fruitbowl Posted May 16, 2018 Report Share Posted May 16, 2018 Hi There! I have my English IOC in just under 4 weeks. I am really nervous and I feel so unprepared! In my first IB year I did the Handmaid's tale and some poetry by Wilfred Owen for the IOC. I feel I like I know these texts quite well, however I have't even looked at the Handmaid's tale since last year! Now my class has a new teacher who has no experience with the IB and we have started reading the Crucible verrrryyyy slowly as our final text but we have only just reached act 2. I am so nervous as my teacher really seems very calm about the whole thing but she can't answer a single question about any of the IB assessments without looking in her little guide book or asking another teacher. She is good at teaching the content but we are just doing it so slowly and the IOC is so soon! Does anyone have any good advice on how to prepare for the IOC in the weeks leading up to it? This weekend I am going to re-read the Handmaid's tale and see if I can read ahead a bit with the Crucible. Thanks in advance 🙂 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
voh26 Posted May 17, 2018 Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 You're not alone on this! Most of us worry ourselves to bits about this really intensive oral exam. It's a one-shot deal and it is nerve-wracking! I just completed my mocks (for us it was the IOC) so can say from this little experience -- be super well organised and know your works inside-out. you can never be really enough prepared. If you really have mastered your works, then identify all the key passages and analyse them to death before the IOC. You won't have time to do much thinking on the real thing. Don't hyperventilate in the exam room! Breathe slowly. Two of my classmates blanked out totally. End your IOC really strongly, not with a lame conclusion but a synthesis. Maybe this helps a bit. 2 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingStar16 Posted May 17, 2018 Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 On 5/16/2018 at 4:16 PM, fruitbowl said: Hi There! I have my English IOC in just under 4 weeks. I am really nervous and I feel so unprepared! In my first IB year I did the Handmaid's tale and some poetry by Wilfred Owen for the IOC. I feel I like I know these texts quite well, however I have't even looked at the Handmaid's tale since last year! Now my class has a new teacher who has no experience with the IB and we have started reading the Crucible verrrryyyy slowly as our final text but we have only just reached act 2. I am so nervous as my teacher really seems very calm about the whole thing but she can't answer a single question about any of the IB assessments without looking in her little guide book or asking another teacher. She is good at teaching the content but we are just doing it so slowly and the IOC is so soon! Does anyone have any good advice on how to prepare for the IOC in the weeks leading up to it? This weekend I am going to re-read the Handmaid's tale and see if I can read ahead a bit with the Crucible. Thanks in advance 🙂 As @voh26 said, you can never be too prepared and stay calm in the exam room. This is hard to think of now but it's not going to be as scary as you think it will be. All you can do is familiarize yourself with the works. Another thing I suggest doing is create some outlines of possible commentaries for your passages so that you can practice structuring your ideas. Also, see if there's a friend in your class who you could practice with! I did this back when I was in IB and it was super helpful 2 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitbowl Posted May 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 20, 2018 Thank you so much both of you for your advice! I am so sorry I didn't reply sooner, I was really stressed about my Biology IA, but I've done that now phewww! I really appreciate the responses. I am going to get going on revision this week and try and identify the key moments of the books and do some practice commentaries like suggested! Thanks a million, I feel a lot more confident now 😁 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShootingStar16 Posted May 21, 2018 Report Share Posted May 21, 2018 3 hours ago, fruitbowl said: Thank you so much both of you for your advice! I am so sorry I didn't reply sooner, I was really stressed about my Biology IA, but I've done that now phewww! I really appreciate the responses. I am going to get going on revision this week and try and identify the key moments of the books and do some practice commentaries like suggested! Thanks a million, I feel a lot more confident now 😁 No problem One more thing to add: I remember my English teacher telling us that it will look very impressive if you can remember small stuff like chapter numbers. 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fruitbowl Posted May 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2018 1 hour ago, ShootingStar16 said: No problem One more thing to add: I remember my English teacher telling us that it will look very impressive if you can remember small stuff like chapter numbers. Ok, I'll give it a go! I think my brain will be fried by the end of the IB 😅 1 Reply Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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