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How Singapore Education Works | International Baccalaureate® (IB) Literature and Performance SL 2027: Texts, Theatre and Transformation

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by

eduKate Asia
Three students sit around open books and worksheets at a classroom table, reading, writing and discussing the work together.

Quick answer: IB Literature and Performance is an SL-only interdisciplinary course combining literary analysis and theatre-making. Students study at least five literary works across the main genres, analyse texts, explore dramatic material, transform literature into performance and complete written coursework and oral activities. The formal examinations include an essay on dramatising a novel and a comparative response to poetry.

This guide explains how the course differs from Language A: Literature and IB Theatre, what students actually do, why transformation is central and how Singapore families can assess the practical and academic workload.

Find the answer you need

What is IB Literature and Performance?

Literature and Performance is an interdisciplinary IB Diploma Programme course that brings literary study and theatre together. Students read and analyse literary texts, explore dramatic texts through performance and transform non-dramatic literature into performed work. The course asks how meaning changes when a text moves from page to stage, and how choices made by writers, performers and directors shape an audience’s understanding.

It is available at Standard Level only. It is not a Higher Level course, and it should not be described as a combined HL qualification. The IB recommends a minimum of 150 teaching hours. Students should check whether their school offers the subject and in which language before building a Diploma combination around it.

The subject sits within Studies in Language and Literature but also contributes arts learning. The IB describes it as a course in two Diploma Programme groups through a single offering. It is designed for students who want to develop close reading and critical writing alongside practical performance skills.

How is it different from Language A: Literature?

Language A: Literature focuses on literary works, close reading, interpretation, written analysis and oral discussion. Literature and Performance includes literary study but explicitly integrates theatre-making and performance. Students must think about how a text can be translated into action, space, voice, movement, design and audience experience.

A learner who mainly wants to analyse novels, poetry and drama in essays may prefer Language A: Literature. A learner who is equally interested in literary interpretation and the practical process of staging or transforming texts may find Literature and Performance a better fit.

The courses share expectations for language usage, literary analysis and critical reflection. The difference is not that Literature and Performance is less academically demanding; its interdisciplinary format means students must demonstrate both textual understanding and the ability to make informed performance choices.

How is it different from IB Theatre?

IB Theatre is a separate arts subject focused on theatre-making. Students investigate theatre traditions, stage play texts, create collaborative original theatre and develop practical theatre processes. Literature and Performance begins with literary texts and explores the relationship between the written work and its realisation through performance.

The distinction matters when choosing an arts subject. A student who wants to learn directing, acting, design, world theatre traditions and collaborative theatre creation may look closely at Theatre. A student who wants to integrate literary study with adaptation and performance should consider Literature and Performance.

The subjects may share vocabulary and practical exercises, but their texts, learning objectives and assessment tasks differ. A Theatre project should not automatically be treated as a Literature and Performance assessment, nor should a literature essay be assumed to satisfy a theatre-making requirement.

The concept of transformation

Transformation is a central idea in Literature and Performance. Students examine how a text changes when it is interpreted, adapted or performed, and how contexts of production and reception influence meaning.

A novel can describe a character’s thoughts over many pages. A stage adaptation may need to communicate those thoughts through dialogue, physical action, silence, spatial relationships or visual symbols. The adaptor must decide what to preserve, condense, rearrange or make visible to an audience.

Transformation is not simply shortening a story. It requires understanding the source text and making purposeful choices. If an adaptation removes a narrator, for example, it may need another theatrical device to communicate information that the original narrator supplied.

The audience also participates in meaning. A performance in a small studio creates a different relationship from a large proscenium stage. The same movement, line or image can carry different effects depending on where the audience sits, what they know and the wider context of the production.

What do students study across the course?

The IB organises the course into three connected parts: critical study of literary texts; exploration of approaches to texts; and realisation of texts in performance. Students read works across literary genres and examine how culture, language and context shape meaning.

The IB requires a minimum of five literary works, covering all the main literary genres. The works come from different cultures, periods and forms, including literature in translation. Schools select the works in accordance with IB requirements, so students should request the actual reading list rather than assume every school uses the same texts.

Students also read and perform dramatic texts. They consider how a playwright constructs dialogue, scenes, character relationships and stage possibilities. Practical exploration then allows them to test how performance decisions influence the meaning and reception of the text.

The course encourages movement between reading and making. Students can return to a text after an exercise and see something new in its language or structure. Practical choices should be grounded in close understanding, not in a desire to make a scene look dramatic regardless of what the text is doing.

Critical study: how to read a literary text for performance

Close reading begins by understanding the text itself: its language, structure, voice, imagery, character relationships, narrative methods and context. Students should identify the details that matter to the passage and explain how those details contribute to meaning.

The next question is what performance might make visible. A recurring image could become a physical motif; a shift in narrative perspective might be expressed through changes in voice or spatial focus; an omission in the text might become a deliberate moment of silence. Each choice requires justification from the source material.

A common mistake is to jump straight to staging ideas before understanding the text. A striking prop or lighting effect may look attractive but fail to serve the work. A better process is: read closely, identify an interpretive idea, test how theatre can communicate it, then evaluate whether the result remains faithful to the intention.

Exploring dramatic texts and the issues involved in staging a novel

One formal examination paper requires students to explore issues involved in dramatising a novel. The question asks them to consider how narrative material might be reshaped for performance and what artistic and practical choices that creates.

A novel can move between time periods, narrators and internal thoughts in ways that are difficult to present directly on stage. Students need to decide how to organise scenes, handle narration, represent time, use performers and create transitions. They should explain the effects and limitations of possible choices.

For example, a novel may use an unreliable narrator. A stage version might present the narrator as a visible performer whose account is contradicted by the actions of the other characters. The student should explain how this choice could communicate unreliability and how an audience might interpret the difference between speech and action.

An effective answer does not simply list theatrical devices. It links choices to the novel’s structure and meaning, and recognises that more than one adaptation could be artistically valid.

Comparative poetry and the second examination paper

The second formal examination paper requires a comparative response to poetry studied during the course. Students need to analyse poetic language and form while comparing how different poets construct meaning.

A comparison might consider voice, imagery, rhythm, structure, tone, point of view or the relationship between form and subject. Students should avoid treating the poems as containers of themes that can be compared without attending to how each is written.

For instance, two poems may address loss but use very different structures. One might rely on fragmented lines and abrupt shifts, while another uses a regular pattern that creates a sense of restraint. A strong response explains how those formal choices shape the reader’s or listener’s experience.

The best revision combines close annotation with comparative planning. Students should be ready to adapt an argument to the exact question rather than reproduce a memorised comparison that may not address the prompt.

Written coursework: critical analysis of a play studied and performed

Students produce written coursework based on critical analysis of a play they have studied and performed. The assignment brings together understanding of the dramatic text and practical experience of staging or performing it.

A useful analysis can examine how a performance choice influenced the interpretation of a character, how the use of space changed the audience’s understanding of a relationship, or how a particular scene worked differently in rehearsal and in performance. It should use evidence from the text and the student’s own practical exploration.

The coursework is not simply a diary of rehearsals or a review saying whether the production was enjoyable. It needs critical analysis: what was intended, which choices were made, what happened and what can be learned about the play and its performance.

Students should retain their own notes and follow school guidance on permitted feedback and academic integrity. A tutor can explain literary or theatrical concepts, but the student’s analysis and reflections must be their own.

Performance: transforming literature into a realised work

Students create a performance based on their transformation of literature studied. This component asks them to turn a written text into a performance that communicates an artistic interpretation to an audience.

A successful transformation requires decisions about selection, structure, voice, movement, space, sound and other performance elements. Students should be able to explain why the chosen extract or material is suitable, what the performance is intended to communicate and how the theatrical choices support that intention.

The performance should not be treated as a simple reading aloud of a passage. The student must use the practical and symbolic possibilities of theatre to interpret the literature. At the same time, the performance should remain recognisably connected to the source text and not become an unrelated piece inspired only by its title.

Rehearsal is a process of testing. A gesture may not communicate clearly; a transition may disrupt the emotional structure; a line may need a different pace or relationship to the audience. Students should evaluate these decisions and make purposeful refinements.

Oral presentation and explaining artistic decisions

Students also complete an oral presentation. They need to communicate their understanding of the relationship between literature and performance, and explain choices arising from their study and practice.

A strong presentation uses specific examples from the studied texts and practical work. It explains how a particular performance idea was developed, what the student learned about the text and how the audience’s experience might change as a result.

Students should practise speaking clearly and organising their explanation around a central idea. They should not rely on a long list of theatrical vocabulary without showing how the terms relate to the work. A simple, well-supported explanation is more persuasive than jargon that hides uncertainty.

Assessment: what students should prepare for

The IB describes a combination of two formal examination essays, written coursework, performance and oral activities. The formal examination comprises one essay exploring issues involved in dramatising a novel and one comparative response to poetry studied.

The coursework includes critical analysis of a play studied and performed, performance based on the transformation of literature studied, and an oral presentation. Because the subject combines several modes of assessment, students need a plan that balances reading, writing, rehearsal and practical preparation.

It is important not to confuse Literature and Performance with the more common Language A: Literature assessment format. Students should use the dedicated Literature and Performance subject brief and the school’s course instructions for the exact task requirements and submission arrangements.

The course is SL only and requires a minimum of 150 class hours. There is no HL version of the subject, so a student should not search for a separate HL Paper 3 or assume they can register for Literature and Performance HL.

How to choose works and build a strong reading list

The minimum of five literary works must cover the main literary genres. A balanced reading list allows students to encounter different forms and performance possibilities rather than selecting five works that all require the same interpretive approach.

When studying a work, record its central concerns, structure, voice, imagery, context and any theatrical possibilities. Ask which passages could be transformed into performance and what would need to change. A work with a complex narrator may create different staging challenges from a play written primarily through dialogue.

Students should read works in the editions selected by the school and keep accurate details for references. Where works are translated, note the translation and recognise that language choices can affect tone, rhythm and meaning.

Singapore performance contexts and responsible adaptation

Singapore offers many possible contexts for exploring literature and performance, including multilingual writing, local theatre, community narratives, family stories and works addressing social change. Students should investigate cultural and historical context carefully, rather than assume a story from one community can represent everyone in it.

When transforming a text connected with a cultural tradition, students should research the source and acknowledge the people and communities whose work or knowledge informs the performance. Permission may be necessary for recordings, music, images or other protected creative material.

A thoughtful adaptation can make a text newly meaningful without claiming ownership of experiences that the student has not understood. It should be clear what has been transformed, what has been retained and how the performance respects the complexity of the original work.

Who should consider this course?

Literature and Performance may suit students who enjoy reading and analysing literature and are also interested in acting, directing, staging or transforming texts. It can be especially engaging for learners who want to understand how written meaning changes when it becomes embodied and shared with an audience.

It may be less suitable for a student who wants only a conventional literary essay course or who does not want to participate in practical performance work. In that case, Language A: Literature may be more appropriate. A student more interested in theatre traditions and collaborative production as a discipline may prefer IB Theatre.

The subject is academically serious and involves both written and practical commitments. Families should ask the school about performance space, teacher expertise, selected works, production resources and how the assessment timetable fits the other five Diploma subjects.

University pathways and future study

Literature and Performance can support interests in literature, theatre, performance studies, creative writing, media, communications and interdisciplinary arts. The course develops close reading, communication, interpretation, creative decision-making and the ability to explain artistic intent.

Universities and conservatories may require auditions, portfolios, interviews or additional academic qualifications. The IB course alone does not guarantee admission to a particular arts programme. Students intending to study law, medicine, engineering or another specific degree should check the subject prerequisites independently.

Because the course is SL only, students should plan the rest of the Diploma carefully. It can be a meaningful choice within a balanced programme, but the student’s overall HL subjects and university requirements still determine whether future options remain open.

Literature and Performance SL checklist

  • Confirm the school offers Literature and Performance in the student’s response language.
  • Remember that the IB course is SL only; there is no HL registration.
  • Request the selected reading list and verify that at least five literary works cover the main genres.
  • Practise close reading and explain how textual choices create meaning.
  • Study how a novel or other literary text can be transformed into performance.
  • Prepare for the essay on dramatising a novel and comparative poetry essay.
  • Keep evidence of practical exploration, rehearsal decisions and performance reflection.
  • Develop the written play analysis, transformed performance and oral presentation.
  • Check performance space, recording, permissions and school submission requirements.
  • Balance the reading and performance workload with the other Diploma subjects.

Frequently asked questions

Is IB Literature and Performance offered at HL?

No. It is available at Standard Level only.

How many literary works must students study?

At least five works covering all the main literary genres.

How many teaching hours are recommended?

The IB specifies a minimum of 150 class hours at SL.

What are the three parts of the course?

Critical study of literary texts, exploration of approaches to texts, and realisation of texts in performance.

Does the course include formal examinations?

Yes. There are two essay papers: one on dramatising a novel and one comparing poetry studied.

Does the course include performance?

Yes. Students transform literature into a realised performance and complete written coursework and oral activities.

Is it the same as Language A: Literature?

No. It integrates literature study with practical theatre and performance.

Is it the same as IB Theatre?

No. Theatre focuses more broadly on theatre-making, traditions and collaborative creation; Literature and Performance centres on transforming literary texts.

Can a student take Literature and Performance HL?

No. The IB course is SL only; students should select their other HL subjects separately.

Official sources and connected eduKateSG guides

Reviewed 10 November 2026. The course structure reflects the IB Literature and Performance subject description updated 19 February 2026. The exact school reading list, assessment calendar and performance submission requirements should be confirmed with the school’s Diploma Programme coordinator. eduKateSG is an independent educational publisher.

These guides cover different parts of the Diploma: mathematics subject choice, an interdisciplinary literary and theatre course, and independent research. Always match the correct course guide to the student’s first assessment year and intended university pathway.