct sentences and
using any appropriate vocabulary. using any appropriate vocabulary.
The student does not show a clear
awareness of a suitable register in a
given context.
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Annex 3: the European Baccalaureate oral examination
The oral examination assesses the candidate's ability to talk coherently and
cogently about a text selected at random from a set provided by the school and
approved by external experts. Candidates are expected to communicate an
analytic and personal response to the chosen text, incorporating appropriate
knowledge and understanding (e.g. of its linguistic and literary features, and of
any relevant social, cultural and historical background). They may also talk
about texts they have encountered during the course, both in school and in
their personal reading, where these can be related to aspects of the text
chosen for this examination. Written prompts are provided to guide candidates
in their preparation, for which they are allowed 25 minutes, which includes the
time taken to select the passage and to go to the examination room. The text
is about 400 words long; details of authorship, date and source are provided.
Regulations concerning the conduct of the examination are issued by the
Pedagogical Development Unit of the Office of the Secretary General of the
European Schools. The national inspector issues specific advice and guidelines,
concerning the choice and presentation of texts and administration of the
examination, annually.
The examination itself lasts for 20 minutes, with an additional 5 minutes for the
teacher and external examiner to agree the mark for the candidate. Candidates
may be asked to read some of the selected text aloud; they will be required to
develop an interpretation of it (initially related to the prompts, but not
restricted by them) and to engage with the teacher and examiner in a dialogue
about the text, referring to the candidate’s wider personal reading where
appropriate.
The examination is marked in accordance with the appropriate NMS assessment
grids/rubrics attached. It should be noted that this oral examination has the
potential to assess all the subject competences listed in section 3.1 above and
described more fully in part (b) of Annex 1; the ‘oral competence’ attainment
descriptors in Annex 2(a) above are also relevant. As well as taking account of
the candidate’s literary knowledge and critical understanding, marks are
awarded for fluent and correct expression, appropriate pronunciation,
intonation and register, and the candidate’s ability to participate in and sustain
a dialogue (i.e. his/her ability to understand, respond to and develop prompts
put by the examiner in presenting a sustained argument).
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Annex 4: the European Baccalaureate written examination
Harmonisation regulations require the L1 Baccalaureate examination paper to:

1. Assess all required competences so that candidates may not neglect or leave
out parts of the syllabus.
2. Contain one, two or three tasks, sub-tasks possible. Necessary if only one task.
3. Include unseen literary and non-literary texts with 1000 to 1600 words.
4. Include the study of set texts and/or topics.
Various models are approved. That chosen for English L1 consists of three parts:
Part 1 Reading comprehension

Poetry – one task, which is to make an analysis and interpretation of the unseen text,
including comparison if two texts are set.
Competences assessed: reading, writing, interpretation, subject/specialist, language
awareness, critical thinking
Part 2 Written production

Prose – one task, which is to present the ideas and points of view expressed in an
unseen non-fiction text and to analyse/evaluate the methods used to communicate
them, including comparison if two texts are set.
Competences assessed: reading, writing, arguing/reasoning, subject/specialist,
language awareness, critical thinking
Part 3 Understanding literature

Candidates choose one task from two related to the set texts and theme studied,
producing an analysis and evaluation of how at least two writers present ideas and
achieve their effects.
Competences assessed: reading, writing, arguing/reasoning, interpretation,
subject/specialist, language awareness, critical thinking
If one text is set in Part 1, two texts will be set in Part 2 or vice versa, so that one of
the tasks will always require candidates to compare texts. Parts 1 and 2 are not linked
thematically; the text(s) in Part 2 will be non-fiction, to ensure that the examination
assesses the candidate’s response to a variety of text types and that there is full
coverage of the syllabus through this assessment model. The examination is
marked in accordance with the revised NMS assessment grids/rubric.
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ATTACHED NMS DOCUMENTS
Generic Matrix for Written Exam LI Bac *
Tasks Competences Weight Learning objectives Question Evaluation/ Weight in

marking
in %** (s) points**
Part 1: Non- READING 15% • Understand information in a non-fiction text Question Marking
Literary texts • Pick out significant details in the text 1 Scheme/Rubr
Interpretation • Analyse the features of a non-fiction text ic
• Analyse and appraise the effects used to present a
point of view
Critical thinking • Understand the author’s intention and evaluate it
critically
Scientific • Identify and understand themes, facts and their context
Question 1 competence • Evaluate and appraise different types of non-fiction text
Unseen Non- • Draw on knowledge external to the text to make sense
literary text (s) of non-fiction texts
• Make use of the relevant concepts and terminology of
the subject area
WRITING 15% • Write to convince, persuade or refute

• Explore a range of contentious topics and analyse the
validity of different points of view
Arguing/reasoning • Express a personal opinion on a theme or text
• Present arguments clearly using linguistically effective
means
• Produce texts that take account of the target
readership
Linguistic • Use language accurately (syntax, vocabulary, spelling)
competence • Use different language registers and stylistic devices
Total Part 1 30%** 30
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Part 2: Literary READING 35% • Understand different literary texts from a variety of Questions Marking
texts forms 2 and 3 Scheme/Rubric
• Analyse and interpret literary texts
Interpretation • Identify specific details in the text, particularly its
linguistic and literary features
• Explore the intentions of the text and evaluate them
Critical thinking critically
Question 1 • Know the relevant concepts and terminology needed to
Unseen literary understand different literary texts
texts (s) Scientific • Identify and understand the central themes of a text
competence • Draw on knowledge external to the text to make sense
of fiction texts
35% • Produce a clear and well-structured answer to the
WRITING questions or tasks set
• Argue persuasively about literary texts, their impact
and their intentions
Question 2 Arguing/reasoning • Express fluent personal views on the texts read and
Essay on literary studied
texts and/or • Show a well-founded understanding of the texts
topics studied in Linguistic • Use language accurately (syntax, vocabulary, spelling)
class competence • Use different language registers and stylistic devices
Total Part 2 70%** 70

TOTAL 100% 100
*The matrix has been completed in accordance with the following two documents in order to ensure consistency across all L I syllabuses: Structure of the L 1 Written and Oral
Examinations in the European Baccalaureate (2020-01-D-41-en-1) and Attainment descriptors for all L I – Secondary cycle (2018-09-D-57-en-fr-de-3)
**The percentages above are examples only. The range available, depending on the model chosen, is between 30 and 70% for literary and between 30 and 70% for non-literary
texts. E.g. it could be 60% for non-literary texts and 40% for literary texts or the other way round.
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Paper specific matrix for Written Exam LI Baccalaureate*
English
Tasks Competences Weight Learning objectives Question Evaluation/ Weight in

in % (s) marking points
Non-Literary READING 15% • Understand information in a non-fiction text Part 2 Marking
texts • Pick out significant details in the text Scheme/Rubric
Interpretation • Analyse the features of a non-fiction text
• Analyse and appraise the effects used to present a
point of view
Critical thinking • Understand the author’s intention and evaluate it
critically
Scientific • Identify and understand themes, facts and their context
Part 2 : competence • Evaluate and appraise different types of non-fiction text
Unseen Non- • Draw on knowledge external to the text to make sense
literary text (s) of non-fiction texts
(30 marks) • Make use of the relevant concepts and terminology of
the subject area
WRITING 15% • Write to convince, persuade or refute

• Explore a range of contentious topics and analyse the
validity of different points of view
Arguing/reasoning • Express a personal opinion on a theme or text
• Present arguments clearly using linguistically effective
means
• Produce texts that take account of the target
readership
Linguistic • Use language accurately (syntax, vocabulary, spelling)
Total Part 1 30% 30
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Literary texts READING 35% • Understand different literary texts from a variety of Parts 1 Marking
forms and 3 Scheme/Rubric
• Analyse and interpret literary texts
Interpretation • Identify specific details in the text, particularly its
linguistic and literary features
• Explore the intentions of the text and evaluate them
Part 1 Critical thinking critically
Unseen literary • Know the relevant concepts and terminology needed to
text(s) (30 marks) understand different literary texts
Scientific • Identify and understand the central themes of a text
competence • Draw on knowledge external to the text to make sense
of fiction texts
and 35% • Produce a clear and well-structured answer to the
WRITING questions or tasks set
• Argue persuasively about literary texts, their impact
and their intentions
Part 3 Arguing/reasoning • Express fluent personal views on the texts read and
Essay on set studied
literary texts (40 • Show a well-founded understanding of the texts
marks) Linguistic • Use language accurately (syntax, vocabulary, spelling)
70% 70
TOTAL 100% 100
*The matrix has been completed in accordance with the following two documents in order to ensure consistency across all L I syllabuses: Structure of the L 1 Written and Oral
Examinations in the European Baccalaureate (2020-01-D-41-en-1) and Attainment descriptors for all L I – Secondary cycle (2018-09-D-57-en-fr-de-3)
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ENGLISH LANGUAGE I
SAMPLE HARMONISED PAPER
(format for summer 2021
examination onwards)
DATE: dd June 2021
LENGTH OF THE EXAMINATION: 4 hours (240 minutes)
PERMITTED EQUIPMENT: None
SPECIAL REMARKS: Answer ALL THREE Parts

There is a choice of questions in Part 3
Each of your answers will be marked equally for the content (i.e. the knowledge
and understanding you show of texts) and expression (i.e. the ambition shown
in your use of language, and the accuracy of your spelling, punctuation and
grammar).
Texts used in Part 3 are not those set for the 2021 Baccalaureate examination
but are exemplars included to illustrate question types and the format of rubrics.
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Part 1
Write a critical commentary on the following two poems. Compare and contrast
them with regard to content, style and overall effect on the reader.
(30 marks)
Love After Love
The time will come

when, with elation
you will greet yourself arriving
at your own door, in your own mirror
5 and each will smile at the other's welcome,
and say, sit here. Eat.

You will love again the stranger who was your self.
Give wine. Give bread. Give back your heart
to itself, to the stranger who has loved you
10 all your life, whom you ignored

for another, who knows you by heart.
Take down the love letters from the bookshelf,
the photographs, the desperate notes,

peel your own image from the mirror.
15 Sit. Feast on your life.
(98 words)
Derek Walcott (1930-2017),

The Poetry of David Walcott 1948-2013 (London, 2017)
THE SECOND POEM IS ON THE NEXT PAGE
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I Said to Love
I said to Love,
‘It is not now as in old days
When men adored thee and thy ways
All else above;
5 Named thee the Boy, the Bright, the One
Who spread a heaven beneath the sun,’
I said to Love.
I said to him,
‘We now know more of thee than then;
10 We were but weak in judgment when,
With hearts abrim,
We clamoured thee that thou would'st please
Inflict on us thine agonies,’
I said to him.
15 I said to Love,
‘Thou art not young, thou art not fair,
No elfin darts, nor cherub air,
Nor swan, nor dove
Are thine; but features pitiless,
20 And iron daggers of distress,’
I said to Love.
‘Depart then, Love! . . .

— Man's race shall perish, threatenest thou,
Without thy kindling coupling-vow?
25 The age to come the man of now
Know nothing of? —
We fear not such a threat from thee;
We are too old in apathy!
Mankind shall cease. — So let it be,’
30 I said to Love.
(166 words)
Thomas Hardy (1840-1928),

The Complete Poems (London, 1976)
PART 2 OF THE EXAMINATION IS ON THE NEXT PAGE
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EUROPEAN BACCALAUREATE 2021
(SAMPLE)
Part 2
Write a critical commentary on the following newspaper article, paying particular attention
to the methods used in conveying the writer’s ideas and in persuading the reader to his
point of view.
(30 marks)
Pretentious, impenetrable, hard work ... better? Why we need difficult books
“The fascination of what’s difficult,” wrote WB Yeats, “has dried the sap out of my veins.” In
the press coverage of this year’s Man Booker prize winner, Anna Burns’s Milkman, we’ve
read a good many commentators presenting with sapless veins – but a dismaying lack of
any sense that what’s difficult might be fascinating.
5 “Odd”, “impenetrable”, “hard work”, “challenging” and “brain-kneading” have been some of
the epithets chosen. They have not been meant, I think, as compliments. The chair of the
judges, Kwame Anthony Appiah, perhaps unhelpfully, humblebragged that: “I spend my
time reading articles in the Journal of Philosophy, so by my standards this is not too hard.”
But he added that Milkman is “challenging […] the way a walk up Snowdon is challenging.
10 It is definitely worth it because the view is terrific when you get to the top.”
That’s at least a useful starting point. Appiah defends the idea – which, nearly a century
after modernism really kicked off, probably shouldn’t need defending – that ease of
consumption isn’t the main criterion by which literary value should be assessed. We like to
see sportsmen and women doing difficult things. We tend to recognise in music, film,
15 television and the plastic arts that good stuff often asks for a bit of work from its audience.
And we’re all on board with “difficult” material as long as it’s a literary classic – we
read The Waste Land for our A-levels and we scratched our heads as we puzzled it out,
and now we recognise that it is like it is because it has to be that way. So why is “difficult”
a problem when it comes to new fiction?
20 Attacking a literary prize for rewarding a book that doesn’t accord with a critic’s ideas
about “readability” is simply philistinism. The question is not where the book sits on some
notional sliding scale between “challenging” and “page-turner”: it’s how successfully it
answers whatever challenge it sets itself. The question isn’t how difficult a book is, but why
it’s difficult. What is it doing with its difficulty? What is it asking of the reader? Does that
25 difficulty reward the reader’s investment of time? You’re entitled, as James Marriott did in
The Times, to conclude that in this case the view from the top of Snowdon wasn’t worth
the hike. But complaining about the hike per se is to give up on the idea that there might
be any case for art that rewards an investment of energy and attention from its consumer.
[…]
All this is not to say that some difficult novels are not truly ghastly. If hypocrisy is the tribute
30 that vice pays to virtue, you could say that pretentiousness is the tribute that mediocrity
2016-11-D-2-en-4 50/60
EUROPEAN BACCALAUREATE 2021
(SAMPLE)
pays to genius. I remember a colleague on a judging panel surveying the gathered novels
and saying, with a certain roll of the eyes: “There’s a lot of ... fine writing in here.” By this
he meant overwrought bad writing. The idea of literary fiction – in particular the idea that it
is intrinsically high-status or, worse, “important” – is the rock on which many ambitious
35 second-rate writers bark their shins. It’s what gives us plotless novels choked with
portentous metaphors and pseudo-profound ruminations, novels that mistake difficulty for
accomplishment or, worse, solemnity for seriousness. It’s what gives us, in parody, the
“octuple time scheme and sixteen unreliable narrators” of Richard Tull’s unreadable
seventh novel in Martin Amis’s The Information. Just because literary fiction doesn’t
40 necessarily tell a story (though it usually at some level does), and frequently spars with its
own form, and tends to pay attention to its language, it doesn’t mean that by turning all
those things up to 11 you’ve created a worthwhile work of art. And it’s for just that reason
that, year by year, we should be grateful rather than indignant that panels of judges on
literary prizes labour to bring to our attention those difficult books that really are worth our
45 time.
(662 words)
Edited version of an article by Sam Leith (b. 1974),

published in The Guardian, 10 November 2018.
PART 3 OF THE EXAMINATION IS ON THE NEXT PAGE
2016-11-D-2-en-4 51/60
Part 3
Answer ONE of the following questions. The questions refer to the theme you have studied
(Women in Society) and to the set texts, which are:
Macbeth (William Shakespeare); I Have Crossed an Ocean (Grace Nichols); The

Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood); A Room of One’s Own (Virginia Woolf).
EITHER: a) “I hate to hear you talk about all women as if they were fine ladies
instead of rational creatures. None of us want to be in calm waters
all
our lives.”
Jane Austen (1775-1817),

Persuasion (London, 1817)
In the texts that you have studied, to what extent do women fight
against the expectations imposed upon them by their society?
In your answer, you should make detailed reference to at least two
of the set texts. You may refer briefly to other texts studied in class,
where relevant, if you wish.
(40 marks)
OR: b) In the texts that you have studied, to what extent are women’s lives
shaped by their gender?
In your answer, you should make detailed reference to at least two
of the set texts. You may refer briefly to other texts studied in class,
where relevant, if you wish.
(40 marks)
END OF THE EXAMINATION
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GENERIC MARKING SCHEME/RUBRIC L I
Grid A: UNPREPARED TEXTS. European Baccalaureate written examination, L1 Parts 1 and 2, 2021-
General
descriptor and Quality of the reading response to unprepared poetry (fiction) and
Mark/30 Quality of writing in the response
unprepared non-fiction
mark /10
An independent, mature and persuasive overview of the text; cogent, A lucid, coherent and focussed essay; engaging and pleasurable to read
reasoned analysis of subject-matter/themes, language and structure
A
Excellent 30
though not 29
flawless 28
27
10-9.0
A confident overall account of the text, showing personal engagement;

detailed references to, and full explanations of, subject-matter/themes, A thoughtful, organised and relevant essay that successfully conveys a full
language and structure response to the question
B
26
Very good 25
performance 24
8.9-8.0
An accurate overview of the text, highlighting its most significant aspects, A competent essay that communicates a sensible, convincing and relevant
with a straightforward explanation of content, language and structure response to the question
C
Good 23
performance 22
21
7.9-7.0
2016-11-D-2-en-4 53/60
Sound understanding of the text, using accurate paraphrase or summary; A straightforward essay that adequately conveys a sound understanding of the
describes some clear aspects of language and/or structure central thrust of the question
D
Satisfactory 20
performance 19
18
6.9-6.0
Some understanding of the main points of the text, using paraphrase or A simple essay that conveys some understanding of aspects of the question
E
partial summary; refers to obvious features of language or structure
Performance 17
corresponding 16
to the 15
minimum
5.9-5.0
Limited overview of the text, with possible oversights and/or An essay that is weak in communicating an approach to the question and in
F*
misunderstandings engaging the reader
Weak 14, 13
performance 12, 11
almost 10, 9
entirely failing
4.9-3.0
Very limited grasp of the meaning of the text as a whole or of significant A very weak essay that struggles to communicate an answer to the question
FX*
details
Weak 8, 7, 6
performance 5, 4, 3
entirely failing 2, 1, 0
2.9-0 0
2016-11-D-2-en-4 54/60
Grid B: SET BOOKS AND THEMES. European Baccalaureate written examination, L1 Part 3, 2021-
General
descriptor and Mark /40 Quality of the reading response to: set books and themes Quality of writing in the response
mark
/10
An independent, mature and persuasive overview of theme and texts with A lucid, coherent and focussed essay; engaging and pleasurable to read
convincing, fruitful links and/or contrasts; cogent, reasoned analysis of subject-
A matter/themes, language and structures
40
Excellent 39
though not 38
flawless 37
36
10-9.0
A confident overall account of theme and texts, with effective links and/or contrasts A thoughtful, organised and relevant essay that successfully conveys a
showing personal engagement; detailed references to, and full explanations of, full response to the question
subject-matter/themes, language and structures
B
35
Very good 34
performance 33
32
8.9-8.0
An accurate overview of the most significant aspects of theme and texts with A competent essay that communicates a sensible, convincing and
appropriate links and/or contrasts and a straightforward explanation of content, relevant response to the question
C language and structures
31
Good 30
performance 29
28
7.9-7.0
2016-11-D-2-en-4 55/60
Sound understanding of theme and texts, making straightforward links and/or A straightforward essay that adequately conveys a sound understanding
contrasts; describes some obvious aspects of language and/or structures of the central thrust of the question
D
27
Satisfactory 26
performance 25
24
6.9-6.0
Some understanding of the main points of theme and texts occasional links and/or A simple essay that conveys some understanding of aspects of the
E
contrasts; refers to clear aspects of language or structures question
Performance 23
corresponding 22
to the 21
minimum 20
5.9-5.0
Limited overview of theme and texts, with few links and/or contrasts and possible An essay that is weak in communicating an approach to the question and
F
oversights and/or misunderstandings in engaging the reader
Weak
performance 19,18,17
almost 16,15,14
entirely failing 13,12,11
4.9-3.0
Very limited grasp of the overall meaning of theme and texts; texts treated A very weak essay that struggles to communicate an answer to the
FX
individually or with very few links, contrasts or references to detail question
Weak 10, 9, 8
performance 7, 6, 5, 4
entirely failing 3, 2, 1, 0
2.9-0
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L1 ENGLISH Rubric/Marking scheme, European Baccalaureate written examination, 2021
Grid A: UNPREPARED TEXTS, Questions 1 and 2
General
descriptor and Quality of the reading response to unprepared poetry (L1 Question 1) and
Mark/30 Quality of writing in the response
unprepared non-fiction (L1 Question 2 and L1A Question 3)
mark /10
An independent, mature and persuasive overview of the text; cogent, A lucid, coherent and focussed essay; engaging and pleasurable to read
reasoned analysis of subject-matter/themes, language and structure
A which may include:
which may include:
Excellent 30 • logical and convincing organisation; effective connections and transitions
though not 29 • insightful response to subtleties and implicit meanings in the text, with • ambitious and sophisticated choices of vocabulary, grammatical structures and
difficulties confronted and explained effectively punctuation that convey subtle and complex meanings
flawless 28 • successful evaluation of the effects and impact of structure, genre-specific • almost no technical errors
27 features and language choices • judiciously chosen quotations, references and examples are skilfully integrated and
10-9.0 • plausible alternative interpretations of a writer’s methods, intentions and strengthen/further the argument
purposes
A confident overall account of the text, showing personal engagement;

detailed references to, and full explanations of, subject-matter/themes, A thoughtful, organised and relevant essay that successfully conveys a full
language and structure response to the question
B
26 which may include: which may include:
Very good 25
• reading between the lines; grappling effectively with difficulties in the text • conscious and careful structuring of arguments that develop convincingly
performance 24 • analysing effects of structure and genre-specific features and the writer’s • a wide and sometimes ambitious range of vocabulary, grammatical structures and
choices of language punctuation
8.9-8.0 • understanding that texts have different purposes and may be interpreted in • very few technical errors, that do not affect the reader’s understanding or
various ways enjoyment
• apt quotations, references and examples used fluently to support and develop the
argument
An accurate overview of the text, highlighting its most significant aspects, A competent essay that communicates a sensible, convincing and relevant
with a straightforward explanation of content, language and structure response to the question
C
which may include: which may include:
Good 23
performance 22 • awareness of some implicit or ambiguous meanings in the text • well structured, convincingly organised and sequenced paragraphs that support a
• understanding the effects of different structures, including genre-specific clear argument
21 features, and the writer’s language choices • functional and appropriate choices of vocabulary, grammatical structures and
7.9-7.0 • awareness that texts may have different purposes or intentions punctuation
• technical errors are mostly unobtrusive and insignificant
• pertinent quotations, references and examples used to illustrate a number of points
2016-11-D-2-en-4 57/60
Sound understanding of the text, using accurate paraphrase or summary;
describes some clear aspects of language and/or structure A straightforward essay that adequately conveys a sound understanding of the
D central thrust of the question
which may include:
Satisfactory 20 which may include:
performance 19 • identifying and explaining simply some evident difficulties or subtleties in the
text • simple but accurate organisation and sequencing of paragraphs
18 • describing some clear features of structures and/or genre-specific features • uncomplicated but functional vocabulary, grammatical structures and punctuation
6.9-6.0 and a recognition of language choices made by the writer and their effect on • technical errors that do not greatly impede communication
the reader • significant points illustrated by the use of obvious but appropriate quotations,
• a broad awareness of the writer’s purpose or intentions references and examples
Some understanding of the main points of the text, using paraphrase or

E
partial summary; refers to obvious features of language or structure A simple essay that conveys some understanding of aspects of the question
Performance 17 which may include: which may include:

corresponding 16
to the 15 • referring to and partially explaining some obvious difficulties in the text • basic organisation through simple sequencing of paragraphs
• referring to some noticeable features of structures and/or genre-specific • undemanding vocabulary and grammatical structures; simple punctuation
minimum features and language choices made by the writer and their obvious effect • technical errors that sometimes affect clarity of meaning
on the reader • some obvious, but not always apt or relevant, quotations, references and examples
5.9-5.0 • some awareness that texts may have different purposes or intentions
Limited overview of the text, with possible oversights and/or An essay that is weak in communicating an approach to the question and in
F*
misunderstandings engaging the reader
Weak 14, 13 which may include: which may include:

performance 12, 11
almost 10, 9 • overlooking some obvious difficulties or challenges in details of the text • paragraphs that are not always organised or connected in ways that support or
• a limited awareness of how some aspects of the writer’s craft, such as develop a coherent argument
entirely failing readily-apparent structures, genre-specific features and/or language choices • restricted range of vocabulary, grammatical structures and punctuation
may affect the reader • frequent technical errors that sometimes impede the reader’s understanding
4.9-3.0 • a partial acknowledgement of the writer’s purpose or intentions • quotations, references or examples that are few and seldom relevant or to the point
Very limited grasp of the meaning of the text as a whole or of significant A very weak essay that struggles to communicate an answer to the question
FX*
details
which may include:
Weak 8, 7, 6 which may include:
performance 5, 4, 3 • paragraphing that is formulaic and lacking a sense of overall direction
entirely failing 2, 1, 0 • leaving difficulties in the text unmentioned or poorly explained • simple, basic choices of vocabulary, grammatical structures and punctuation
• showing limited awareness of the most obvious aspects of structure, genre- • profuse technical errors that seriously impede communication
specific features and language choices and their effects • very few if any relevant quotations, references or examples
2.9-0 0 • no clear sense of the purpose or intention of the text
2016-11-D-2-en-4 58/60
Grid B: SET BOOKS AND THEMES, Question 3
General
descriptor and Mark /40 Quality of the reading response to: set theme and texts (L1 Part 3 and L1A Question
mark Quality of writing in the response
2); text set for detailed study and other texts linked by author/genre (L1A Question 1)
/10
An independent, mature and persuasive overview of theme and texts, or set text and A lucid, coherent and focussed essay; engaging and pleasurable to
linked author/genre, with convincing, fruitful links and/or contrasts; cogent, reasoned read
A analysis of subject-matter/themes, language and structures
40 which may include:
Excellent 39 which may include:
though not 38 • logical and convincing organisation; effective connections and
• insightful response to subtleties and implicit meanings in texts, with difficulties transitions
flawless 37 confronted and explained effectively • ambitious and sophisticated choices of vocabulary, grammatical
36 • successful evaluation of the effects and impact of structure, author/genre-specific structures and punctuation that convey subtle and complex meanings
10-9.0 features and language choices • almost no technical errors
• plausible alternative interpretations of writers’ methods, intentions and purposes • judiciously chosen quotations, references and examples are skilfully
• evaluating the significance of relevant social, cultural and historical contexts integrated and strengthen/further the argument
A confident overall account of theme and texts, or set text and linked author/genre, A thoughtful, organised and relevant essay that successfully conveys a
with effective links and/or contrasts showing personal engagement; detailed full response to the question
references to, and full explanations of, subject-matter/themes, language and
B structures which may include:
35
Very good 34 which may include: • conscious and careful structuring of arguments that develop
convincingly
performance 33 • reading between the lines; grappling effectively with difficulties in texts • a wide and sometimes ambitious range of vocabulary, grammatical
32 • analysing effects of structures, author/genre-specific features and writers’ choices of structures and punctuation
8.9-8.0 language • very few technical errors, that do not affect the reader’s understanding
• understanding that texts have different purposes and may be interpreted in various or enjoyment
ways • apt quotations, references and examples used fluently to support and
• conveying an understanding of the importance of social, cultural and historical factors develop the argument
An accurate overview of the most significant aspects of theme and texts, or set text A competent essay that communicates a sensible, convincing and
and linked author/genre, with appropriate links and/or contrasts and a straightforward relevant response to the question
C explanation of content, language and structures
Good 30 which may include:
performance 29 • well structured, convincingly organised and sequenced paragraphs that
• awareness of some implicit or ambiguous meanings in texts support a clear argument
28 • understanding the effects of different structures, including author/genre-specific • functional and appropriate choices of vocabulary, grammatical
7.9-7.0 features, and writers’ language choices structures and punctuation
• awareness that texts may have different purposes or intentions • technical errors are mostly unobtrusive and insignificant
• awareness of the impact of some social, cultural and historical issues • pertinent quotations, references and examples used to illustrate a
number of points
2016-11-D-2-en-4 59/60
Sound understanding of theme and texts, or set text and linked author/genre, making A straightforward essay that adequately conveys a sound
straightforward links and/or contrasts; describes some obvious aspects of language understanding of the central thrust of the question
D and/or structures
Satisfactory 26 which may include:
performance 25 • simple but accurate organisation and sequencing of paragraphs
• identifying and explaining simply some evident difficulties or subtleties in texts • uncomplicated but functional vocabulary, grammatical structures and
24 • describing some obvious features of structures and/or author/genre-specific features punctuation
6.9-6.0 and a recognition of language choices made by writers and their effect on the reader • technical errors that do not greatly impede communication
• a broad awareness of writers’ purposes or intentions • some points illustrated by the use of obvious quotations, references and
• generalised references to the social, cultural and historical issues examples
Some understanding of the main points of theme and texts, or set text and linked A simple essay that conveys some understanding of aspects of the
E
author/genre; occasional links and/or contrasts; refers to clear aspects of language or question
23 structures
Performance 22 which may include:
corresponding 21 which may include:
to the 20 • basic organisation through simple sequencing of paragraphs
• referring to and partially explaining some obvious difficulties in texts • undemanding vocabulary and grammatical structures; simple
minimum • referring to some noticeable features of structures and/or author/genre-specific features punctuation
and language choices made by writers and their obvious effect on the reader • technical errors that sometimes affect clarity of meaning
5.9-5.0 • some awareness that texts may have different purposes or intentions • some obvious, but not always apt or relevant, quotations, references
• a few brief references to social, cultural and historical issues and examples
Limited overview of theme and texts, or set text and linked author/genre, with few links An essay that is weak in communicating an approach to the question
F
and/or contrasts and possible oversights and/or misunderstandings and in engaging the reader
Weak which may include: which may include:

performance 19,18,17,
almost 16,15,14, • overlooking some obvious difficulties or challenges in details of the texts • paragraphs that are not always organised or connected in ways that
• a limited awareness of how some aspects of writers’ craft, such as readily-apparent support or develop a coherent argument
entirely failing 13,12,11 devices and structures, author/genre-specific features and/or language choices may • restricted range of vocabulary, grammatical structures and punctuation
affect the reader • frequent technical errors that sometimes impede the reader’s
4.9-3.0 • partial acknowledgement of writers’ purposes or intentions understanding
• brief mentions, if any, of social cultural or historical contexts • quotations, references or examples are few and seldom relevant or to
the point
Very limited grasp of the overall meaning of theme or genre or of author’s qualities; A very weak essay that struggles to communicate an answer to the
FX
texts treated individually or with very few links, contrasts or references to detail question
Weak 10, 9, 8 which may include: which may include:

performance 7, 6, 5, 4
entirely failing • leaving difficulties in texts unmentioned or poorly explained • paragraphing that is formulaic and lacking a sense of overall direction
3, 2, 1, 0
• showing limited awareness of the most obvious aspects of structure, author/genre- • simple, basic choices of vocabulary, grammatical structures and
specific features and language choices and their effects punctuation
2.9-0 • no clear sense of the purpose or intention of texts • profuse technical errors that seriously impede communication
• no awareness of social, cultural or historical contexts • very few if any relevant quotations, references or examples
2016-11-D-2-en-4 60/60

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Schola Europaea

Office of the Secretary-General

Pedagogical Development Unit

Syllabus for English LI – Secondary cycle

Entry into force : on 1 September 2017

1st Baccalaureate session in June 2021

2) New model of written exam – Harmonisation L1:

3 See Annex 1, page 11 below, for commentary on these principles

3.1 The competence model

4 See Annex 1, page 13 below, for commentary on these objectives

3.2 Learning objectives for the 1st cycle (S1-S3)

3.3 Learning objectives for the 2nd cycle (S4-S5)

3.4 Learning objectives for the 3rd cycle (S6-S7)

4.1 Cycle 1 (S1-S3) and 2 (S4-S5)

4.2 Cycle 3 (S6-S7)

5 See Annex 1, page 16 below, for commentary on content

5.1 Cycle 1 (S1-S3)

5.2 Cycle 2 (S4 - S5)

5.3 Cycle 3 (S 6- S7)

5.3 European Baccalaureate proposals and calculation of candidates’ marks

5.4 Attainment descriptors

➢ A variety of teaching methods and approaches should be used. A range of

➢ Students’ mistakes errors should be viewed as an integral part of the learning

➢ Students should be helped to achieve independence in learning through using

➢ Approaches to teaching and learning should reflect the contextualised nature of

➢ Priority should be given not only to functionality in teaching syntax, morphology

Sub-competences: 1. Understanding and using content

• The ability to use language with sufficiently accurate syntax, vocabulary

Sub-competences: 1. Producing texts which take account of the

• The ability to argue, in speech or writing, contentious questions and

Sub-competences: 1. Identifying and presenting lines of argument

• The ability to recognise specific linguistic features of spoken or written

• The ability, in speech or writing, to put forward explanations and to

Sub-competences: 1. Grasping the source text’s intentions and

• Knowing concepts and terminology relevant to the subject area.

Sub-competences: 1. Identifying and understanding a theme or

➢ Critical thinking competence

• This involves reflection, in speech or writing, on how texts, in various

➢ speak and listen in a range of contexts, both formal and informal

➢ develop an awareness of how language changes over time

➢ develop self-awareness and self-assessment skills … set appropriate targets to

Mark Denominat Grade Descriptors

For oral performance only

For oral performance only

For oral performance only

For oral performance only

For oral performance only

For oral performance only

For oral performance only

Harmonisation regulations require the L1 Baccalaureate examination paper to:

4. Include the study of set texts and/or topics.

Part 1 Reading comprehension

Part 2 Written production

Part 3 Understanding literature

Generic Matrix for Written Exam LI Bac *

Tasks Competences Weight Learning objectives Question Evaluation/ Weight in

WRITING 15% • Write to convince, persuade or refute

Total Part 2 70%** 70

Tasks Competences Weight Learning objectives Question Evaluation/ Weight in

WRITING 15% • Write to convince, persuade or refute