INDIVIDUAL ORAL COMMENTARY

IB Language and Literature: Modern Greek

SL / HL Part 4
(Critical Study and Evaluation of Literature Texts / Extracts /
Contexts)

Instructions and Tips for a Successful IOC

What a commentary is?
o a close examination of a poem or passage (40 lines maximum) in
which the student makes salient comments on the craftsmanship of
the writer. This craftsmanship is demonstrated in the work that the
student examines
o a discussion of literary effects achieved in the passage and how they
are achieved. (In other words, use the poem/passage to prove that the
author used specific techniques to create an artistic effect)
o a culminating activity reflecting a student's understanding of the
authors purpose in a given work
What a commentary IS NOT:
NOT an unveiling of "what the author really means"
NOT a paraphrase or a summary of the work (although a

summary might be included in your commentary)

NOT an introduction to the work.

Tips of how to prepare Literary Commentary:

1. Relax.
2. Read the poem or poem/passage slowly and carefully.
3. Read it again and jot down your first, gut-level response to the
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5.

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text. Don't analyze it or question it; just get it down.

Read it again and underline any words or phrases that strike you
for any reason. Maybe they seem important, create an image,
indicate symbols or foreshadow events.
Read it again and look for patterns, repetitions or connections
among the things you underlined. Make notes that indicate what
you see.
Write down (on scrap paper) what the passage evokes in you.
Include examples. Use this to determine a possible focus/theme
of the text.
Write down (on scrap paper) how the text or parts of the text
develop the theme or how they advance the focus/theme.

DO NOT GIVE A PLOT SUMMARY.

8. Write down (on scrap paper) how the author's style or technique

advances the focus/theme.

9. Review all your notes, underlined words and writings; and
organize the information. Discard what you don't need or can't
use. Get the raw information into an organized form.
10.Based on the work you ve already done, make a brief outline of
what you will say. Remember, never read your oral commentary
straight from your notes.
Arrange your commentary in a way that feels natural to you and
makes sense.
Use specific quotations from the poem/passage wherever you
can.
Speak calmly--don't rush. Don't try to sound sophisticated; just
be yourself.

Things That Should Go In Your Commentary

Make sure you do as much of the following as you can in your
commentary:
o briefly summarize the passage as a whole (DO NOT paraphrase an
entire poem/passage line-by-line);
o identify and discuss key words, lines, images, symbols, motifs, word
choice, repetitions, sounds and structure;
o talk or write about characters, theme, events, narrative voice, tone, the
author's style, use of time, atmosphere, irony, humor, contrasts, etc.;
o explain what poetic devices are used (if any);
o answer the guiding questions
o cover the entire poem/passage.
Ten Key Tips:
Focus. Don't begin a commentary without having a clear idea where you
are going and what you are going to say. It is critical that you learn to
zero in on one or two critical focal points. Determine which are the key
ideas and build your commentary around them. If you repeat some of
the themes or main ideas throughout your commentary, this will help to
pull it together much more coherently.
Organize. In order to sound coherent, you have to sound organized. In
order to sound organized, there must be a loose hierarchy or order of
ideas in your commentary. Your focal points and key words will help
you sound prepared and organized, rather than careless and haphazard.
Engage. Come to grips with the passage. To do this, you must do
several careful readings of the passage--preferably with colored pens or
pencils. In other words, engage the material in a serious, thoughtful
manner. To do this, you must engage the material on both intellectual
and emotional levels. Engage means to give yourself over to, to involve

yourself, to enter into conflict, to take part, to be active, to entangle, to

be voluntarily committed and personally involved.
Emote. Inject some emotion, opinion, something of yourself and your
beliefs into your commentary. In other words, don't be boring.
Play. Have fun with the language. Play with the passage. Tear it
apart. Put it back together.
Assert. Be mildly aggressive and assertive. This is your chance to show
off what you know. Don't be cocky and arrogant, but DO be confident,
energetic and stylish.
Communicate. Use an appropriate register. Don't use too many
colloquialisms, slang expressions, etc.
Cohere. Comment on literary devices and techniques, but not at the
expense of meaning and coherence.
Think. Discuss the passage in a manner that makes you come off as
thoughtful and intelligent. But don't be afraid to be original,
independent, and creative.

Parting Advice:
Candidates need to practice literary analysis, looking closely at how
literature is constructed and its effect/impact.
Literary features must be discussed thoughtfully so that more than a
superficial understanding of them is displayed.
The student should be able to discuss not only what a character does,
but also how the author elicits a response.

Candidates should bring their own insights to the commentary and not
feel compelled to repeat taught material.
The candidate must be able to discuss the underlying or universal
values.
We do not want set patterns or prepared responses. We want a fresh,
lively, clear, involved, sprightly, engaged response. We are looking for
'signs of life.'
The candidate must talk about not only 'what' is written, but 'how' it is
written.
The candidate must be precise in his or her use of language and must be
able to make careful distinctions.