As we study a wide range of texts, we stumble upon many critical questions that relate to the nature of knowledge, certainty, belief and truth. Such questions are relevant to the Theory of Knowledge (TOK), which is a core requirement for any IB student. In fact TOK is all about asking questions, of which the most important may be: "How do I know?"

While TOK is often offered as a separate subject, every IB teacher has a responsibility to incorporate the ideas of TOK into the curriculum. In the context of English A: Language and Literature, there are many starting points. Language, after all, is a medium. It is an instrument for attaining knowledge. Literature is a form art, which opens it up to questions of value, tradition and culture. 

How do we structure TOK and integrate it into the Language end Literature classroom? First of all, it is recommended that you read the TOK guide. In this you will find the TOK navigational chart, which can also be found by clicking here. We have used this chart to organize this introductory page to TOK and its relevance to English A: Language and Literature. Once you have become familiar with TOK through this page, we suggest you explore lesson ideas more in depth, which you can find in the menu on the left.

 

Knowers

Knowledge issues - As you read the TOK guide, you will discover that 'knowledge issues' are a rather important concept. In brief these are questions that explore the abstract concepts that can be taken out of real-life situations. For example, you may find an article about a McDonald's ad which aggressively targets children. This is a real-life situation. On a more abstract level, you may want to discuss censorship. Censorship, however, is not quite a knowledge issue. Instead asking a question such as: "How can duty ethics be applied to censorship?" is more relevant to TOK, because it operates an an abstract level and requires theoretical concepts. This is the knowledge issue that we have presented in the lesson on censorship in the left menu. 

Community of knowledge - What is the shared knowledge of a community? Common practices, traditions and customs all seem to rely on knowledge that is taken for granted in a community, often known as 'common sense'. But does common sense exist? Do we really all have a common set of 'truths'? In an English A: Language and Literature class, you may want to explore various proverbs from different cultures. Why do you find some proverbs truer than others? This is the question we ask in the lesson on proverbs and common sense in the left menu.

 

Ways of knowing

Reason - One way to find truth and certainty is through logic. As we analyze persuasive texts, we can ask ourselves how writers and speakers appeal to our sense of logic (logos). This is often done through deductive and inductive reasoning, in other words we usually state several premises before we come to a conclusion. As you look for examples of reasoning in persuasive speeches or texts, you may notice argumentation fallacies or invalid strings of logic. Advertisements may come to hasty generalizations. Applying reason to textual analysis increases critical literacy skills. This has been the approach taken in the lesson on ads and syllogisms. 

Perception - Seeing is believing, right? How might visual texts persuade us more? What is the role of eye-witnesses in journalism? As we read news articles, deconstruct ads and view TV shows, ask yourself how truth is established by appealing to the senses. What is the effect of imagery in poems and speeches?

Emotion - As you analyze various texts you will have discussions on the writer's use of tone and its effect on the audience's mood. How does your sense of intuition guide you on establishing the meaning of a text? How are the writer's emotions reflected in his/her language.

Language - How do words help lead us to the truth? Some words can be very ambiguous or vague. Emotive or sensational language can skew an audience's view on a story or event. As we explore journalism, advertising and literature, ask yourself how language influences people's perception of reality. In one lesson on ambiguity, we learn to identify vague language by studying several examples of spam. 

 

Areas of knowledge

Human sciences - Psychologists and social scientists must also use language. Surveys, referendums and interviews all measure, analyze and assess human behavior using a rather inaccurate instrument: language. Or is language an asset to this process of studying individuals and societies?

Religion - 'Language and belief' happens to be a Part 1 topic. The language of religious doctrine uses a range of stylistic devices. How do religious documents persuade, affirm, heal, give hope or incite anger?

Arts - Over half of our syllabus is devoted to studying the language arts. As we explore literary texts, we must ask ourselves what makes them 'literary' in the first place. Who determines what is poetic, what belongs in the canon or how literature enriches our lives?

Mathematics - Mathematics, it is argued, is the language of physics. Literature and the arts, it is argued, are the language of emotion. How does a system of numbers differ from a system of letters in describing the reality in which we live?

Natural sciences - How is the language of science different from every day communication? In other words, how do scientists use language to describe the natural world? How did Darwin, Newton and Turing use English to convey their messages to the world?

History - How has language skewed or assisted our understanding of history? How have the media used language to shape our understanding of past events? Is it possible to discuss the past without being biased?

Ethics - How do we use language to determine what is right or wrong? How do politicians persuade us to believe in their view of social issues? How are people manipulated through language? Can we use language to 'get away with murder,' literally and figuratively speaking?