What is a “text” in IB Lang and Lit?

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This activity is intended to expand students’ notions of what types of text are worthy of examination in IB Language and Literature, and how we can “read” nearly everything around us that we see and hear. It also serves as a good “get-to-know-you” activity as students bring objects from home to share.  

Note: This works best when there is an evening or two at home between Part 1 and Part 2 of this lesson so that students can gather “texts” as homework.  

What is a text? (Slideshow)

Process

Part 1

  1. In small groups, have students write their own definition of a “text.” If they’re struggling, you could suggest defining by negation or making a list of things they would consider to be types of texts.  
  2. Have the groups share out their definitions/ideas to the whole class, taking notes as they talk.  
  3. Now, assign each group one of the four texts on Slides 6-9. You can print out copies of the four texts and give them to the responsible groups. Their task is to make a case that what they are looking at is a text. Give them a few minutes to build their case. 
  4. Have each group defend their text, asking clarifying or provoking questions if they are struggling.  
  5. Return to the list compiled in Step 2, and ask if anyone would like to make modifications.  
  6. Take a look at and read aloud the Lang and Lit guide’s definition of a text on Slide 11. Pause for questions. 
  7. Explain the homework task: Find and bring in a “text” for us to consider. Use the broadest definition of text you can. Perhaps you can only bring in a photo or recording of this “text” – that is fine!   

Part 2

  1. Show the students three of the Readers, Writers and Texts AOE questions as “guiding questions” for today’s lesson:  
    • In what ways is meaning constructed, negotiated, expressed and interpreted?   
    • How does language use vary amongst text types and amongst literary forms?   
    • How does the structure or style of a text affect meaning? 
  2. Start with a text of your own. You’ll see on the slides I brought in a receipt where I bought a book and two greeting cards. Start with the objective (location of store, purchased items and prices, the fact that I have a Mastercard, etc.) and then move into the interpretive (Whose birthdays? Is the book a birthday gift, or for the purchaser herself? Is CHF 33.70 a lot for this person, or a “throwaway” purchase? Why does the receipt say the book title, but not the author?)  
  3. In small groups (you can use the same ones as the previous lesson or mix things up) have students share out their texts. Remind the students not to give any disclaimers about what they’ve brought in – they should let their peers “read” the text first. Without any input from the student who brought in the text, the others should discuss the following questions:  
    • What is this text’s text type?   
    • What does this text objectively communicate?  
    • What does this text imply (hint at without explicitly stating)?   
    • What does the text make you wonder about?  
    • Are there aspects of the text that are open to interpretation? If so, what?  
    • Do you notice anything unique about the structure or style of the text?   
  4. After the students who did not bring in the text discuss for a few minutes, the bringer can finally participate and address what they heard.  
  5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for each group member.  
  6. As a closing conversation, have students find a person they did not work with that day yet to discuss the following question: What did the exercise today make you wonder about how meaning is constructed, negotiated, expressed or interpreted? Use examples from your table to support your response. 

Image by Michael L. Hiraeth from Pixabay