[Buttercup26]

At the moment, I can't decide between taking either Music or French at higher level Which subject would be easier to get a 6/7? Apparently Music (being an arts subject) is a bit more tricky seeing as it's probably more subjective than French. My other two HLs are English A: Literature and Economics, and I think that I'll most probably study literature or business at uni. Do you think it would be wiser to take a language seeing as I might end up doing literature later on? I'm a bit more reluctant about French because people are saying that it's much harder than SL, and even though I feel more confident about music, the grade boundaries are literally impossible!

[xBlythe]

How good are you in French? If you've got lots of As and if you're a really fluent speaker with a wide range of vocabulary, you should go for it. Otherwise I wouldn't risk it and go for Music instead x.x

[Calllu-m]

French is impossible to get a 7 at HL, unless you're pretty fluent. I got an A, 2 marks off an A* at GCSE. I started off doing HL French, dropped after a week and find SL really tough. It's completely different. Music is more subjective but I'd say it would be a lot harder to score well at a HL language.

[Buttercup26]

Yeah I guess that's true, languages can be really tough. I'll probably stick with HL Music then (:

[Harve]

I don't think HL French is too much different from SL. Basically, if you get a solid 6 in a SL exam paper, then you'll probably be capable of a 5 / high 4 in a HL paper. There's no additional syllabus that I know of, it's just that the quality of your language has to be better, although that makes it much harder in itself. I very comfortably got an A* at GCSE, but I really had to step up my game (putting my phone / computer / games / Facebook / everything into French, doing my EE in French simply to improve my language) to stand a chance of getting a 6. I reckon it's something to do with lots of students with experience with the language at home taking it instead of the harder language A2, which inevitably pushes up the grade boundaries. It's just a quirk of the IB being international, I guess.

On the other hand, I have no idea about music as my school doesn't offer it.

[xAditi]

(Original post by Harve)
I don't think HL French is too much different from SL. Basically, if you get a solid 6 in a SL exam paper, then you'll probably be capable of a 5 / high 4 in a HL paper. There's no additional syllabus that I know of, it's just that the quality of your language has to be better, although that makes it much harder in itself. I very comfortably got an A* at GCSE, but I really had to step up my game (putting my phone / computer / games / Facebook / everything into French, doing my EE in French simply to improve my language) to stand a chance of getting a 6. I reckon it's something to do with lots of students with experience with the language at home taking it instead of the harder language A2, which inevitably pushes up the grade boundaries. It's just a quirk of the IB being international, I guess.

On the other hand, I have no idea about music as my school doesn't offer it.

Isn't there a little French Literature or something in B HL? I'm taking French HL, starting July, thus the question

[Harve]

(Original post by xAditi)
Isn't there a little French Literature or something in B HL? I'm taking French HL, starting July, thus the question

My exam is in a month's time so I hope not! Some essay questions ask you to refer to French literature you've read but by no means would every question ask that. The syllabus has changed for 2013 exams and beyond though, so perhaps it's different.

[xAditi]

(Original post by Harve)
My exam is in a month's time so I hope not! Some essay questions ask you to refer to French literature you've read but by no means would every question ask that. The syllabus has changed for 2013 exams and beyond though, so perhaps it's different.

I'll be taking the exam in 2014, and I can't seem to find the syllabus anywhere online. When they ask you to refer to French literature, does this mean that in class you read novels?

[Harve]

(Original post by xAditi)
I'll be taking the exam in 2014, and I can't seem to find the syllabus anywhere online. When they ask you to refer to French literature, does this mean that in class you read novels?

Well I've read some in my own time but we've not gone out of our way to do any in class. By the sounds of things, your literature will be a bit more specific:

http://www.lyska.net/src/tiedostot/I...et/Swedish.pdf

(I know it says Swedish but it applies to all language Bs for 2013 exams and beyond)
"Literature (HL only)
Reading literature in the target language can be an enjoyable journey into the culture(s) studied. It will help students to broaden their vocabulary and to use language in a more creative manner, developing fluent reading skills, promoting interpretative and inferential skills, and contributing to intercultural understanding. Students should understand the works in some depth (see “Assessment objectives” number 6), but literary criticism as such is not an objective of the language B course at HL. Students are required to read two works of literature originally written in the target language. These works may be from any genre, or may both be of the same genre. They do not need to be linked in any way
(by*author, theme, period)."

It still doesn't seem to be an aspect that's formally assessed though.

[xAditi]

(Original post by Harve)
Well I've read some in my own time but we've not gone out of our way to do any in class. By the sounds of things, your literature will be a bit more specific:

http://www.lyska.net/src/tiedostot/I...et/Swedish.pdf

(I know it says Swedish but it applies to all language Bs for 2013 exams and beyond)
"Literature (HL only)
Reading literature in the target language can be an enjoyable journey into the culture(s) studied. It will help students to broaden their vocabulary and to use language in a more creative manner, developing fluent reading skills, promoting interpretative and inferential skills, and contributing to intercultural understanding. Students should understand the works in some depth (see “Assessment objectives” number 6), but literary criticism as such is not an objective of the language B course at HL. Students are required to read two works of literature originally written in the target language. These works may be from any genre, or may both be of the same genre. They do not need to be linked in any way
(by*author, theme, period)."

It still doesn't seem to be an aspect that's formally assessed though.

"6. Understand and use works of literature
written in the target language of study (HL only)
Paper 1
Students are able to understand and interpret literary texts.
Written assignment
Students demonstrate an understanding of literary works and are able to complete the task creatively."

Thank you so much for the syllabus, it was extremely helpful Best of luck for your French exam. May 22nd, I believe?

[Harve]

(Original post by xAditi)
"6. Understand and use works of literature
written in the target language of study (HL only)
Paper 1
Students are able to understand and interpret literary texts.
Written assignment
Students demonstrate an understanding of literary works and are able to complete the task creatively."

Thank you so much for the syllabus, it was extremely helpful Best of luck for your French exam. May 22nd, I believe?

Oh yes, you can also get literary texts in paper 1, but it's mainly just comprehension and stating what a description "suggests" rather than literary analysis. Honestly, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Et merci ! C'est mon dernier examen, et l'un dont j'ai la plus confiance.