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T H E E N G L I S H N A T I O N A L P R O G R A M M E
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T H E E N G L I S H N A T I O N A L P R O G R A M M E
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OIB in both its senior and junior versions is proof of how good you are as a bilingual student. The senior (‘baccalauréat’-level) OIB is relatively well known by universities in England. The fact that this senior version of the OIB is academically demanding will be to your credit in references written for university applications to both Britain and the USA.
It is also important to see that English and history-geography studied within the OIB structure may help you to pass the brevet or the ‘baccalauréat’, as a whole, particularly if your command of French is weaker.
The OIB ‘brevet’ examination (taken in 3ème) marks the end of the first stage of your education within the French system. The normal brevet includes examinations in mathematics, French and history-geography as well as a continuous-assessment mark in your foreign languages and other subjects.
But if you take the ‘option internationale du brevet’, you will take two special brevet papers:
Both papers are taken in late June or early July. The language and literature paper is prepared by reading and written work done in English. All students are given practice in sitting such papers, and in dealing with the type of exercises involved. The exam is both a good test of the student’s ability in English and good examination practice for GCSEs and for the ‘baccalauréat’ itself.
The course in history-geography for the International Option of the Brevet includes European history from 1919 until 1990, some topics being covered in French by the French history-geography teacher and some in English by the English National teacher. The geography of the main economic powers, America, Japan and the European Union is studied in English, while France is taught by French teachers.
The OIB 'baccalauréat' examination (taken at the end of ‘terminale’) forms an integral part of the ‘baccalauréat’. As in the brevet, two subjects are involved.
History-geography involves study over 2 years. In lère students receive 2 hours per week of tuition in English, in ‘terminale’ 3 hours per week. In addition to this, in both years, 2 hours each week are taught in French. Work over the 2 years is consistently demanding and is tested jointly by French and English teachers throughout the course. Attendance at lessons is not enough on its own - personal commitment to the subject and personal research are regarded as essential. The content of the ‘terminale’ course forms the basis of the final examination, but what is studied in 1ère prepares for and leads on to this. In 1ère European history from 1815 until 1939 is studied, topics being divided between French and English teachers. International relations between the two World Wars are also studied, along with the rise of totalitarianism. In ‘terminale’ students go on to study European history 1939–1979, including the Second World War, the Cold War, European integration, decolonisation, the Middle East, the UN and key periods in the internal politics of both France and Great Britain.The course in geography over the two years includes study of key issues, such as population, urban change and industrial decline.
In 1ère, the focus is upon the more developed regions, including Britain and France, while in ‘terminale’ it is on underdevelopment (issues such as poverty, debt, aid, trade, agriculture, health and education). America and Japan are studied in the parts of the course taught by the French teacher in ‘terminale’. There are joint French and English tests (‘devoirs commun’) throughout the course. There are two final papers in the ‘baccalaureat’: one written (4 hours) and one oral (20 minutes after 25 minutes preparation). Students revise a list of five topics in history and five in geography during the eight weeks preceding the oral examination. One of these is chosen at random as the basis of the oral exam.
English forms the other part of the OIB. This course also demands consistent work over the 2 years of the course. It is of the standard of British A level, although fewer full-length texts are studied. Again, a 4 hour written paper and a 30 minute oral constitute the final examinations. In total, six texts are studied – three for the oral examination (two chosen from drama, poetry, prose fiction and a compulsory Shakespeare play), and three for the written (poetry, prose fiction and a play). The written examination also includes an unseen component – a critical appreciation of a passage of prose or poetry.
As with history-geography, simple attendance in lessons is not enough. Participation in class is vital, as the oral is rigorous and demands, like the written exam, both a good knowledge of all texts studied and mastery of literary analysis. Students will be asked to submit written work consistently throughout the course, and to build up skills of essay writing and analysis as well as confidence in writing analytically and with commitment in response to literature. All students take this course in 1ère, since it is the best way of ensuring that their skills in English continue to develop. Only those taking the option in the ‘baccalauréat’ will carry on with the course into ‘terminale’.
The coefficients applying to the OIB in the various versions of the ‘baccalauréat’ are as follows:
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BACCALAUREAT |
ES |
L |
S |
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HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY |
9 |
8 |
7 |
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ENGLISH |
9 |
10 |
9 |
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(approx. % of overall marks) |
40% |
40% |
35% |
Those who do not carry on with the OIB in ‘terminale’ prepare the LVI written or LV2 oral or written papers for the French ‘baccalauréat’. This preparation is done within separate English National lessons, and takes three hours per week.
One important option exists in the French ‘baccalauréat’ which all non-OIB students should consider taking. This is the option of taking English as a ‘specialité’ (that is, a ‘langue vivante renforcée’) within the ‘L’ or ‘ES’ ‘baccalauréats’.
Students taking this option take the written paper in English in the normal way. They add to this an oral examination, based upon the study of a set of short or longer texts in English. This is prepared within two hours a week, taught by a French teacher of English. The written paper has a coefficient of 4 in 'L' and 3 in ‘ES’ and the oral of 4 in 'L' and 2 in 'ES', giving these options a significant weight in the overall ‘baccalauréat’ result.
Please note that within these ‘baccalauréats’, choosing English will prevent you from taking another subject as a ‘specialité’. Students who think they will take one of these options within ‘L’ or 'ES' in the ‘baccalauréat’ should indicate this on their options-form.