Syllabus content

Theme Guiding principle Optional recommended Possible questions

topics

Identities Explore the nature of the • Lifestyles • What constitutes an

self and what it is to be • Health and well- identity?
human. being • How do we express
• Beliefs and values our identity?
• Subcultures • What ideas and
images do we
• Language and
associate with a
identity
healthy lifestyle?
• How do language
and culture
contribute to form
our identity?

Experiences Explore and tell the stories • Leisure activities • How does travel
of the events, experiences • Holidays and travel broaden our
and journeys that shape horizons?
• Life stories
our lives. • How does our past
• Rites of passage
shape our present
• Customs and and our future?
traditions
• How and why do
• Migration different cultures
mark important
moments in life?
• How would
living in another
culture affect our
worldview?

Human Explore the ways in which • Entertainment • How do

ingenuity human creativity and • Artistic expressions developments
innovation affect our in science and
• Communication and
world. technology
media
influence our lives?
• Technology
• How do the arts help
• Scientific innovation us understand the
world?
• What can we learn
about a culture
through its artistic
expression?
• How do the media
change the way we
relate to each other?

Language B guide 19
Syllabus content

Theme Guiding principle Optional recommended Possible questions

topics

Social Explore the ways in • Social relationships • What is the

organization which groups of people • Community individual’s role in
organize themselves, or the community?
• Social engagement
are organized, through • What role do rules
common systems or • Education
and regulations play
interests. • The working world in the formation of a
• Law and order society?
• What role does
language play in a
society?
• What opportunities
and challenges does
the 21st-century
workplace bring?

Sharing the Explore the challenges • The environment • What environmental

planet and opportunities • Human rights and social issues
faced by individuals present challenges to
• Peace and conflict
and communities in the the world, and how
modern world. • Equality can these challenges
• Globalization be overcome?
• Ethics • What ethical issues
• Urban and rural arise from living in
environment the modern world,
and how do we
resolve them?
• What challenges
and benefits does
globalization bring?
• What challenges
and benefits result
from changes in
urban and rural
environments?

Texts
In theory, a text is anything from which information can be extracted, including the wide range of oral,
written and visual materials present in society. For example:

• single and multiple images, with or without written text

• non-literary and literary written texts and extracts
• broadcast media texts: films, radio and television programmes, and their scripts
• oral texts: presentations, debates, interviews, speeches, recorded conversations, and their transcripts
• electronic texts that share aspects of the above areas: text messaging, web pages and blogs, social
media and video-sharing websites.

20 Language B guide