Approaches to teaching world literature in the international baccalaureate diploma program : a narrative inquiry

This research investigates approaches to teaching world literature in the International Baccalaureate (IB) English A program. Reading world literature can connect students with experiences outside their own, and build bridges between different cultures, times, and places. This research suggests practices for the world literature classroom that help students foster understanding between cultures and an awareness of multiple perspectives, and supports the IB aim of creating “a better and more peaceful world” (IB, 2009). Combining literature review with narrative interviews of eleven IB English teachers, the research also articulates challenges to teaching world literature (the enduring power of the literary canon, difficulties of working in translation, prior knowledge of students, limitations of schools and curricula) as well as potential benefits of reading world literature (self awareness, increased empathy, connection to other places and times). The findings suggests that to meet the international and peace aims of the program the IB should take measures to increase the diversity of texts taught in the Works in Translation component of the course and provide additional resources for classroom teachers to engage with new texts outside the traditional canon, with a particular emphasis on the inclusion of Indigenous and post-colonial texts. These approaches will allow students to interact with a broader range of stories and experiences, and contribute to the possibility of a better and more peaceful world.Education, Faculty ofLanguage and Literacy Education (LLED), Department ofGraduat