THE IB MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME IB MYP HANDBOOK...The IB believes that teachers are best placed to assess the work of their MYP students; the assessment model supports the professional

THE IB MIDDLE YEARS

PROGRAMME

IB MYP HANDBOOK

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King Abdulaziz School

Middle Years Programme (MYP)

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IB MISSION STATEMENT:

The International Baccalaureate® aims to develop

inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who

help to create a better and more peaceful world

through intercultural understanding and respect.

To this end the organization works with schools,

governments and international organizations to

develop challenging programs of international

education and rigorous assessment.

These programs encourage students across the world

to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners

who understand that other people, with their

differences, can also be right.

The School Mission Statement

King Abdulaziz School strives to cultivate dynamic educational experiences that prepare students for life. It aims at providing a stimulating academic programme and a friendly learning environment that enable students to reach their full potential intellectually, physically and emotionally. King Abdulaziz School prepares students to be open to other perspectives, values and traditions whilst recognizing their own identity and taking pride in their cultural heritage.

The School Vision Statement

To inspire the individual potential of all students and

enable them to become principled, proficient, inquiring,

and caring lifelong learners.

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The School Philosophy

King Abdulaziz School believes that the aim of education is to foster the development of the child as

a whole person. We believe students should be encouraged to think critically, creatively and become

autonomous learners, and exploit their academic and personal potential. We want students to be

productive in their lives, to appreciate and respect different cultures and feel responsible to serve

their own country and the world at large.

We believe learners bring their own strengths and uniqueness to the classroom. Our teachers strive

to cultivate learning partnerships with our learners. Teaching is not about instructing or imparting

information to learners as if their minds are waiting to be filled with information. Rather, we believe

that teaching is about empowering learners to take responsibility for their learning, inspiring courage

to grow intellectually, cultivating curiosity, providing opportunities for developing relationships,

clarifying values, uplifting the spirit and igniting action.

Rigorous assessments are essential in all aspects of teaching and learning. Assessing aims to discover

what our learners know and have learned at different stages in the learning process. We believe that

effective assessments cover the five essential elements of learning; the acquisition of knowledge,

understanding of concepts, the mastering of skills, the development of attitudes and encouraging the

initiative to take action. Effective assessments allow learners to share their understanding with others

by using a variety of ways, based on their learning styles, abilities and multiple intelligences.

Moreover, effective assessments enable learners to base their learning on real-life experiences that

can lead to further inquiries.

A thorough education includes the development of the qualities of compassion, tolerance, respect

for the rights and cultures of all people, the skills for the peaceful resolution of conflict, and the

development of environmental responsibility. Our School aims to prepare young minds in becoming

leaders, which meet the global challenges of the 21st century and grow to become internationally-

minded individuals that push for positive change in the world.

Our school fosters an atmosphere of academic excellence and encourages intellectual inquiry and

critical thinking. Our classrooms aim to achieve a holistic environment that nurtures the whole

student.

Our Beliefs: * Students will receive a well-rounded education. *Collaboration between faculty and staff is necessary for providing students with the best education

possible.

*Partnerships with family and community are important to have successful schools.

*Teachers will teach to the whole child.

*Essential lessons and activities will be creative and cutting edge.

*Teachers will foster a caring and safe atmosphere in the classroom.

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What is the MYP? The IB Middle Years Programme at King Abdulaziz School is designed for students aged 11 to 16, which provides a framework of academic challenge that encourages students to embrace and understand the connections between traditional subjects and the real world and become critical and reflective thinkers.

What are the benefits of the MYP?

• Students are challenged in all areas of the curriculum.

• Students are involved in a world-recognized programme.

• It promotes a well-balanced education.

• It promotes international and intercultural awareness.

• It provides a strong foundation for success in the Diploma Programme.

The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is guided by three fundamental concepts rooted in the IB mission statement. These concepts are:

Holistic Learning

While maintaining excellent standards of teaching and learning in and across a wide and balanced range of traditional subjects at King Abdulaziz School, the MYP also has an extra emphasis on the interrelatedness of the subjects. This encourages the students to consider issues and problems from a variety of points of view. The students learn to combine relevant knowledge, experience and critical thinking to solve real problems.

Intercultural Awareness

The MYP develops students’ attitudes, knowledge and skills as they learn about their own and others’ cultures. MYP teaching and learning encourages tolerance, respect and empathy. This is an essential part of education to create a better and more peaceful world in the future.

Communication Good command of one’s own language enables clear expression of ideas, attitudes and feelings. The learning of other languages extends the student’s ability to communicate and it teaches appreciation of different cultures and ways of thinking. Good communication is also about listening to others and understanding variations and nuances. The MYP also encourages students to explore various modes of expression.

Further benefits of the MYP are:

• The curriculum is academically rigorous and challenging

• It fosters in students a positive attitude to learning through its focus on problem-solving, creativity, ingenuity and active community involvement

• Through the Areas of Interaction, students can experience more clearly the connections between academic subjects and real-world issues

• It encourages critical thinking in the student as well as personal and academic reflection

• It develops strong research and investigative skills in the student

• Students are taught how to learn independently and effectively

• There is a strong focus on assessment for learning

Overall, the MYP is especially designed to help adolescents adjust to life in the 21st century. It is a difficult time for these young people as they learn to cope with a constantly-changing and increasingly-interconnected world. The MYP provides them with the knowledge and skills they need as they grow, helping the students to find a sense of belonging. The MYP emphasizes, through

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the Learner Profile, the physical, intellectual, social, emotional and ethical development of the whole person.

GLOBAL CONTEXTS:

Six broad themes provide the basis for international mindedness and global engagement. They are called Global Contexts which answer the following questions:

• Why are we engaged in this inquiry? • Why are these concepts important? • Why is it important for me to understand? • Why do people care about these topics?

IB Objectives: The objectives of each subject group are more specific and represent the knowledge, understanding, skills and attitudes that must be taught so that students can achieve the aims of the subject groups. These objectives link with the attributes of the IB learner profile and aspects of the MYP fundamental concepts.

Subject Specific Curriculum Plans: For the successful implementation of the IB programme, planning the curriculum is considered as having vertical and horizontal components. As a result of vertical and horizontal planning, teachers develop subject-based MYP units of work within the whole-school curriculum framework. (MYP: From principles into practice)

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MYP Units of Work: MYP units can be subject-based or interdisciplinary in nature. Developing interdisciplinary units can draw together elements of different subject areas to support a deeper exploration of subject content. These units will be planned by teams of teachers working in collaboration, guided by common planning documents and curriculum plans. (MYP: From principles into practice)

Assessment in the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme Internal Assessment

Assessment in the MYP is best described as internal, as opposed to external, because the assessment tasks, strategies and tools are designed, developed and applied by teachers working with students in their schools.

The IB believes that teachers are best placed to assess the work of their MYP students; the assessment model supports the professional judgment of the teacher in deciding the levels of achievements of individual students.

1. Criterion-related Assessment

Assessment in the MYP is “criterion-related”. This means that students are assessed against carefully- designed standards pre-determined by the IBO. These criteria directly relate to the objectives of each subject and they reflect the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed in each subject.

The Purposes of Assessment in the IB MYP At King Abdulaziz School, assessment is integral to all teaching and learning and supports the principles of the MYP.

Assessment in the MYP aims to:

· Encourage, support and extend student learning by providing timely feedback on the learning process

· Inform and improve the teaching process by providing feedback for teachers · Promote positive student attitudes towards learning · Promote a deep understanding of subject content by supporting students in their inquiries set in

real-world contexts using the Areas of Interaction · Promote the development of higher-order cognitive skills by providing rigorous final objectives

that value these skills · Reflect the international-mindedness of the programme by allowing for assessments to be set in

a variety of linguistic and cultural contexts · Support the holistic nature of the programme by including principles that take account of the

development of the whole student. Furthermore, MYP assessment should:

· Be age appropriate · Be aligned to subject objectives · Take into account the diverse ways in which individual students understand and communicate

their experiences

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· Frequently assess the processes of learning (formative assessment) as well as the products of learning (summative assessment) as both are necessary and important parts of the learning process

· Gather information from a variety of perspectives, using a range of tasks according to the needs of the subject and the nature of what is being assessed

· Provide adequate opportunities for students to show clearly what they can achieve · Include self-assessment and peer-assessment to enable students to take increasing responsibility

for their own learning

Assessment Strategies and Tasks:

· Observation of student (particularly useful for assessing some attitudes and skills) · Selected responses (tests and quizzes) · Open-ended tasks (essays, diagrams, presentations, organized debates, problem-solving

activities, investigations and research) · Performances · Hands-on experimentation · Process journals (reflection) · Portfolio assessment

The IB Continuum An IB Education, in all of the programmes offered in King Abdulaziz School, empowers young people for a lifetime of learning, both independently and in collaboration with others. It prepares them to engage with complex global challenges through a dynamic educational experience framed by inquiry, action and reflection.

Teaching and Learning in the IB

Teaching and learning in the IB celebrates the many ways people work together to construct meaning and

make sense of the world. Through the interplay of asking, doing and thinking, this constructivist approach

leads towards open, democratic classrooms. An IB education empowers young people for a lifetime of

learning independently and in collaboration with others. It prepares a community of learners to engage

with global challenges through inquiry, action and reflection.

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Inquiry: Sustained inquiry forms the centerpiece of the written, taught and assessed curriculum in IB programmes. IB programmes feature structured inquiry both into established bodies of knowledge and into complex problems. In this approach, prior knowledge and experience establish the basis for new learning, and students’ own curiosity provides the most effective provocation for learning that is engaging, relevant, challenging and significant.

Action Principled action, as both a strategy and an outcome, represents the IB’s commitment to teaching and learning through practical, real-world experience. IB learners act at home, as well as in classrooms, schools, communities and the broader world. Action involves learning by doing, which enhances learning about self and others. IB World Schools value action that encompasses a concern for integrity and honesty, as well as a strong sense of fairness that respects the dignity of individuals and groups. Principled action means making responsible choices, sometimes including decisions not to act. Individuals, organizations and communities can engage in principled action when they explore the ethical dimensions of personal and global challenges. Action in IB programmes may involve service, learning, and advocacy.

Reflection Critical reflection is the process by which curiosity and experience can lead to deeper

understanding. Reflective thinkers must become critically-aware of their evidence, methods and

conclusions. Reflection also involves being conscious of potential bias and inaccuracy in one’s own

work and in the work of others.

An IB education fosters creativity and imagination. It offers students opportunities for considering

the nature of human thought and for developing the skills and commitments necessary not only to

remember, but also to analyze one’s own thinking and effort—as well as the products and

performances that grow from them.

Through inquiry, action and reflection, IB programmes aim to develop a range of thinking, self-

management, social communication and research skills referred to in IB programmes as

“approaches to learning”.

Effective teaching and learning requires meaningful assessment. IB World Schools strive to clarify the purpose of student assessment, the criteria for success and the methods by which assessments are made. In IB programmes, assessment is ongoing, varied and integral to the curriculum.

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The IB Middle Years Program The IB goal here at King Abdulaziz School is to provide students with the values and opportunities that will enable them to develop sound judgments, make wise choices and respect others in the global community. The IB MYP Philosophy The IB MYP emphasizes Holistic Learning. The IB MYP should expose students to as many different subjects, skills and experiences as possible so that students will learn to see knowledge.

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The IB Middle Years Programme King Abdulaziz School adopted the IB MYP because the philosophy and objectives of this programme reflect those of the school. In addition, the IB MYP: • Is an international programme with no bias towards any particular national system

• Provides for vertical consistency across Grades with the IB Diploma in Grades 11 and 12 and with the PYP; many elements of the IB MYP are common to the skills required by the Diploma and developed in the PYP

• Provides assessment, within the IB MYP subjects, which shares a common approach by being criterion-related and inquiry-based

• Has strong, interdisciplinary elements

• Is flexible enough to allow King Abdulaziz School to design the curriculum to fit student needs

• Does not prescribe content of subject areas but does provide a framework for their delivery

• Supports curriculum development and external evaluation

The assessment within each subject is designed to help students and parents recognize a student’s individual strengths and weaknesses according to the particular set of skills necessary for achievement.

IB MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAMME GRADES 6 – 10 CURRICULUM

INTRODUCTION

King Abdulaziz School follows the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) for students in Grades 6 - 10. The IB MYP, for students aged 11 to 16, provides a framework of academic challenge that encourages students to embrace and understand the connections between traditional subjects and the real world and become critical and reflective thinkers.

IB MYP The IB MYP is designed to provide students with the values and opportunities that will enable them to develop sound judgment. The IB MYP is guided by three fundamental concepts:

• Holistic learning - representing the notion that all knowledge is interrelated and that the

curriculum should cater to the development of the whole person, the attributes of which are described by the IB learner profile.

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• Intercultural awareness - representing the notion that school communities should encourage and promote international- mindedness by engaging with and exploring other cultures, a key feature of international education as reflected in the attributes of the IB learner profile.

• Communication - representing the notion that schools should encourage open and effective

communication, important skills that contribute to international understanding as exemplified by the attributes of the IB learner profile.

The programme: o encourages a positive attitude to learning by challenging students to solve problems, show

creativity and resourcefulness and participate actively in their communities

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o reflects real life by providing a framework that allows students to see the connections among the subjects themselves, and between the subjects and real issues

o emphasizes, through the learner profile, the development of the whole student–physically, intellectually, emotionally and ethically.

TEACHERS’ ROLES:

Our teachers offer a variety of teaching and learning methodologies and we actively promote the

sharing of ‘good practice’ through whole school initiatives and via formal and informal channels.

We encourage the students to become intellectual risk-takers and believe that they should be

supported when they do so. The learning experience at King Abdulaziz School aims to produce a

climate where students can discover how they learn best in different contexts.

Curriculum Outline In the MYP we build on the inquiry-based learning that takes place in the Primary Years Programme and prepares students for the challenges, which lie ahead in the IB Diploma. The International Baccalaureate’s MYP is a curriculum framework that allows schools to adapt their content to best meet the needs of their learners in the local context.

The programme is designed to: • be age-appropriate • be rigorous, skills-driven and academically demanding, for example, in the graduating

year, students complete a sustained personal investigation • promote the mastery of approaches to learning, a skill set to guide independent inquiry • develop self-awareness through opportunities for continuous reflection • encourage involvement in meaningful community and service • promote global citizenship and a sense of international mindedness • help students take informed decisions and exercise sound judgment in many contexts • help students lead a healthy and balanced lifestyle • give students the opportunity to develop their creativity, power of expression and individuality

CURRICULUM STRUCTURE The IB MYP consists of eight subject groups integrated through five areas of interaction that provide a framework for learning within and across the subjects. The curriculum includes the following subjects: Arts: Visual Arts, Drama Individuals & Societies: Integrated Humanities, Geography, History Language and Literature: Arabic and English Mathematics: Connected Maths, Pre- Algebra, Algebra l, Geometry, Physical Education & Health Sciences: General Science (Grades 6–8), Biology, Chemistry, Physics (Grades 9-10) Technology/ Design: Product Design (PD), Digital Design (DD) Ministry Required Subjects: Arabic, Religion and Social Studies

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AREAS OF INTERACTION: Approaches to learning (ATL) Through ATL, students at King Abdulaziz School develop the tools to enable them to take responsibility for their own learning and to develop an awareness of how they learn best, of thought processes and of learning strategies. Community and service This component requires students to take an active part in the communities in which they live, thereby encouraging responsible citizenship.

Human ingenuity Students explore in multiple ways the processes and products of human creativity, thus learning to appreciate and develop in themselves the human capacity to influence, transform, enjoy and improve the quality of life.

Environments This area aims to develop students’ awareness of their interdependence with the environment so that they understand and accept their responsibilities.

Health and social education This area deals with physical, social and emotional health and intelligence — key aspects of development leading to complete and healthy lives.

Community & Service (C&S) In Grades 6-10, all MYP students at King Abdulaziz School are encouraged to participate in community and service-based activities. It is up to the student to select and reflect upon what constitutes a C&S activity. By Grades 9-10, students should be able to show personal initiative through their C&S choices and activities. Each student is required to complete three C&S reflections and completion of these activities is recorded in semester reports. The portfolios may also contain photographs, journal entries, poems, etc. In Grades 6 to 8, C&S guidance is strong, whereas by Grades 9-10, students take more C&S responsibility. The C&S Coordinator publishes and promotes various C&S activities, exchanges and trips throughout the year. These are advertised in student assemblies. newsletter and within the wider community. Students must keep a journal or portfolio of evidence of their activities. In Grades 9-10, students have a C&S interview in mid-May to check on their progress and verify their commitment to the programme. During the interviews, the students’ reflections and conversation will be used to show evidence of the C&S outcomes listed below:

• become more aware of their own strengths and areas for growth;

• undertake challenges that develop new skills;

• discuss, evaluate and plan student-initiated activities;

• persevere in action;

• work collaboratively with others;

• develop international-mindedness through global engagement, multilingualism and intercultural understanding;

• consider the ethical implications of their actions.

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C&S is a requirement for IB MYP graduation and is continued in the IB DP. Although students may turn in reflection sheets for their portfolios at any time, Grades 9-10 are requested to respect the final deadlines in early May so that the portfolios are complete for the interviews.

MYP Curriculum Framework The MYP Curriculum Model reveals how students must study at least one subject strand within each of the eight MYP subject areas. There is a minimum time of 50 hours requirement per year that the school must meet for each of these areas, which shows the commitment the MYP has to every subject.

The Learner Profile is core to the model and emphasizes the central importance of each student. Encircling the Learner Profile of the student are the Global Contexts which link the subjects and student learning to the real world. The Global Contexts compose a middle ring representing the relationship generated between the learner and the subjects.

The Approaches to Learning (ATL) embrace the skills students develop in each grade to understand and manage their own learning process.

A Concept-driven Curriculum A concept is a big idea — a principle or conception that is enduring, the significance of which goes beyond aspects such as particular origins, subject matter or place in time. Concepts represent the vehicle for students’ inquiry into issues and ideas of personal, local and global significance, providing the means by which the essence of a subject can be explored. The MYP identifies prescribed key concepts and related concepts. These concepts ensure the development of a rigorous curriculum and promote a shared community of practice among IB World Schools offering the MYP. A concept-based model is used in the MYP because it encourages students to: • Process factual knowledge at a deeper intellectual level as they relate the facts to concepts and

essential conceptual understandings. • Create personal relevance, as students relate new knowledge to prior knowledge, and

encourage understanding of cultures and environments across global contexts through the transfer of knowledge

• Bring their personal intellect to the study as they use a key concept to personally focus on the unit topic in order to increase motivation for learning

• Increase fluency with language as students use factual information to explain and support their deeper conceptual understanding

• Achieve higher levels of critical, creative and conceptual thinking as students analyze complex global challenges and create greater subject depth through the study of discipline-specific related concepts.

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Global Contexts Subject content is organized around themes or perspectives called Global Contexts. They are designed to encourage the students to make worthwhile connections between the real world and classroom learning. At King Abdulaziz School, we expose students to teaching and learning in the MYP which involves understanding concepts in context. Global contexts provide a common language for powerful contextual learning, identifying specific settings, events or circumstances that provide more concrete perspectives for teaching and learning. When teachers select a global context for learning, they are answering the following questions.

• Why are we engaged in this inquiry? • Why are these concepts important? • Why is it important for me to understand? • Why do people care about this topic?

The six MYP Global Contexts inspire explorations of our common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet. They invite reflection on local, national and global communities, as well as the real-life issues and concerns of 12 to 16-year-old students. For each MYP unit, teachers should identify one global context that establishes a focus for meaningful teaching and learning in a programme of international education. Over the course of their study, students should encounter all six global contexts. MYP global contexts provide common points of entry for inquiries into what it means to be internationally-minded, framing a curriculum that promotes multilingualism, intercultural understanding and global engagement. These contexts build on the powerful themes of global significance that structure teaching and learning in the Primary Years Programme (see below), creating relevance for adolescent learners.

Primary Years Programme (PYP) K – G 5 Transdisciplinary themes:

Who we are? Where we are in place and time? How we express ourselves?

How the world works? How we organize ourselves? Sharing the planet

Middle Years Programme (MYP (G 6 – 10) Global contexts: Identities and relationships Orientation in space and time Personal and cultural expression Scientific and technical innovation Globalization and sustainability Fairness and development

Inquiring into subject content through a global context enables students to develop a deeper understanding of both the subject and its application in the real world. Repeated cycles of inquiry, action and reflection can lead students from academic knowledge towards practical understanding,

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developing positive attitudes towards learning as well as a sense of personal and social responsibility. Organized around Global Contexts, field trips are a way to integrate students into King Abdulaziz school community. They provide real-world contexts for learning that are at the center of IB MYP pedagogy. For these reasons, student participation in all school field trips is a required component of our academic programme. Students who do not participate in field trips are often unable to make up these opportunities for learning. In Grade 10, the school assesses the Global Contexts through a significant, extended Personal Project completed by each student individually. Additionally, Exhibition and Personal Projects celebrate the Global Contexts through an annual IB Extravaganza, when Grades 5 &10 participate in a real-context learning project at the end of the school year. The project brings students from different Grades together, and specifically highlights the Approaches to Learning skills that the students have developed throughout the year. Parents are encouraged to participate. More information regarding the PP will be sent to parents over the course of the school year.

Approaches to learning (ATL) across the IB continuum Through approaches to learning in IB programmes, students develop skills that have relevance across the curriculum that help them “learn how to learn”. Approaches to learning skills can be learned and taught, improved with practice and developed incrementally. They provide a solid foundation for learning independently and with others. ATL skills help students prepare for, and demonstrate learning through, meaningful assessment. They provide a common language that students and teachers can use to reflect on and articulate on the process of learning. Approaches to learning are most powerful when teachers plan and students engage with them in connection with significant and relevant content knowledge in order to develop transferable understanding.

Approaches to learning in the MYP The focus of approaches to learning in the MYP is on helping students to develop the self- knowledge and skills they need to enjoy a lifetime of learning. ATL skills empower students to succeed in meeting the challenging objectives of MYP subject groups and prepare them for further success in a rigorous academic programme like the IB Diploma Programme and the IB Career- Related Certificate. Ultimately, ATL skills help to prepare students for responsible participation in local and global communities. In the MYP, ATL encompasses both general and discipline-specific skills. Many ATL skills are applicable to all MYP subject groups; these general ‘tools for learning’ can be tailored to meet the specific needs of students and schools. In order to develop ATL skills that facilitate effective and efficient learning, students need models, clear expectations, developmental benchmarks (or targets), and multiple opportunities to practice. While ATL are not formally assessed in the MYP, they contribute to students’ achievement in all subject groups. Teachers should provide students with regular, specific feedback on the development of ATL skills through learning engagements and that provide formative assessment. Every MYP unit identifies approaches to learning skills that students will develop through their inquiry and demonstrate in the unit’s summative assessment.

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The most effective way to develop approaches to learning is through ongoing, process-focused disciplinary and interdisciplinary teaching and learning. Teachers can use key and related concepts along with global contexts as vehicles for teaching effective learning strategies. Likewise, approaches to learning can be powerful tools for exploring significant content. This dual focus (content and process) promotes student engagement, deep understanding, transfer of skills and academic success. Over time, students should develop clear and sophisticated understandings of how they learn best and how they can evaluate the effectiveness of their learning. This kind of self-regulated (independent and autonomous) learning helps students:

• reflect purposefully on their learning (metacognition) • understand the diversity of human learning needs

• evaluate and provide evidence of their learning

• meet MYP subject group aims and objectives

• share responsibility for creating productive, cooperative and safe learning environments

• develop the confidence to try new strategies and explore new concepts and contexts for learning

• prepare for further study and responsible participation in local and global communities.

ATL skills and learning theory Considered as a whole and at the highest proficiency, MYP approaches to learning represent the skills that students need in order to become self-regulated, intrinsically-motivated learners. MYP ATL skills reflect “dynamic, internally-controlled processes that positively influence a student’s tendency to approach, engage with, expend effort on, and persist in learning tasks in an ongoing, self-directed manner” (McCombs, 1984).

Using the vocabulary of learning theory, ATL skills can be described as: • cognitive- learner-initiated use and practice of active information-processing and retrieval

strategies

• affective- (social and emotional) self-management of mood, motivation, interpersonal relationships and attitudes toward learning

• metacognitive- awareness, understanding and control of personal learning processes. ATL skills are informed by and support the development of the attributes of the IB learner profile.

MYP ATL skills framework The MYP extends IB ATL skills categories into ten developmentally-appropriate clusters. This framework provides common ground from which schools can develop their own frameworks based on MYP units, including local circumstances and requirements ATL skills are interconnected. Individual skills and skills clusters frequently overlap and may be relevant to more than one skill category.

Approaches to Learning All three IB programmes emphasize learning to learn. Students develop transferable approaches to learning (ATL) attitudes, dispositions and skills that will equip them across a range of situations

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to do well. When teachers plan, they identify the specific ATL skills that students will need to develop alongside the subject group objectives in order to be successful.

There are five main categories of approaches to learning:

IB ATL Category Focus areas in the MYP Years

I. Communication Communication skills

• Exchanging thoughts, messages and information effectively through interaction

• Reading, writing and using language to gather and communicate information

II. Social Collaboration skills Working effectively with others

III. Self-management • Organization skills

• Affective skills

• Reflection skills

• Managing time and tasks effectively

• Managing state of mind

• Reconsidering the process of learning; choosing and using approaches to learning

IV. Research • Information literacy skills

• Media literacy skills

• Finding, interpreting, judging and creating information

• Interacting with media to use and create ideas and information

V. Thinking • Critical thinking skills

• Creating thinking skills

• Transfer skills

• Analyzing and evaluating issues and ideas

• Generating novel ideas and considering new perspectives

• Using skills and knowledge in multiple contexts

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Subject Overview All subjects in the Middle Years Programme have prescribed key and related concepts through which units of inquiry are developed by the teachers. A unit of inquiry may have duration between two and eight weeks and will always contain at least one assessment task to attain a student’s progress throughout the term. There are 16 prescribed Key Concepts through which all units of inquiry are developed. Each subject has a maximum of four key concepts to explore within the five years of the MYP.

Key Concepts of the MYP

Once the concept has been selected for a unit of inquiry, teachers develop appropriate content for the students to acquire as they explore. Content for each subject is prescribed by the IB to ensure they are able to access their summative online exams (eAssessments) at the end of Year 5 of the Middle Years Programme.

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MYP MATHEMATICS

Course Description:

The math programme at King Abdulaziz School aims to develop critical thinkers that are holistic

learners with intercultural awareness and an ability to communicate effectively. The mathematics

subject uses the IB programme, which is a problem-based curriculum where important

mathematical concepts are embedded in engaging problems. While solving these types of

problems, students observe and make conjectures about patterns and relationships. With a more

traditional approach, this curriculum challenges students to decide upon the best of several

methods to solve a certain problem. Students will learn how to effectively communicate in all

aspects of maths including reading, writing, speaking, listening, reasoning and research, to support

their growth as life-long learners.

Aims: The aims of teaching and learning mathematics are to encourage and enable students to:

• Recognise that mathematics permeates the world around us. • Appreciate the usefulness, power and beauty of mathematics.

• enjoy mathematics and develop patience and persistence when solving problems.

• Understand and be able to use the language, symbols and notation of mathematics.

• Develop mathematical curiosity and use inductive and deductive reasoning when solving

problems.

• Become confident in using mathematics to analyse and solve problems both in school and in

real-life situations.

• Develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to pursue further studies in mathematics.

• Develop abstract, logical and critical thinking and the ability to reflect critically upon their work

and the work of others.

• Develop a critical appreciation of the use of information and communication technology in

mathematics.

• Appreciate the international dimension of mathematics and its multicultural and historical

perspectives.

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Objectives: A. Knowing and Understanding Students should be able to: - select appropriate mathematics when solving problems in both familiar and unfamiliar situations - apply the selected mathematics successfully when solving problems - solve problems correctly in a variety of contexts. B. Investigating Patterns Students should be able to: - select and apply mathematical problem-solving techniques to discover complex patterns - describe patterns as relationships and/or general rules consistent with findings - verify and justify relationships and/or general rules. C. Communicating Students should be able to: - use appropriate mathematical language (notation, symbols and terminology) in both oral and written explanations

- use different forms of mathematical representation to present information - move between different forms of mathematical representation - communicate complete and coherent mathematical lines of reasoning - organize information using a logical structure. D. Applying Mathematics in Real-Life Context Students should be able to: - identify relevant elements of authentic real-life situations - select appropriate mathematical strategies when solving authentic real-life situations - apply the selected mathematical strategies successfully to reach a solution - explain the degree of accuracy of a solution - explain whether a solution makes sense in the context of the authentic real-life situation.

Assessment: The assessment of students is an integral part of learning and a continuous process throughout the school year. In all grades, a variety of formative & summative assessment methods are used that involve the learner, their peers and the teacher. Standardization of grading is conducted within the Mathematics Department to ensure fairness in the application of the criteria below: Each semester students are graded on the four assessment criteria outlined above. At the end of the course, criteria grades are combined to produce an overall MYP mathematics attainment level.

Criteria Maximum level of Achievement

A: Knowing and Understanding 8 B: Investigating Patterns 8

C: Communicating 8

D: Applying Mathematics in Real-Life Context 8

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Skills: In MYP mathematics, the four main skills support the IB Learner Profile, promoting the development of students who are knowledgeable, inquirers, communicators and reflective learners.

Knowledge: MYP mathematics provides a framework of concepts and skills organized into the following five branches of mathematics: number, algebra, geometry and trigonometry, statistics and probability and discrete mathematics.

Levels of mathematics: The concepts and skills of the framework for mathematics are organized so that students can work at two levels of ability: standard mathematics and extended mathematics.

• Standard mathematics aims to give all students a sound knowledge of basic mathematical concepts while allowing them to develop the skills needed to meet the objectives of MYP mathematics

• Extended mathematics consists of the standard mathematics framework supplemented by additional concepts and skills. This level provides the foundation for students who wish to pursue further studies in mathematics, for example, mathematics higher level (HL) as part of the IB Diploma Programme.

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TECHNOLOGY/DESIGN WRITTEN CURRICULUM

Technology/Design

Overview

“Technology and technological developments have given rise to profound changes in society, transforming how we access and process information, how we communicate with others and how we work and solve problems. MYP technology aspires to develop creative problem solvers who are caring and responsible individuals, able to respond critically and resourcefully to the demands of an increasingly-technological society and to appreciate the importance of technology for life, society and the environment.” (MYP Technology Guide, 2014)

Structure of the Course

Students in Grade 6-10 study Computer Technology three 45 minute lessons per week for the entire year. Technology uses the design cycle as a model of thinking and the strategy to help students investigate problems. The use of the design cycle promotes an inquiry-based approach, therefore assisting students with the creative and critical thinking processes. The design cycle requires students to:

• Investigate problems and design • Plan • Create

• Evaluate the products/solutions generated

The design folder is a compulsory component of MYP technology. As students progress through the different stages of the design cycle, they will be constantly researching, brainstorming and experimenting with ideas, making changes and critically evaluating their work. The design folder is a compilation of evidence that accompanies the final product.

Design and Technology “Design is not just what it looks like. Design is how it works.” Steve Jobs. The IB Middle Years Design and Technology course at King Abdulaziz School equips students with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to understand the role and impact of technology in an increasingly-technological world. Students understand that design technology is a tool used to identify needs or problems. They use creativity, innovation, team-work and personal experience to meet needs to systematically solve problems.

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Students learn that Design and Technology is an all-encompassing discipline in which direct links are made with other subjects and daily life contexts and scenarios. Students will address the Product Design fundamental branch of Design and Technology. Students use the Design and Technology Cycle: a cyclic approach to problem-solving that involves investigation, planning, creation and evaluation in order to achieve technological goals. The Design and Technology Cycle is used to generate ideas when making a new product, improving on an existing one, or solving problems through research, analysis and reflection. Understanding how problems can first be framed and then solved systematically is a key aspect of technology that has life-long benefits. MYP Design and Technology takes a developmental approach, from simple, short units of work in MYP Years 1-3 to complex, longer units of work in the MYP Years 4 to 5. From skills development to skills applied to design situations. The focus changes from working at individual components of the Design Cycle to working with all components of the Design and Technology Cycle simultaneously. The course also develops from using models to explore concepts to tackling real- life issues in creative and unique ways. The flexible nature of the Design and Technology curriculum empowers students, providing them with numerous opportunities for expression of ideas and opinions. Students reflect on their achievements, recognize strengths and areas for improvement, and enhance future learning experiences. Students are supported as independent thinkers, while still showing mutual respect for the viewpoint of others. Moreover, students feel comfortable that technology is more than a means to an end, but a way of thinking and doing used to improve the quality of life.

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What is the IB-MYP Design Cycle? The IB-MYP Design Cycle is a system that will help students do their work by following certain steps. The system is useful and easy to understand because it guides students through the steps of how to do their project. The Design Cycle starts with an INVESTIGATION of an issue or topic. The next step is to PLAN and DESIGN what students think will give them the product or outcome that they are looking for. The next step is to CREATE the product (or to put the plan that they have come up with into action). Finally, students will EVALUATE the process, determine whether or not it was a success and finally reflect on how or what they could have done differently to obtain a different outcome. Below is a brief description of each part of the Design Cycle.

Investigate The investigation stage requires a description of the problem as well as an explanation on why the problem is important. The student must also relate the problem to their own life, to society and to one of the Areas of Interaction (AOI). In addition to this, students should generate a couple of questions to guide them through their investigation of the issue or problem. Students should create a design brief and a design specification. In the design brief, the student explains what he or she is going to do to solve the problem. In the specification, one should write the essential and desirable characteristics they want their end product to have. Research should be conducted and sources should be documented in the Process Journal.

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Design In this stage, the student should include a variety of designs they may wish to use for their identified problem or issue. Each of these designs should be explained with sketches or labeled diagrams in their Process Journal. The designs should be evaluated against the design specification in order to determine whether or not the design would generate the wanted outcome. Finally, the student should choose one design and justify their reasoning for selecting that design.

Plan The requirements of the plan stage could include the creation of a time line or a calendar. You will need a step-by-step plan as evidence of planning. This should be done in your Process Journal. The student should critically evaluate their time plans with their assigned supervisor. If the student has made any modifications to their original design, the changes should be justified. Students will need their supervisor to approve their plan.

Create While following the time plan and working on the creation of his or her product or outcome, the student should be regularly reflecting and writing in their Process Journal (reflections written in this journal will be helpful when writing the evaluation). The tools and techniques utilized in the process of creation should be explained. Any changes made to the final design should be justified. Evidence should also be provided, such as photographs, screen shots, etc.

Evaluate Finally, the student should include the feedback received from testers in their evaluation. A detailed evaluation of the student's performance at each stage of the design cycle discussing the strengths and weaknesses of each stage is required, as are reflections on how each stage could have been improved to reach a different outcome. A discussion on the impact of the product on the student, others and/or the environment should be included as well.

The aims of MYP Design and Technology are to encourage and enable students to: • enjoy the design process, develop an appreciation of its elegance and power

• develop knowledge, understanding and skills from different disciplines to design and create solutions to problems using the design cycle

• use and apply technology effectively as a means to access, process and communicate information, model and create solutions, and to solve problems

• develop an appreciation of the impact of design innovations for life, global society and environments

• appreciate past, present and emerging design within cultural, political, social, historical and environmental contexts

• develop respect for others’ viewpoints and appreciate alternative solutions to problems, act with integrity and honesty, and take responsibility for their own actions developing effective working practices.

Subject group Key concepts contributed/disciplinary focus

Language and literature: Communication, connections, creativity, perspective Language acquisition: Communication, connections, creativity, culture Individuals and societies: Change, global interactions, time, place and space, systems

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Sciences: Change, relationships, systems Mathematics: Form, logic, relationships Arts: Aesthetics, change, communication, identity Design: Communication, communities, development, systems Physical and Health Education: Change, communication, relationships

Objectives: A. Inquiring and analysing In order to reach the aims of design, students should be able to:

i. explain and justify the need for a solution to a problem for a specified client/target audience

ii. identify and prioritize the primary and secondary research needed to develop a solution to the problem

iii. analyse a range of existing products that inspire a solution to the problem

iv. develop a detailed design brief which summarizes the analysis of relevant research.

B. Developing ideas In order to reach the aims of design, students should be able to: i. develop a design specification which clearly states the success criteria for the design of a solution ii. develop a range of feasible design ideas which can be correctly interpreted by others iii. present the final chosen design and justify its selection

iv. develop accurate and detailed planning drawings/diagrams and outline the requirements for the creation of the chosen solution.

C. Creating the solution In order to reach the aims of design, students should be able to: i. construct a logical plan, which describes the efficient use of time and resources, sufficient for peers to be able to follow to create the solution

ii. demonstrate excellent technical skills when making the solution

iii. follow the plan to create the solution, which functions as intended

iv. fully justify changes made to the chosen design and plan when making the solution

v. present the solution as a whole, either:

a. in electronic form, or

b. through photographs of the solution from different angles, showing details.

D. Evaluating In order to reach the aims of design, students should be able to:

i. design detailed and relevant testing methods, which generate data, to measure the success of the solution

ii. critically evaluate the success of the solution against the design specification

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iii. explain how the solution could be improved

iv. explain the impact of the solution on the client/target audience.

Knowledge and experience: In Grade 6-8 (MYP 1-3), students learn skills which they then apply to given projects. In Grade 9 and 10 (MYP 4 and 5), they are given projects for which they choose suitable techniques and some of the materials. The software used in digital design comprises Microsoft Office Suite, Macromedia Fireworks, Scratch, Flash, Movie Maker, Ulead, Animation Shop 3, Flash, Dreamweaver, and Audacity. The skills covered in product design are correct use of hand/power saws and drills; marking, shaping and finishing wood and plastics, and metal casting and presentation techniques. Students are introduced to CAD CAM through Techsoft 2D design in Grade 6 (MYP1), which they develop throughout the MYP, while going on to use Autodesk Inventor in Grade 9 and 10 (MYP4 and 5).

Assessment: A student’s level of achievement in the objectives of MYP Design is determined by the following assessment criteria:

Criteria Maximum level of Achievement A: Inquiring and analysing 8

B: Developing ideas 8

C: Creating the solution 8

D: Evaluating 8

Students are assessed throughout the year in shorter and longer projects, with focused tasks used

to address particular skills. All work is formatively assessed and we encourage students to use these

assessments to understand the rubric and to improve work before the final assessment.

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SCIENCE

WRITTEN CURRICULUM

Course hours: four periods of 45 minutes/week

Course description: The MYP science course aspires to develop scientific, informed, responsible individuals who can think critically and make informed choices about themselves, the environment and society. The MYP sciences curriculum aims to build on what students learn and do in the PYP and other student- centered programmes of primary education. By approaching science through interdisciplinary work with other subjects, science students will focus on drawing connections between their studies, current developments in science and technology and their applications to society and the world. Students are encouraged to investigate science by formulating their own questions and finding answers to those questions through research and experimentation. MYP sciences also helps to prepare students for overall success in the IB Diploma Programme.

MYP Fundamental Concepts: Holistic learning is encouraged on a daily basis as students use skills from many curricular areas to explore scientific concepts locally, nationally and globally. This learning fosters intercultural awareness in students by having them apply concepts learned to global problems. Students will use multiple forms of communication to express their ideas and show evidence of their learning about real-world concepts and issues including written lab reports, graphic displays of data, oral reports, and technology-based presentations.

IB Learner Profile: It is the intention of the science courses to integrate the learner profile characteristics throughout the aims of the course. The nature of science simply requires a learner to use and develop the characteristics of being knowledgeable, an inquirer, balanced, open- minded, reflective, caring, principled, a communicator, a risk-taker, and a thinker.

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Course Overall Aims: The aims of the teaching and study of the sciences are to encourage and enable students to think, work, and produce like a scientist. The science curriculum is embedded within the aims of the MYP science objectives. The aims of all MYP subjects state what a teacher may expect to teach and what a student may expect to experience and learn. These aims suggest how the student may be changed by the learning experience.

The aims of MYP sciences are to encourage and enable students to:

• understand and appreciate science and its implications

• consider science as a human endeavour with benefits and limitations

• cultivate analytical, inquiring and flexible minds that pose questions, solve problems, construct

explanations and judge arguments

• develop skills to design and perform investigations, evaluate evidence and reach conclusions

• build an awareness of the need to effectively collaborate and communicate

• apply language skills and knowledge in a variety of real-life contexts

• develop sensitivity towards the living and non-living environments

• reflect on learning experiences and make informed choices.

Objectives: A. Knowing and understanding In order to reach the aims of sciences, students should be able to:

i. explain scientific knowledge

ii. apply scientific knowledge and understanding to solve problems set in familiar and unfamiliar situations

iii. analyse and evaluate information to make scientifically supported judgments.

B. Inquiring and designing In order to reach the aims of sciences, students should be able to:

i. explain a problem or question to be tested by a scientific investigation

ii. formulate a testable hypothesis and explain it using scientific reasoning

iii. explain how to manipulate the variables, and explain how data will be collected

iv. design scientific investigations.

C. Processing and evaluating In order to reach the aims of sciences, students should be able to:

i. present collected and transformed data

ii. interpret data and explain results using scientific reasoning

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iii. evaluate the validity of a hypothesis based on the outcome of the scientific investigation

iv. evaluate the validity of the method

v. explain improvements or extensions to the method.

D. Reflecting on the impacts of science In order to reach the aims of sciences, students should be able to:

i. explain the ways in which science is applied and used to address a specific problem or issue

ii. discuss and evaluate the various implications of the use of science and its application in solving a specific problem or issue

iii. apply scientific language effectively

iv. document the work of others and sources of information used.

Text and Resources The students will be engaged with materials available at the school. Students will be actively involved in their own learning. Experiences in science classes will include: lab explorations, cooperative learning, inquiry, projects, simulations, discussions, and direct instruction.

Methods of Assessment –MYP Science Formative assessment will include lab work, class discussions, reflections, group work, teacher observations, homework, and quizzes. Summative assessments will include unit reflections, presentations, student demonstrations, projects, and tests. Assessment for sciences courses in all years of the programme is criterion-related, based on four equally weighted assessment criteria:

Criterion A Knowing and understanding Maximum 8

Criterion A Inquiring and designing Maximum 8 Criterion A Processing and evaluating Maximum 8

Criterion A Reflecting on the impacts of science

Maximum 8

All summative tasks will be assessed using MYP rubrics, and students will receive a copy of the rubrics to take home. Further, teachers will post each student’s level of achievement on Managebac.

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ARTS: VISUAL ARTS, DRAMA

Course Description

The arts are a universal form of human expression and a unique way of knowing that engage us in

affective, imaginative and productive activity. Learning through the arts helps us to explore, shape

and communicate our sense of identity and understanding of the world, while providing

opportunities to develop self-confidence, resilience and adaptability. The IB MYP arts value the

process of creating artwork as much as the finished product.

Fundamental Concepts

Intercultural Awareness - Inquiry is integrated with investigation of various historical and

contemporary art forms leading to visual and contextual knowledge of art from various cultures.

Communication - Students express themselves in a variety of modes: oral, written, visual, aural

and kinesthetic. The visual arts provide students with a unique opportunity for non-verbal

expression and reflection through their projects.

Holistic or interdisciplinary approach - The arts provide opportunities for personal, socio-cultural,

and aesthetic experiences through the meaningful production and understanding of art.

Connections are discovered between the visual arts and various subject areas, modes of interaction

and personal experiences. Students develop sensitivity to the ideas and feelings expressed and

communicated through the work of other cultures and civilizations and the influence that art had

on the people of that culture.

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Areas of Interaction:

Approaches to Learning - Students learn in the visual arts, the use of effective time management

skills for project creation, how to collaborate while working in groups, how to use content specific

vocabulary and a variety of media in the expression of their creative intent. Students gain a better

understanding of their own work through reflection and peer-evaluation. Students exercise their

cognitive skills with brainstorming and development of novel solutions and strategies for

expression and perception. Finally, students make connections across subject areas, cultures and

media.

Community and Service - The collaborative nature of the arts enables individuals to share and

teach others in the community through outreach programs thereby fostering new relationships

with members of the extended community with benefit to all. Students can also participate in

various projects that allow for ways of beautifying the community, such as through murals,

installations or other large-scale works.

Environments - Art education leads to an understanding of the relationships individuals have with

their environment. Students learn first-hand how art is used to enhance the environment and

influence how spaces are used. Students gain knowledge of how material and product use impact

the environment and that through brainstorming and experimentation, they discover new and

innovative ways of creating artwork with materials that are environmentally friendly and eco-

conscious.

Health and Social Education - Students are exposed to a variety of contemporary and historical

social issues that affect art creation and influence development of certain art genre. Students take

responsibility in practicing safe handling of material, tools and media.

Human Ingenuity - Students learn the importance of understanding humankind’s capacity to create

and how it has led to improvement and transformation throughout the world. Students employ

innovation and problem- solving as they seek uniquely-personal solutions to the challenges

presented in the assignments.

Methodology and Teaching Strategies

The basic goal of the visual arts curriculum is to create an appreciation for the arts and for the

means of expression it provides as a response within society. Students combine working with the

elements and principles of design, technique and media, while exploring art and its

interdependence with other areas of study.

Teaching methods include but are not limited to: lecture and discussion paired with power point

presentations and interactive Smart Board lessons; demonstration and guided practice with

technique and media; individual and collaborative investigation of engaging learning websites,

graphic organizers, pair share, oral and written presentations and personal reflections.

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Topics:

- Elements and Principles of Design: effective use in conveying artistic intent

- Who are we to judge? Analysis of an artwork

- Color- Theory and Practice

- Painting from life

- Understanding and utilizing the Components of Composition

- Expression through Color: exploration of use within diverse cultures

- Exploration of Mixed Media and Personal Expression

MYP Aims and Objectives:

Aims:

The aims of the teaching and study of MYP arts are for students to:

• create and present art • develop skills specific to the discipline • engage in a process of creative exploration and self-discovery • make purposeful connections between investigation and practice • understand the relationship between art and its contexts • respond to and reflect on art • deepen their understanding of the world.

Objectives:

A. Knowing and understanding

In order to reach the aims of arts, students should be able to:

i. demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the art form studied, including concepts, processes, and the use of subject-specific terminology

ii. demonstrate an understanding of the role of the art form in original or displaced contexts

iii. use acquired knowledge to purposefully inform artistic decisions in the process of creating artwork.

B. Developing skills In order to reach the aims of arts, students should be able to:

i. demonstrate the acquisition and development of the skills and techniques of the art form studied

ii. demonstrate the application of skills and techniques to create, perform and/or present art.

C. Thinking creatively In order to reach the aims of arts, students should be able to:

i. develop a feasible, clear, imaginative and coherent artistic intention

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ii. demonstrate a range and depth of creative-thinking behaviours

iii. demonstrate the exploration of ideas to shape artistic intention through to a point of realization.

D. Responding In order to reach the aims of arts, students should be able to:

i. construct meaning and transfer learning to new settings

ii. create an artistic response that intends to reflect or impact on the world around them

iii. critique the artwork of self and others.

Methods of Assessment and MYP Criteria

Formative Assessment

Regular group and one-on-one critiques of investigations and studio work allow students to reflect,

assess, and demonstrate the progress they have made as well as give them feedback to encourage

further refinement, investigation or new directions for exploration.

Critiques of completed artwork are conducted at the end of each assignment. Students are

required to discuss their work, focusing on the aspects they feel successfully convey their artistic

intentions as well as sharing ideas about problems with the composition and possible solutions.

Students are also required to share positive comments about their classmates' work. Students are

expected to use appropriate arts and analytical vocabulary in assessing the work of others and

when reflecting upon their own experience.

Students reflect on the process, analyzing their success in conveyance of intention and idea, their

use of class time, materials and techniques to determine whether or not revisions are needed

before a work is deemed complete.

Summative Assessment

Students will complete a final visual arts project or a combination of final projects that evidence

students’ learning throughout the semester.

Assessment:

- Students will be assessed utilizing the IB criteria of investigate, design, plan, create, evaluate, and

attitudes in visual art

- Students will also receive standard numerical grades on homework assignments, quizzes and

tests. Projects will be assessed with both a standard rubric and the IB criterion

- All IB assessments will focus upon each student’s potential and their ability to demonstrate their

comprehension of the subject matter

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The Process Journal:

The Process Journal is an IB-MYP requirement. Students will be responsible for organizing and

completing sketches and assignments in their process journals. The journal will be a place for

students to brainstorm their thoughts and ideas, keep course information and handouts and

complete homework assignments. Most importantly, the PJ shows evidence of all processes of art

making from conception, process, product, evaluation, reflection and ultimately connections and

awareness to other areas of study. The following entries will be expected:

- Specific drawing assignments with media and process experimentation

- Video and lecture notes

- Assigned reading notes

- Reflection writing assignments and reviews

- Inspirational quotes or images

- Research and citations used for art processes and creation

- Other

There will be periodic PJ checks during the year to ensure students’ full participation. Students will

store their sketchbooks in the art room and use them for their entire middle school experience

from Grade 6 to Grade 8.

Assessment: The following assessment criteria have been established by the IBO for the MYP arts:

Criteria Maximum level of achievement

A: Knowing and Understanding 8

B: Developing Skills 8

C: Thinking Creatively 8

D: Responding 8

Each project takes the following criteria into consideration when determining a grade:

- Understanding, attitude, effort, progress and craftsmanship.

All summative tasks will be assessed using MYP rubrics, and students will receive a copy of the rubrics to take home. Further, teachers will post each student’s level of achievement on Managebac.

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LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE

(Language A: English & Arabic)

MYP Language and Literature

I. Course Description

The language arts program at King Abdulaziz School aims to develop critical thinkers and capable

communicators. Students in this program will learn how to properly communicate in a variety of

manners (reading, writing, speaking, listening, reasoning, and research), and practice assessment

of their own strengths and limitations. Through their study in communication, the students will be

challenged to explore ideas and issues that have a local and global significance, and to find respect

for different points of view.

تهدف هذه المادة إلى تنمية مهارات القراءة والكتابة والاستماع والتحدث والمشاهدة لدى الطالب وذلك لتمكينه من التعبير عن نامج إلى: نفسه والتواصل مع الآخرين باقتدار وثقة. ومن هذا المنطلق يسعى الير

والتعليم والتعبير أن يتخذ الطالب اللغة وسيلة للتفكير والإبداع والنقد •

أن يستخدم اللغة أداة لتطوير شخصيته وعلاقته الاجتماعية المحلية والعالمية •

ي وسائل الإعلام وتكنولوجيا المعلومات • أن يتعرف على الأساليب اللغوية المستخدمة ف

أن يطور روح النقد للأعمال الأدبية المدروسة •

العة الذاتيةأن يعمق اهتمامه باللغة والأدب من خلال المط •

I. Areas of Interaction

The Areas of Interaction are common themes that cross all content areas. For each unit of

instruction, we will identify an area of interaction authentically related to the subject. The Areas of

Interaction include Environments (built, virtual, and natural), Community and Service, Health and

Social Education, Human Ingenuity, and Approaches to Learning.

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II. Text and Resources

A variety of sources will be used to achieve the objectives and standards of the course.

- Adopted Textbook - Novels - A variety of poems, short stories, articles, websites, and film clips

III. Methodology

A variety of learning strategies will be used to engage the diverse learning styles in a classroom.

The units of instruction will be viewed through an Area of Interaction. An Essential Question will

frame the unit and connect to the Area of Interaction. Additional guiding and content questions

will guide the inquiry into the subject and lead to a deeper understanding of the content.

IV. Methods of Assessment & Grading Policy

Formative assessments are the activities that lead up to the summative (or final) assessment.

Formative assessments will be used to measure understanding of concepts and skills including

quizzes, worksheets, journal writing, drafts, discussions, group work, etc. The formative

assessments allow students to gain confidence and knowledge to complete the unit’s summative

assessment. The summative assessments will allow students to demonstrate their level of

achievement as related to the MYP objectives and standards. In Language and Literature,

summative assessments may be a written narrative, an essay, a group presentation, an oral

presentation, or a test.

The following assessment criteria have been established by the IBO for Language A in the Middle Years Programme.

Criterion A Analysis Maximum 8

Criterion B Organising Maximum 8

Criterion C Producing text Maximum 8

Criterion D Using language Maximum 8

All summative tasks will be assessed using MYP rubrics, and students will receive a copy of the rubrics to take home. Further, teachers will post each student’s level of achievement on Managebac.

II. MYP Aims and Objectives

Within this course, students will practice and apply effective strategies in their reading through a

variety of materials: novels, short stories, non-fiction articles, poetry, and film. Through continuing

practice of comprehension and analysis, the students determine author’s purpose and

effectiveness. Students will develop their own writing craft through activities that allow them to

consider their ideas, feelings, and knowledge. Continued instruction in grammar, usage,

vocabulary, and spelling will support their ability to express themselves in their written and oral

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communication. Additionally, as their understanding of language grows, they are able to comment

on the language usage in a variety of media. The collaborative and communication skills required

of 21st century workers will be encouraged through class discussions, group activities, peer

evaluation, and oral presentations.

Aims:

The language A course aims to:

• Use the language as a vehicle for thought, creativity, reflection, learning and self-expression

• Use language as a tool for personal growth, social interaction and for developing relationships within the international community

• Comprehend more clearly aspects of their own culture and those of other cultures by exploring the interdependence of human beings through a variety of works

• Explore the many facets of the language through the use of media and information technology

• Develop skills involved in speaking, listening, reading, writing and viewing in a variety of contexts

• Read widely to promote a lifelong interest in language and literature

• Develop a critical and creative approach to studying and analysing literature

• Develop language skills through interdisciplinary work

• Consider the role of literature both culturally and historically

• Reflect on the learning process in various ways and at various stages

• Empathise with real people and fictional characters as and when appropriate

Objectives:

Objective A: Analysing In order to reach the aims of studying language and literature, students should be able to:

i. analyse the content, context, language, structure, technique and style of text(s) and the relationships among texts

ii. analyse the effects of the creator’s choices on an audience

iii. justify opinions and ideas, using examples, explanations and terminology

iv. evaluate similarities and differences by connecting features across and within genres and texts.

Objective B: Organizing In order to reach the aims of studying language and literature, students should be able to:

i. employ organizational structures that serve the context and intention

ii. organize opinions and ideas in a sustained, coherent and logical manner

iii. use referencing and formatting tools to create a presentation style suitable to the context and intention.

Objective C: Producing text

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In order to reach the aims of studying language and literature, students should be able to:

i. produce texts that demonstrate insight, imagination and sensitivity while exploring and reflecting critically on new perspectives and ideas arising from personal engagement with the creative process

ii. make stylistic choices in terms of linguistic, literary and visual devices, demonstrating awareness of impact on an audience

iii. select relevant details and examples to develop ideas.

Objective D: Using language In order to reach the aims of studying language and literature, students should be able to:

i. use appropriate and varied vocabulary, sentence structures and forms of expression

ii. write and speak in a register and style that serve the context and intention

iii. use correct grammar, syntax and punctuation

iv. spell (alphabetic languages), write (character languages) and pronounce with accuracy

v. use appropriate non-verbal communication techniques.

ي مجموعة اللغة والأدب: معايير التقييم ف 8 الحد الأقصى ،المعيار أ: التحليل

:يجب أن يكون بوسع الطلاب تحديد الجوانب المهمة للنصوص والتعليق عليها أ .

والتعليق عليها المبدعب. تحديد اختيارات وح ير الآراء والأفكار باستخدام الأمثلة والشر .والمصطلحاتج. تير

ي المز ي النصوص وفيما بينهااد. تحديد أوجه الشبه والاختلاف ف

يا ف

8 الحد الأقصى التنظيم،المعيار ب: :يجب أن يكون بوسع الطلابكيبات التنظيمي ي تخدم السياق والقصد ةأ. توظيف الير

التر يةب. تنظيم الآراء والأفكار بطريقة منطق

جع والتنسيق لعمل أسلوب عرض يناسب السياق والقصدار ج. استخدام أدوات ثبت الم 8 الحد الأقصى ،: إنتاج النص المعيار ج

:يجب أن يكون بوسع الطلابي إنتاج نصوص تعرض التفكير والخيال بينما يستكشفون وجهات النظر والأفكار الجديدة الناشئة عن الانخراط الشخصي .أ

ف

ةالإبداعي ةالعملي أسلوبيب.

اللغوي ةاتخاذ اختيارات ة

، والأدبية ويعرضون ادراكهم لأثرها على الجمهور ةمن حيث الأدوات

ج. اختيار التفاصيل والأمثلة ذات الصلة لدعم الأفكار 8 الحد الأقصى ،المعيار د: استخدام اللغة

يجب أن يكون بوسع الطلاب: ومتنوعةأ. استخدام مفردات وتراكيب م وأشكال تعبير ملائمة

ملائمة ةالكتابة والتحدث بأسلوب واختيارات لغوي . بقيم الصحيحة . ج. استخدام القواعد والنحو وعلامات الير

واللفظ بدقة (اللغات ذات الرموز)والكتابة ة(اللغات الأبجدي)د. التهجئة ة ة الملائمةتقنيات التواصل غير اللفظيه. استخدام

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MYP Objectives and Course of Study Content Standards:

Content (this includes texts students view and read and texts they create

- Understand and analyze aspects of real, written, and visual texts

- Understand and apply terminology

- Analyze effects of author’s choice on an audience

- Compose and contrast works

- Express an informed response to a variety of tests

Oral Expression and Listening - Formal presentations require preparation and effective delivery

- Small and large group discussions rely on active listening and the effective contributions of all participants

Reading for All Purposes - Literary elements, characteristics, and ideas are interrelated and guide the comprehension of literary and fictional texts

- Informational and persuasive texts are summarized and evaluated

- Purpose, tone, and meaning in world choices influence

literary, persuasive and informational texts

Organization - Create work that uses organizational structures and conventions

- Organize ideas and arguments and provide logical support and transitions

- Employ appropriate citations

Writing and Composition - Composing literary and narrative texts that incorporate a range of stylistic devices and demonstrate knowledge of genre features

- Organization is used when composing information and persuasive texts

- Editing writing for proper grammar, usage, mechanics, and

clarity improves written work

Style - Use language to narrate, describe and analyze explain, argue, persuade, inform, entertain, and express feelings

- Use language accurately

- Use appropriate tone and vocabulary

- Use correct grammar and syntax

- Use appropriate and varied sentence structure

- Use correct spelling Research and Reasoning -Answering a research question logically begins with obtaining

and analyzing information from a variety of sources

- Logical information required documented sources

- Reasoned material is evaluated for its quality using both its logic

and its use of medium

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH

MYP… Physical Education Grades 6-10

King Abdulaziz School offers a very competitive Physical Education (P.E.) programme in the MYP

which is concerned with more than sports and games. Its clear goal is to contribute to the students’

physical, intellectual, emotional and social maturity. The aim is to help young people cultivate an

active, healthy lifestyle through activities that are enjoyable, at the same time as developing the

teamwork, co-operation and personal engagement that are vital in the modern workplace.

At King Abdulaziz School, students in Grades 6-10 have three forty-five minute lessons of P.E. per

week in a variety of sports disciplines. There is a clearly-defined set of aims and objectives that can

be attained through a combination of different physical activities and exercises, to suit local

conditions and facilities.

Aims:

The aims of MYP physical and health education are to encourage and enable students to:

• use inquiry to explore physical and health education concepts

• participate effectively in a variety of contexts

• understand the value of physical activity

• achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle

• collaborate and communicate effectively

• build positive relationships and demonstrate social responsibility

• reflect on their learning experiences.

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Objectives:

A. Knowing and Understanding

Students develop knowledge and understanding about health and physical activity in order to

identify and solve problems.

In order to reach the aims of physical and health education, students should be able to: -describe physical education factual, procedural and conceptual knowledge -apply physical and health education knowledge to explain issues and solve problems set in familiar and unfamiliar situations -apply physical and health terminology consistently and effectively to communicate

understanding

B. Planning for Performance

Students through inquiry design, analyse, evaluate and perform a plan in order to improve performance in physical and health education. In order to reach the aims of physical and health education, students should be able to:

i. design, explain and justify plans to improve physical performance and health ii. analyse and evaluate the effectiveness of a plan based on the outcome.

C. Applying and Performing

Students develop and apply practical skills, techniques, strategies and movement concepts through their participation in a variety of physical activities. In order to reach the aims of physical and health education, students should be able to: -demonstrate and apply a range of skills and techniques -demonstrate and apply a range of strategies and movement concepts -outlines and apply information to perform effectively

D. Reflecting and Improving Performance

Students enhance their personal and social development, set goals, take responsible action and reflect on their performance and the performance of others. In order to reach the aims of physical and health education, students should be able to: -describe and demonstrate strategies that enhance interpersonal skills -outline goals and apply strategies to enhance performance -explain and evaluate performance

Students learn to:

♦ explain the relationship of P.E. to health, for example how to avoid injuries, or the benefits of

cardio-vascular fitness

♦ develop social skills and a strong sense of fair play, enthusiasm and commitment, especially in

teamwork and encouraging their peers

♦ identify and work to their optimal level of physical fitness

♦ appreciate the use of creative and expressive aspects of movement

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♦ refine the motor skills necessary for a variety of activities

♦ understand and apply theories, techniques, rules and training principles of different games

♦ reflect on and evaluate their own and others’ performances in order to develop strategies for

improvement

There is naturally a strong link to Health and Social Education (one of the five areas of interaction).

Students develop a sense of responsibility for their own physical and mental well-being and are

able to make informed choices for their own lives.

Approaches to Learning skills that are taught through P.E. include:

♦ the ability to set realistic short and long-term goals, for example in a personal fitness plan

♦ evaluating achievement and analyzing losses

♦ understanding links between theoretical and practical, for example, developing advanced

techniques in a particular sporting activity

♦ planning, developing and carrying out game strategies and tactics

There is also a focus on Community and Service because of the participatory nature of P.E. and the

many ways in which sports contribute to strengthening both personal friendships as well as the

community as a whole. For example, sporting events such as elementary basketball, baseball and

softball unite the whole school community as well as giving students an opportunity to serve their

school either on a team or in helping to organize the event. Students are also encouraged to serve

the community by coaching peers, younger children via Community and Service programmes.

Caring and maintaining PE equipment so that it is available for everyone in the community to use

and enjoy is a further aspect of Community and Service in P.E.

In P.E. at King Abdulaziz School, there are four assessment criteria which have been established by

the IBO for Physical Health Education in the Middle Years Programme:

Criterion A Knowing & Understanding Maximum 8

Criterion B Planning for performance Maximum 8

Criterion C Applying and performing Maximum 8

Criterion D Reflecting & improving performance Maximum 8

Each semester students are graded on the four assessment criteria outlined above. At the end of the course, criteria grades are combined to produce an overall MYP PHE level. Notes for criterion A: • Criterion A must be assessed in non-performance/non-playing situations. • Criterion A can be assessed only through written or oral tasks.

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Notes for criterion C: Must be assessed during a practical performance/playing situation

Use of Knowledge: This criterion assesses the student’s knowledge and understanding of the principles

related to a variety of physical activities as well as an ability to apply it to analyze situations and solve

problems. This includes the importance of physical activity to a healthy lifestyle, aspects of health-related

fitness and international perspectives on sport. (maximum 8)

Movement Composition: The ability to apply compositional skills by creating, selecting and linking

movement into sequences is assessed using this criterion. (minimum 8)

Performance: This criterion assesses the student’s ability to perform in a range of activities and

demonstrate motor skills, application of tactics, strategies and rules in individual and group situations.

(maximum 8)

Social Skills and Personal Engagement: Students are assessed on their ability to work cooperatively by

showing respect, supporting and encouraging others and taking responsibility. Appropriate attitudes and

strategies for interrelating with others and the willingness to improve by reflecting on performance and

setting goals for future development are also evaluated. (maximum 8)

There are numerous opportunities for cross-curricular links. For example, in Science, students may

approach a study of the skeleton from the point of view of forces exerted during physical activity, or

different body systems and organs such as the heart or lungs and their function in sport. Movement

composition is an integral part of P.E. in the MYP.

MYP FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS IN THE PHYSICAL EDUCATION:

This PHYSICAL EDUCATION course outline has been developed and reviewed, collaboratively, with the

three fundamental MYP concepts in mind: holistic education, intercultural awareness and

communication. These foundation principles of the MYP inform, and are inextricably embedded in, the

PHYSICAL EDUCATION syllabus objectives and in the units of inquiry that flow from these. King Abdulaziz

School students come to an awareness of the interconnected nature of knowledge. We view the

development of the whole student as essential to our mandate as educators. Real world complexities

are viewed as opportunities for students to contextualize their learning through the MYP Areas of

interaction. The PHYSICAL EDUCATION syllabus content and context encourages and promotes

international- mindedness by engaging and exploring other cultures and perspectives. Through the units

of inquiry, we seek to build understanding and respect for our own and for different cultural views. The

PHYSICAL EDUCATION courses promote open and effective communication skills for students to

articulate their learning in a wide variety of modes, and to enable them to communicate on a global

level. International-mindedness is explicitly and implicitly explored and practiced by students who

authentically shape their own learning through the use of the Learner Profile throughout our school

community.

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Physical and health education glossary:

MYP command terms for physical and health education

Term Definition Analyze Break down in order to bring out the

essential elements or structure. To identify parts and relationships, and to interpret information to reach conclusions

Apply Use knowledge and understanding in response to a given situation or real circumstances

Construct Display information in a diagrammatic or logical form

Demonstrate Prove or make clear by reasoning or evidence, illustrating with examples or practical application

Describe Give a detailed account or picture of a situation, event, pattern or process

Design Produce a plan, simulation or model

Evaluate Assess the implications and limitations; make judgments in relation to selected criteria

Explain Give a detailed account

Identify Provide an answer from a number of possibilities

Investigate Observe, study, or make a detailed and systematic examination, in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions

Justify Give valid reasons or evidence to support and answer or conclusion

List Give a sequence of brief answers with no explanation

Outline Give a brief account

Recall Remember or recognize from prior learning experiences

Solve Obtain the answer(s) using appropriate methods

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State Give a specific name, value or other brief answer without explanation or calculation

Suggest Propose a solution, hypothesis or other possible answer

Summarize Abstract a general theme or major point(s)

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INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIEITES

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” Mahatma Ghandi

The IB Middle Years Individuals and Societies Programme at King Abdulaziz School helps students to develop knowledge, conceptual understanding, and skills which contribute to the development of the student as a whole. We encourage students to respect and understand the world around them, to enjoy and appreciate this area of study, and to develop a skills base for future learning. This is achieved through the study of individuals, societies and environments in a wide context: historical, contemporary, geographical, political, economic, and cultural. Students are encouraged to gain a greater understanding of their own identity and their place in the world. Students develop an international perspective which includes an awareness and appreciation of cultural identity, respect for the values of others, a sense of responsibility towards community and environment within a global context. The aims of MYP individuals and societies are to encourage and enable students to: • appreciate human and environmental commonalities and diversity • understand the interactions and interdependence of individuals, societies and the environment • understand how both environmental and human systems operate and evolve • identify and develop concern for the well-being of human communities and the natural environment • act as responsible citizens of local and global communities • develop inquiry skills that lead towards conceptual understandings of the relationships between individuals, societies and the environments in which they live.

COURSE CONTENT

Individuals and Societies in the MYP, although constructed around key concepts and global contexts, contains prescribed course content of which students demonstrate mastery and application through internal and external assessments. Assessments include investigation reports, essays, tests and exams.

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Overview

“MYP Individuals and Societies encourages learners to respect and understand the world around them and equips them with a skills base appropriate for a learner in the 21st century. It involves inquiring into historical, contemporary, geographical, political, social, economic, religious, technological and cultural contexts that influence and have an impact on individuals, societies and environments. This encourages learners, both students and teachers, to consider varied local and global contexts.” (MYP Individuals and Societies Guide, February 2014)

Structure of the Course

All MYP students study humanities for four 45 minute lessons each week. Individuals and Societies at King Abdulaziz School is organized according to different concepts, knowledge, content and skills. The key concepts that form the basis of any Individuals and Societies course are:

•Change •Time/place/space •Global interactions • Systems As the scope of these concepts is vast, they are explored at different levels of complexity and using varied content. MYP Individuals and Societies supports an inquiry-based approach and requires students to develop their knowledge base through researching, asking relevant questions, thinking critically about ideas and issues and communicating their findings.

MYP AIMS The aims of the teaching and study of MYP humanities are to encourage and enable students to develop: • an inquiring mind

• the skills necessary for the effective study of humanities;

• a sense of time and place;

• respect and understanding of others’ perspectives, values, and attitudes;

• an understanding of the interaction and interdependence of people and their environments;

• the causes and consequences of change through physical and human actions and processes;

• an understanding of contemporary issues;

• an awareness of connections with other subjects; and

• a lifelong interest in and an enjoyment of humanities.

MYP COURSE OBJECTIVES At the end of the course, students should be able to demonstrate the following abilities: A. KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING - Students will: - use humanities terminology in context

- demonstrate subject content knowledge and understanding through the use of descriptions and explanations, supported by relevant facts and examples

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B. INVESTIGATING - Students will: - follow a clear and focused research question

- follow an action plan to investigate a research question

- use methods accurately to collect and record information consistent with the research question

- effectively address the research question

C. THINKING CRITICALLY - Students will: - analyze concepts, events, issues, models and/or arguments

- evaluate and analyze a range of sources in terms of origin and purpose, recognizing values and limitations

- recognize different perspectives and their implications

- make connections between information to make valid, well-supported arguments

D. COMMUNICATING - Students will: - communicate information and ideas using an appropriate style for the audience and purpose

- structure information and ideas in a way that is appropriate to the specified format

- create a list of sources of information according to the task instructions

AREAS OF INTERACTION AND HUMANITIES: Approaches to Learning: Approaches to learning (ATL) are central to all MYP subject groups and the personal project. Through ATL, schools provide students with the tools to enable them to take responsibility for their own learning. This involves articulating, organizing and teaching the skills, attitudes and practices that students require in becoming successful learners. The MYP has identified seven groups of skills that encompass ATL: organization, collaboration, communication, information literacy, reflection, thinking, and transfer. The school community will need to spend time defining the ATL attitudes, skills and practices that they consider important within these groups, both for an individual subject group and across subject groups.

The Environment: This area of interaction considers environments to mean the totality of conditions surrounding us, natural, built and virtual. It focuses on the wider place of human beings in the world and how we create and affect our environments. It encourages students to question, to develop positive and responsible attitudes, and to gain the motivation, skills and commitment to contribute to their environments. In Humanities, students study how humans and their political, social, economic as well as their natural environments are interdependent. To understand this dynamic allows them to accept their responsibilities with their environment in the future.

Health and Social Education: This area of interaction is about how humanity is affected by a range of social issues (including health). It includes an appreciation of these effects in various cultural settings and at different times. It is concerned with physical, social and emotional health and intelligence – key aspects of development leading to a complete and balanced lifestyle. In Humanities, we study how these factors have a major impact on the way individuals, both past and present, have made decisions which have impacted how we live in the world today.

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Human Ingenuity: Human ingenuity looks at human contributions in the world both in their particular context and as part of a continuing process. It stresses the way humans can initiate change, whether for good or bad, and examines the consequences (intended and unintended). This area also emphasizes both the importance and researching the developments made by people across place, time and cultures, and the importance of taking time to reflect on these developments. In Humanities, students learn how to use the understanding of how people of the past and present impact on the future, so that they are better of how they can impact upon the future.

Community and Service: The emphasis of community and service is on developing community awareness and a sense of belonging and responsibility towards the community so that students become engaged with, and feel empowered to act in response to, the needs of others. In Humanities, students will explore the nature of past and present communities, as well as their place in their own communities. Incorporating community and service into the study of Humanities encourages responsible citizenship as students deepen their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. Assessment The following assessment criteria have been established by the IBO for Humanities in the Middle Years Programme.

Criterion A: Knowledge Maximum 8

Criterion B: Investigating Maximum 8

Criterion C: Communicating Maximum 8

Criterion D: Thinking critically Maximum 8

Each semester students are graded on the four assessment criteria outlined above. At the end of

the course, criteria grades are combined to produce an overall MYP individuals and societies

attainment level.

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MYP Key Concepts

The structure of conceptual understanding in the MYP

MYP program design uses two kinds of concepts. • Key concepts, contributed from each subject group, provide interdisciplinary breadth to the program. Key concepts are broad, organizing, powerful ideas that have relevance within and across subjects and disciplines, providing connections that can transfer across time and culture.

• Related concepts, grounded in specific disciplines, explore key concepts in greater detail, providing depth to the program. They emerge from reflection on the nature of specific subjects and disciplines, providing a focus for inquiry into subject-specific content. Concepts can be interpreted differently and explored from various perspectives and at different

levels of complexity. As students develop and deepen their understanding, they can use concepts

to innovate.

Key concepts Key concepts are powerful, abstract ideas that have many dimensions and definitions. They have

important interconnections and overlapping concerns. Key concepts engage students in higher-

order thinking, helping them to connect facts and topics with more complex conceptual

understanding. Key concepts create “intellectual synergy” (Erikson 2007) and provide points of

contact for transferring knowledge and understanding across disciplines and subject groups.

The MYP identifies 16 key concepts to be explored across the curriculum. These key concepts,

shown in Table 1 represent understandings that reach beyond the eight MYP subject groups from

which they are drawn.

Aesthetics Change Communication Communities

Connections Creativity Culture Development

Form Global interactions Identity Logic

Perspective Relationships Time, place, and space

Systems

Teachers use key concepts from their own subject group(s)—as well as key concepts from other subject groups—to plan disciplinary and interdisciplinary units of inquiry. Teachers identify one key concept that drives the unit’s development. The following broad descriptions apply across subject groups, and MYP subject guides suggest further subject-specific understandings. These concepts are not only “key” in the sense of being important; they also provide a key—a way into a body of knowledge through structured and sustained inquiry. They place no limits on breadth of knowledge or on depth of understanding, and therefore provide access to every student, regardless of individual aptitudes and abilities. Inquiry into MYP key concepts will further develop (and debate) the meaning of these significant ideas. • Aesthetics deals with the characteristics, creation, meaning and perception of beauty and taste. The study of aesthetics develops skills for the critical appreciation and analysis of art, culture and nature.

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• Change is a conversion, transformation or movement from one form, state or value to another. Inquiry into the concept of change involves understanding and evaluating causes, processes and consequences.

• Communication is the exchange or transfer of signals, facts, ideas and symbols. It requires a sender, a message and an intended receiver. Communication involves the activity of conveying information or meaning. Effective communication requires a common “language” (which may be written, spoken or non-verbal).

• Communities are groups that exist in proximity defined by space, time or relationship. Communities include, for example, groups of people sharing particular characteristics, beliefs or values as well as groups of interdependent organisms living together in a specific habitat.

• Connections are links, bonds and relationships among people, objects, organisms or ideas.

• Creativity is the process of generating novel ideas and considering existing ideas from new perspectives. Creativity includes the ability to recognize the value of ideas when developing innovative responses to problems; it may be evident in process as well as outcomes, products or solutions.

• Culture encompasses a range of learned and shared beliefs, values, interests, attitudes, products, ways of knowing and patterns of behavior created by human communities. The concept of culture is dynamic and organic.

• Development is the act or process of growth, progress or evolution, sometimes through iterative improvements.

• Form is the shape and underlying structure of an entity or piece of work, including its organization, essential nature and external appearance.

Global interactions, as a concept, focuses on the connections among individuals and communities, as well as their relationships with built and natural environments, from the perspective of the world as a whole.

• Identity is the state or fact of being the same. It refers to the particular features that define individuals, groups, things, eras, places, symbols and styles. Identity can be observed, or it can be constructed, asserted and shaped by external and internal influences.

• Logic is a method of reasoning and a system of principles used to build arguments and reach conclusions.

• Perspective is the position from which we observe situations, objects, facts, ideas and opinions. Perspective may be associated with individuals, groups, cultures or disciplines. Different perspectives often lead to multiple representations and interpretations.

• Relationships are the connections and associations between properties, objects, people and ideas—including the human community’s connections with the world in which we live. Any change in relationship brings consequences—some of which may occur on a small scale, while others may be far reaching, affecting large networks and systems such as human societies and the planetary ecosystem.

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• The intrinsically linked concept of time, space and place refers to the absolute or relative position of people, objects and ideas. Time, place and space focuses on how we construct and use our understanding of location (“where” and “when”).

Glossary of command terms in the MYP The command terms listed are used to define the thinking skills that MYP students are expected to demonstrate. The definitions may vary when used in other contexts.

• Analyze ---- Break down in order to bring out the essential elements or structure. To identify

parts and relationships, and to interpret information to reach conclusions. • Annotate --- Add brief notes to a diagram or graph. • Apply --- Use knowledge and understanding in response to a given situation or real

circumstances. • Appraise -- Evaluate, judge or consider text or a piece of work. Command terms in the Middle

Years Program 7 • Argue --- Challenge or debate an issue or idea with the purpose of persuading or committing

someone else to a particular stance or action. • Calculate --- Obtain a numerical answer showing the relevant stages in the working. • Classify -- Arrange or order by class or category. • Comment --- Give a judgment based on a given statement or result of a calculation. • Compare--- Give an account of the similarities between two (or more) items or situations,

referring to both (all) of them throughout. • Compare and contrast --- Give an account of the similarities and differences between two (or

more) items or situations, referring to both (all) of them throughout. • Construct -- Develop information in a diagrammatic or logical form. • Contrast --- Give an account of the differences between two (or more) items or situations,

referring to both (all) of them throughout. • Deduce ---Reach a conclusion from the information given. • Define -- Give the precise meaning of a word, phrase, concept or physical quantity. • Demonstrate--- Prove or make clear by reasoning or evidence, illustrating with examples or

practical application.

• Derive Manipulate a mathematical relationship to give a new equation or relationship. • Describe Give a detailed account or picture of a situation, event, pattern or process. • Design Produce a plan, simulation or model. • Determine Obtain the only possible answer. • Discuss Offer a considered and balanced review that includes a range of arguments, factors or

hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.

• Distinguish Make clear the differences between two or more concepts or items. • Document Credit sources of information used by referencing (or citing) following one

recognized referencing system. References should be included in the text and also at the end of the piece of work in a reference list or bibliography.

• Estimate Find an approximate value for an unknown quantity. • Evaluate Assess the implications and limitations; make judgments about the ideas, works,

solutions or methods in relation to selected criteria.

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• Examine Consider an argument or concept in a way that uncovers the assumptions and interrelationships of the issue.

• Exemplify Represent with an example. • Explain Give a detailed account including reasons or causes. • Explore Undertake a systematic process of discovery. • Formulate Express precisely and systematically the relevant concept(s) or argument(s). • Identify Provide an answer from a number of possibilities. Recognize and state briefly a

distinguishing fact or feature. • Infer Deduce; reason from premises to a conclusion. Listen or read beyond what has been

literally expressed. • Interpret Use knowledge and understanding to recognize trends and draw conclusions from

given information. • Investigate Observe, study, or make a detailed and systematic examination, in order to

establish facts and reach new conclusions. • Justify Give valid reasons or evidence to support an answer or conclusion. • Label Add title, labels or brief explanation(s) to a diagram or graph. • List Give a sequence of brief answers with no explanation. • Measure Find the value for a quantity. • Outline Give a brief account. • Predict Give an expected result of an upcoming action or event. • Present Offer for display, observation, examination or consideration. • Prove Use a sequence of logical steps to obtain the required result in a formal way. • Recall Remember or recognize from prior learning experiences. • Reflect Think about deeply; consider. • Recognize Identify through patterns or features. • Show Give the steps in a calculation or derivation. • Sketch Represent by means of a diagram or graph (labelled as appropriate). The sketch should

give a general idea of the required shape or relationship, and should include relevant features. • Solve Obtain the answer(s) using appropriate methods. • State Give a specific name, value or other brief answer without explanation or calculation. • Suggest Propose a solution, hypothesis or other possible answer. • Summarize Abstract a general theme or major point(s). • Synthesize Combine different ideas in order to create new understanding. • Use Apply knowledge or rules to put theory into practice.

RESOURCES:

-OCC WEBSITE

-IBO.ORG

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IB MYP assessment and criteria

At King Abdulaziz School, we recognize that students learn in different ways, and in keeping with a

holistic view of education, we think it is important to provide a variety of different ways for

students to demonstrate what they have learned. This is the guiding principle of MYP assessment.

Awarding Grades:

Each subject has a precise scale suited to its particular objectives and requirements. All criteria in

all subjects are assessed against eight levels of criterion descriptors. For each assessment criterion

within each subject, a number of band descriptors are defined. These describe a range of

achievement levels. The descriptors concentrate on positive achievement, although difficulty to

achieve may be included in the description for the lower levels.

The criteria for each subject represent the level MYP students should achieve by the end of the IB

MYP stage. The skills required to achieve in each criterion become, developmentally appropriately,

more demanding in each year of the MYP. It is crucial for parents and students to discuss each

subject area’s individual criteria. Each criterion describes a student’s strengths and weakness,

facilitating an awareness of where to feel confident or where to strive for better results. At the end

of each semester, a general achievement level of 1-7 is provided for each subject on the semester

report.

Reports posted on ManageBac, KAS’s electronic report system, include:

• An evaluation of the ATL skills shown during that semester;

• A level and descriptor for the different criteria of that subject;

• An overall level of achievement for the subject from 1 to 7;

• A comment by the teacher.

IB MYP general levels of achievement

At the end of each semester, students’ total grades for each of the four criteria in a subject are

converted into an IB MYP achievement level, from 1 to 7. Below is a generic explanation of each

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IB MYP achievement level. The descriptors concentrate on positive achievement, although for the

lower levels failure to achieve may be included in the description.

Level 7 Produces high-quality, frequently innovative work. Communicates comprehensive, nuanced understanding of concepts and contexts. Consistently demonstrates sophisticated critical and creative thinking. Frequently transfers knowledge and skills with independence and expertise in a variety of complex classroom and real- world situations.

Level 6 Produces high-quality, occasionally innovative work. Communicates extensive understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, frequently with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar and unfamiliar classroom and real- world situations, often with independence.

Level 5 Produces generally high-quality work. Communicates secure understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, sometimes with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar classroom and real-world situations and, with support, some unfamiliar real-world situations.

Level 4 Produces good-quality work. Communicates basic understanding of most concepts and contexts with few misunderstandings and minor gaps. Often demonstrates basic critical and creative thinking. Uses knowledge and skills with some flexibility in familiar classroom situations, but requires support in unfamiliar situations.

Level 3 Produces work of an acceptable quality. Communicates basic understanding of many concepts and contexts, with occasionally significant misunderstandings or gaps. Begins to demonstrate some basic critical and creative thinking. Is often inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, requiring support even in familiar classroom situations.

Level 2 Produces work of limited quality. Expresses misunderstandings or significant gaps in understanding for many concepts and contexts. Infrequently demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Generally inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, infrequently applying knowledge and skills.

Level 1 Produces work of very limited quality. Conveys many significant misunderstandings or lacks understanding of most concepts and contexts. Very rarely demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Very inflexible, rarely using knowledge or skills.

Note: Descriptors should not be considered as marks or percentages. It should not be assumed

that there are other arithmetical relationships; for example, a level 2 performance is not

necessarily twice as good as a level 1 performance.

MYP certificate and promotion requirements

To be awarded the KAS MYP certificate of completion, a student’s second semester final report

should demonstrate:

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• A total point score total of at least 36/63 points overall from the 8 subject groups and

Community and Service combined (Year 1-Year 4);

• A total point score total of at least 36/63 points overall from the 8 subject groups and the

Personal Project combined (Year 5);

• At least a 3/7 in each subject area;

• At least a 3/7 on the Personal Project;

• That the student has met KAS's expectations for Service and Action;

• Minimum 90% attendance in each course.

IB Diploma Programme promotion

The requirements for MYP certificate of completion are also the conditions for promotion from

Grade 10 (MYP 5) to the IB Diploma Programme. In addition, to meet the entry requirements for

chosen courses of study in Grade 11, a student should have:

• a Grade 10 (MYP 5) first semester score of 5 or above for each Higher-Level subject;

• a Grade 10 (MYP 5) first semester score of 4 or above for each Standard Level subject.

If the student has a learning issue, the school may develop an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) to

modify course objectives. Students on an ILP will also receive a modified MYP report.

Promotion

Promotion from each grade is not automatic. To be promoted from Grades 6-10 (MYP1-5), a

student’s second semester final report should demonstrate:

• a total point score of not less than 36 out of 63, this figure being achieved by adding together

the second semester grade from each of the eight MYP subjects and Community and Service;

• at least a 3/7 in each subject area;

• that the student has met KAS's expectations for Community and Service (CAS);

• attendance of at least 90% in each course.

Students who fail to meet these criteria will have their promotion reviewed by the school.

Parents and students concerned will be involved in this consultation process.

Reporting in the MYP

At King Abdulaziz School, our philosophy is that successful student learning is the responsibility of

students, parents and teachers. Communication between school and home is imperative to ensure

students are receiving the support they need in all aspects of their education and development.

Throughout the year we encourage informal communication between home and school through

phone calls, emails and meetings on an individual basis. In addition, we organize a variety of formal

opportunities for information to be shared between home and school regarding the curriculum and

student progress:

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Meet the Teacher Evening

An open evening early in the school year which provides a chance for teachers and parents to

connect in an informal atmosphere.

Mid-semester Reports

These reports share information about student approaches to learning and provide a ‘check-in’ on

student progress at the mid-way point between Semester report cards.

Semester reports

These reports are sent home twice a year (January and May) at the end of each semester and

include grades and individualized comments from each subject area as well as a student reflection

section and an area for parent comments.

Semester 1 - Three-way conferences

A chance for student- parents- teacher to meet and discuss student progress and set goals for the

remainder of the year.

Semester 2 – Student-Led Conferences

A conference between students and parents where students take the lead and share their learning

experiences and progress via their MYP student portfolio.

Curriculum Information sessions

Throughout the year, the MYP staff will host information sessions for parents about specific

components of the curriculum.

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MYP Language Policy

Standard A7:

• The school places importance on language learning, including mother tongue, host

country language, and other languages.

Standard A9:

The school supports access for students to the IB programme(s) and philosophy.

Standard A9a:

The school strongly encourages participation for all students.

Standard B1.5a:

The school has developed and implements a language policy that is consistent with IB

expectations.

Standard C3:7

Teaching and learning addresses the diversity of student language needs, including

those for students learning in a language(s) other than their mother tongue.

Standard C3:8

Teaching and learning demonstrates that all teachers are responsible for language

development of students.

Philosophy:

The King Abdulaziz School Language Programme is designed to assist students in acquiring and

refining the linguistic skills necessary to succeed in the 21st century. This goal is achieved by

employing the MYP Language Aims and Objectives. Students are encouraged to use written

language in a myriad of contexts as a means for expressing themselves powerfully, purposefully

and creatively while reflecting on their learning and their lives, as well as connecting with the world.

All International Baccalaureate students are encouraged to embody the Learner Profile to become

lifelong learners who realize that they have a role in creating a better and more peaceful world. In

all classes, students read, speak, write, listen, and view in a variety of ways and for a number of

purposes. Utilizing the inquiry-based approach of the MYP curriculum framework, students explore

language and become communicators in a multilingual world.

Instruction and Assessment in Language and Literature

Beliefs and Practices:

By participating in language instruction, students explore the fundamental concepts of analysing

text, organising text, producing text, and using language with the purpose of communicating,

learning holistically and promoting intercultural awareness.

Within the Middle Years Programme, students will read a variety of texts including narrative,

informational, and argumentative. Through reading instruction, students will locate, evaluate, and

synthesize information in order to create new knowledge. Another critical aspect of King Abdulaziz

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School language instruction is the acquisition and application of listening and speaking skills in

order to enhance comprehension and communication.

In order to provide students with an authentic and diverse language and literature learning

experience, teachers will:

Use the MYP aims and objectives as best practice

Instruct with Reading/Writing methodologies where appropriate

Facilitate reading in all subject areas

Provide cross-curricular connections between texts when available

Utilize a variety of texts and media including global works and perspectives

Group students based on interest, ability, and data

Use formative assessments to drive instruction

Design reading/writing instruction with authentic summative assessments

Provide opportunities for students to take action within the larger community

Focus on multiple learning experiences

Provide opportunities to increase intercultural awareness through language instruction

Language of Instruction

King Abdulaziz School is a bilingual school where English and Arabic Languages are the languages

of instruction. Since King Abdulaziz School implements the IB PYP and MYP, all students will be

provided with practices that ensure inclusion and equity.

The primary language of instruction for King Abdulaziz School is English. Through school-wide

direct instruction, students develop the fluency and literacy skills necessary to ensure their ability

to communicate effectively.

Mother Tongue at KAS:

Students of both Arab parents; with Arabic Language as their mother tongue and English as a

second language form the majority of our population. Language plays a vital role in the

construction of meaning. It empowers the learner and provides an intellectual framework to

support conceptual development and critical thinking.

The following strands are the aspects of language learning that may help teachers’ better

understanding and enhance students’ learning:

Strands of Language and Learning:

• Language Learning:

Language teachers focus on developing and interrelating oral communication through enhancing

listening and speaking skills, written communication through reading and writing skills and visual

communication through visual and presentation skills.

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• Learning through Language:

All teachers are considered language teachers with responsibilities in facilitating communication.

Language is being used as a communicative tool all through the curriculum. All staff including

administrators, teachers, information centers staff and other school staff are being trained to

make sure that the language policy becomes a working document.

• Learning about Language:

At KAS, students are supported to be proficient in both languages of instruction (Arabic and

English). The students are encouraged to continue to practice their mother tongue, by following

extra programmes beyond school hours.

Assessment:

Language development is a continuous and ongoing learning process. It is evaluated across a

broad range of assessment strategies and various tools and it is done both formatively and

summatively. This allows for revision and refinement of each student’s language development.

Language Guidelines:

New students coming to KAS will need to go through an admission assessment for both the

Arabic and English Languages to evaluate their language proficiency. As a school, we need to

be aware of their language needs for placement purposes to enable students to reach their

highest potential. (For further information refer to the Admission Policy).

KAS intends to have a Special Education Needs Department for the PYP and MYP to support

students’ learning process and to support teachers whenever it is required within the

classrooms to offer assistance to students with learning difficulties. SEN department will be in

charge of modifying unit plans and tasks to meet students’ needs and parents are made aware

of the plan and procedures.

The Information Center contains a vast variety of resources including: books, documents,

magazines, CDs, DVDs, e-encyclopedias and internet access. All PYP and MYP communities

work closely with the Information Center to fulfill the requirements of all transdisciplinary,

interdisciplinary and disciplinary themes/units.

Communicating with Parents: All information, circulars and homework are provided to

parents in both Arabic and English Languages in order to facilitate the students’ learning tasks.

Outside the classrooms, KAS students are free to use any language of their preference.

Students are directed to use proper language in their oral and written communication.

KAS implements the components of the MYP model and is guided by the fundamental concepts

of holistic learning, intercultural awareness and communication. Links are made within and across

subject groups through areas of interaction.

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The School offers a bilingual programme for students joining directly from the bilingual Primary

School who have acquired sufficient language proficiency that enables them to use both

languages as an instrument for their learning in all subject groups.

Review of the language policy:

The language policy at King Abdulaziz School will be reviewed on an annual basis.

Resources Used:

-PYP, MYP Guidelines for developing a School’s Language policy, published April 2008

International Baccalaureate.

-Primary Years Programme, Middle Years Programme and Diploma Programme Language and

learning in IB programmes, Published September 2011.

-Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme Learning in a language other than

mother tongue in IB programmes, Published April 2008.

-Towards a continuum of international education.

-IBO Programme standards and practices.

-IB learner profile booklet.

-Making the PYP happen in the classroom.

-A curriculum framework for international primary education.

-MYP: From principles into practice.

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The Assessment Policy at King Abdulaziz School

The primary aim of assessment at King Abdulaziz School is to support and promote students’

learning. Rigorous assessment is essential in providing students with ongoing evaluations and

feedback on their academic achievements within the subject areas to monitor and measure

student progress. Pre-arranged, clear criteria are provided to students so that they know what

expectations are placed upon them, thus motivating students in their learning in order to meet

subject objectives. These tools also allow teachers to tailor their approaches to teaching to meet

the needs of individual students. Assessment tools are in place so that students make the transition

between the Primary Years Programme to the Middle Years Programme and to build upon their

knowledge and understanding.

Assessment is used as both a learning experience for the students as well as to gauge an

understanding of their level of competence in their skills associated with learning, and their

understanding of significant concepts. Through challenging and open-ended assessment tasks, we

aspire to create an environment that values self-inquiry and individual motivation to learn.

KAS MISSION STATEMENT:

“King Abdulaziz School strives to cultivate dynamic educational experiences that prepare students

for life. It aims at providing a stimulating academic programme and a friendly learning environment

that enable students to reach their full potential intellectually, physically and emotionally. King

Abdulaziz School prepares students to be open to other perspectives, values and traditions whilst

recognizing their own identity and taking pride in their cultural heritage.”

The KAS mission statement is closely tied to our Assessment Policy. As assessment plays a crucial

role in students’ learning, this policy is important in helping our school achieve its mission.

Purpose of assessment

Assessment within the Middle Years Programme at King Abdulaziz School (KAS) is a tool for

teachers to establish a picture of students’ understanding and monitor effectiveness of the

programme taught. Additionally, it enables teachers to analyze and address areas of concern, areas

for student development and implement strategies which address highlighted individual student

learning needs. Assessment also supports student learning through receiving feedback in relation

to set criteria or expectations. With this feedback, students can build strategies for further

improvement and instill a sense of motivation. Finally, assessment enables parents and supports

professionals to gain insight into student progress and give necessary feedback.

Assessment includes a number of internal assessment tools to constantly monitor the individual

student’s academic achievement. Teachers use a variety of methods and tools to ensure that

assessment is meaningful, purposeful, ongoing and age-appropriate for all individual students at

KAS. Assessment at KAS is a learning tool for the student. Students are informed of their individual

achievement and can measure this against predetermined criteria. A strong belief that we have at

KAS is that assessment should assist students in identifying areas of strength and areas in need of

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further development. Student results are compared to set criteria and not against other individual

students.

KAS has developed a systematic approach to assessment where students’ records of achievement

are constantly updated using both formative and summative assessment data, which are reported

regularly to families.

Leadership in rigorous education

We acknowledge that in order for students to reach their greatest personal potential, they need to

be provided with opportunities that challenge them and help them grow. To this end, teachers

design authentic, rigorous, and student-centered assessments that promote important skills for

21st century learners and leaders.

Throughout their units of study, students develop the Approaches to Learning skills of thinking,

communication, collaboration, reflection, organization, information literacy, and transfer.

Students are able to call upon these abilities, not only on their summative assessment tasks but in

everyday life, giving them the skills and experiences necessary for success.

Inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring citizens

At KAS, we strive to create opportunities for learning throughout all stages of a unit, including the

assessment. By providing students with assessment tasks that encourage continued learning, we

promote inquiry. In addition, we aim to develop knowledgeable students, who care about their

education by involving them in the assessment process. Teaching students explicitly about the MYP

objectives and assessment criteria, they are well-aware of the expectations and can take ownership

for their learning. By offering specific feedback that highlights students’ strengths and addresses

areas of improvement, we can help students reflect and set goals so they can move to the next

level of achievement.

Intercultural understanding and respect

Nurturing intercultural understanding and respect among students happens when educators

understand and respect the needs of all learners, while providing opportunities for exploration in

real-world contexts. Being cognizant of the unique learning needs and language development of

each student, we recognize that differentiation is the key to helping all students find success. By

providing students with a variety of assessment tasks, we honor the identity of our learners. In

addition, through the creation of assessments with real-world contexts, we encourage students to

broaden their perspective, promoting international mindedness. At KAS, we see the diversity of

our learning community, as well as that of our global community, as a positive resource that can

enrich learning, providing opportunities for students and staff to heighten their awareness and

expand their thinking.

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PRINCIPLES OF ASSESSMENT

Assessment is a key component of teaching and learning and includes a balance of both formative

and summative assessments. At King Abdulaziz School, our assessment practices reflect our

philosophy of assessment:

A. Assessment is authentic, rigorous, and student-centered:

• Assessment is grounded in real-world application and is appropriately challenging.

• Assessment provides multiple opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know,

value, understand, and are able to do.

• Assessment is designed to assist students’ development of the Approaches to Learning skills,

which coincide with 21st century skills.

• Assessment provides students with opportunities to guide their inquiry and continue their

learning.

B. Assessment is differentiated:

• Assessment is varied in type and purpose.

• Assessment practices recognize and take into account students with special educational needs.

C. Assessment is a transparent shared process:

• Assessment criteria are shared with students prior to the assessment, making students aware

of the expectations at all stages of their learning.

• Assessment practices provide students with opportunities for reflection, as well as peer-

assessment and self-assessment.

• Assessment enables ongoing communication between students and teachers.

• Assessment data promotes content-area and interdisciplinary collaboration among teachers.

D. Assessment provides meaningful feedback:

• Assessment focuses on both the learning process and learning outcomes.

• Assessment aligns with the MYP aims and objectives, informing students and teachers of the

level to which learning targets are met.

• Assessment provides teachers with data to reflect upon and drive instructional practices.

• Assessment practices provide students with timely and meaningful feedback about their

progress and areas of growth.

THE FOUR PRINCIPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE

A. AFFIRMING IDENTITY AND BUILDING SELF-ESTEEM

Valuing the diverse needs of all members of our learning community affirms identity and promotes

self-esteem. For this reason, differentiation is an important part of teaching and learning at King

Abdulaziz School. Differentiation can take many forms and can be found in assessments throughout

a unit of study, as teachers adjust the content, process, and/or product to meet the needs of the

individual learner.

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B. VALUING PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Understanding that students possess various amounts of prior knowledge, and even differing

viewpoints on and/or understandings of the same concept, teachers take into consideration

students’ unique background experiences when planning assessment tasks. Through the use of

various pre- assessment strategies, teachers can determine whether they need to:

• bridge a student’s experiences with the information they are learning in class

• link the student’s past learning in class with new learning

• build background knowledge in the absence of prior knowledge

• provide more rigorous tasks for students who have already been exposed to and mastered the

current learning

C. SCAFFOLDING

KAS and IB strive to develop lifelong learners. However, in order for students to gain independence

in learning, there must be a gradual release of responsibility, often known as scaffolding. Through

scaffolding, teachers help increase student confidence and achievement on formative and

summative tasks. For example, teachers may scaffold larger assessments, breaking them into

smaller, more manageable tasks, ensuring that all learners can accomplish each step that is a pre-

requisite for the next. In addition, rubrics are distributed prior to the assessment task and are

discussed using student-friendly language. These task-specific descriptors provide students with a

clear understanding of the expectations. When possible, exemplars are also made available to

students. Finally, teachers provide meaningful and prompt feedback to facilitate student reflection

and goal-setting. By purposefully scaffolding assessment practices, teachers at KAS are able to

create a ladder of success for all students.

D. EXTENDING LEARNING

To take learning to the next level, teachers provide students with authentic experiences that will

extend their thinking. At KAS, one of our main instructional goals is to provide student-centered

classrooms driven by inquiry. To facilitate the achievement of this goal, educators strive to develop

authentic assessment tasks that require students to call upon the concepts they have learned and

the Approaches to Learning skills they have developed. In addition, teachers aim to create

assessment tasks that provide unfamiliar situations in which students can apply their learning in a

new context.

ASSESSMENT PRACTICES

A. PLANNING FOR ASSESSMENT

• Assessment is integrated into planning, teaching, and learning in all content areas.

• Assessment is planned using backwards design. Focusing on the MYP aims and objectives,

teachers create assessments that will allow students to demonstrate an acceptable level of

achievement of those goals.

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• Teachers are thoughtful in their choices to ensure that the strategies, tasks, and tools are

appropriate to the learning objectives, the subject area, and the student.

• Assessment is differentiated based on student learning needs.

• Assessment is vertically and horizontally articulated throughout the programme to ensure age

appropriateness and skill development.

• Teachers work collaboratively to design MYP unit planners, assessments, and task-specific

rubrics.

Types of assessment:

Formative Assessment

Formative assessment is ‘assessment for learning’ and is a vital learning experience for the students

to develop the skills and knowledge needed in a subject. Formative assessment gives the teachers

a chance to provide constructive feedback for the students. As it is assessment for learning, it does

not directly relate to the student’s grades, but is used to make final judgements of student

capabilities if any uncertainty occurs in summative assessment.

Formative assessment takes place throughout a course of study, informing teachers about student

learning and guiding instruction. Formative tasks are designed to prepare students for the

summative task by assessing students’ progress in acquiring skills and concepts needed for the

summative assessment. While firmly rooted in the MYP objectives, formative assessment tasks can

be differentiated based on the abilities, learning styles, and interests of students.

Summative Assessment

Summative assessment is described as ‘assessment of learning’. It is used to measure a student’s

understanding or capability as a learner after the relevant skills or content has been covered.

Within the assessment in the Middle Years Program, this means that summative assessment should

measure the student's ability to inquire, communicate, reflect, and investigate.

Summative assessment tasks are created to be open-ended, providing differentiation by allowing

students to showcase their knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways, while still aligning

with the MYP subject area objectives.

Examples of these can include (but are not limited to):

Tests/exams

Essays

Laboratory plans and investigation/research

Data analysis tasks

Oral, written and visual presentations/tasks

Individual and group projects

Performances of understanding

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Assessment criteria and determining achievement levels

In the MYP, achievement levels are determined by relating students’ work in summative tasks to

the use of internationally-benchmarked IB objectives, following a best fit model in which teachers

work together to establish common standards and guided by teachers’ professional judgement.

ASSESSMENT STRATEGIES

Assessment strategies provide a variety of ways for students to demonstrate their learning. They

can be used as methods of assessing students during the learning process, allowing teachers to

monitor and further support learning. These strategies can also be used at the end of a unit to

assess a student’s levels of achievement. When used in conjunction with one another, these

assessment strategies present a balanced view of the student.

• Observation is a helpful strategy when assessing engagement and skills. Teachers can observe

the class as a whole, as well as individual students, while looking at the task from an outside

perspective or engaging in the task with the student(s).

• Selected response is useful during the course of a unit in formative assessments such as quizzes

and pre-assessments. In addition, it can be used on end-of-the-unit examinations. This strategy

allows teachers to ask general or specific questions to determine students’ understanding. It

provides students and teachers with immediate feedback.

• Open-ended tasks present students with a prompt and allow them to communicate their

understanding through an original response. This strategy could take the form of a pre-

assessment activity, a discussion (whether a whole class Socratic seminar or small group

Reciprocal Teaching), a writing task, or a presentation.

• Performance tasks provide students an opportunity to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and

understandings they have gained in relationship to the learning objectives.

• Process journals facilitate student reflection, a crucial part of the learning process. While

required in some areas of the MYP, such as the Process Journal in the Personal Project, the use

of reflective journals in all subject areas is encouraged. These journals provide students with a

means to become actively involved in their own learning, leading to improved understanding.

• Portfolios provide a means for students and teachers to compile evidence of learning

achievements. Portfolios involve students in reflection of their learning, as they choose pieces

of work that demonstrate their level of knowledge and understanding, as well as their skills.

Portfolios are particularly useful during student-led conferences.

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ASSESSMENT TASKS

Assessment tasks are summative assessments created by teachers for a particular unit. These tasks

may appear in the form of one of the previously-mentioned assessment strategies. Assessment

tasks are aligned with the MYP objectives for that subject area and are used for assigning an MYP

score. KAS teachers aim to create assessment tasks that are authentic, learner-centered, and

inquiry based, so that students can apply their knowledge and skills to real-life situations.

While teachers are free to create tasks that are based on their subject area’s criteria, the IB MYP

does prescribed minimum tasks for each subject area, which are to be implemented in the final

year of the programme. To prepare students for year 5, teachers in each subject area aim to

implement the prescribed minimums throughout each year of the programme.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS

1. FORMATIVE TOOLS AND FEEDBACK

Assessment tools are used to collect formative data, which are then used to inform instructional

practices, such as planning differentiated tasks. The formative data also provide feedback to

students about their current level of achievement toward the MYP objectives along with their

development of the Approaches to Learning skills. With this feedback, students can reflect on their

progress, prepare for the summative assessment task, and make continued growth.

Formative assessment tools include, but are not limited to:

• Teacher tools, warm-up activities, exit slips, daily work checks, homework checks, regularly

scheduled quizzes, qualitative observation, formative rubrics, checklists

• Collection of work samples

• Student tools

• Self-reflection in the form of: journal entries, short essays, charts/graphs of personal

achievement of unit objectives

• Peer tools, Peer-assessment

Methods of providing feedback on formative assessments include, but are not limited to:

• Teacher methods

• Correction of daily work/ homework, highlighting the process and product

• Check-ins with students

• Formative assessment checklist of concepts and skills to inform the student of areas of

achievement and areas of growth

• Scale of proficiency levels: exceeds, meets, partially meets, and does not yet meet

• Rubrics created for formative tasks using IB MYP criteria

• Highlighted portions of the MYP rubric to show the student’s current performance level

• Written feedback focusing on what the student can do to improve

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• Written questions/ steps to consider

• Verbal feedback

• Student methods

• Self-reflection using rubrics

• In-class correction and reflection on personal daily work

• Record of personal achievement of unit objectives using charts/ graphs

• Peer methods

• Critiques/evaluations using rubrics

2. SUMMATIVE TOOLS AND FEEDBACK

Summative Assessments are criterion-related in all MYP subject areas. The IB MYP provides rubrics

within each content area that align with the subject area objectives. Teachers use the IB MYP

rubrics specific to their subject area, and the criteria being assessed, to determine student

achievement levels.

Students are assessed against each of the MYP criteria a minimum of two times over the course of

the year in each subject area. Feedback is provided on the rubric by highlighting achievement

descriptors that were met and offering suggestions for improvement in order to reach the next

level of achievement.

Summative assessment tasks, and the expectations tied to them, are discussed with students prior

to the assessment through the distribution and study of the MYP rubrics. These rubrics are clarified

using task-specific descriptors with student-friendly language. When possible, exemplars are also

made available to students. In addition, students may be involved in the development of task

specific descriptors for the MYP rubrics to aid their understanding of the assessment task and the

method of evaluation.

ASSESSMENT MEASURES:

1. FORMATIVE MEASURES

Formative tasks are measured in various ways including:

• Achievement levels which may be aligned with IB achievement levels

• Points in the gradebook

• Percentages

• Charts and graphs

2. SUMMATIVE MEASURES

Summative tasks are assessed using the IB MYP rubrics. These achievement levels are then

translated into a point value so that grades, consistent with national practices, can be calculated.

72

Arts

Individuals & Societies

Language

and

Literature

Language and Literature (Arabic)

Mathemat ics

Physical and

Health Education

Sciences

Design

Criterion

A

Knowing

and

Understa

nding

Knowing

and

understan

ding

Analyzing Analyzing Knowledge

and

Understand

ing

Knowing

and

Understan

ding

Knowled

ge and

Understa

n ding

Inquir

i ng &

Analy

zi ng

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

B

Developi

ng skills

Investiga

ting

Organizing Organizing Investigat

ing

patter

ns

Planning

for

Performa

nce

Inquirin

g and

designi

n g

Developing Ideas

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

C

Thinkin

g

creativ

ely

Communicati ng

Producing

Text

Producing

text

Communic

ation in

mathemati

cs

Applying

and

Performi

ng

Processin

g and

evaluati

n g

Creatin

g the

Soluti

o n

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

D

Respondi ng

Thinki ng critical ly

Using Language

Using language

Applying

mathemati

cs in real

world

contexts

Reflecting

and

Improving

Performa

nce

Reflecti

n g on

the

impact

s of

science

Evaluating

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

The PERSONAL PROJECT

The Personal Project is a learner-centered project completed by students in MYP year 5 (Grade 10).

This project promotes inquiry and helps students exercise their independent learning skills.

Students select topics and products of their own choosing. Encouraged to focus on their areas of

interest, students have the freedom to design a project about which they are truly passionate.

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Whatever topic they choose, students call upon the concepts and skills they have gained during

their time in the MYP to make their project successful. The Personal Project requires students to

use the Approaches to Learning skills they have developed, specifically in the areas of information

literacy, communication, collaboration, thinking, reflection, and transfer. The Personal Project is

supported through homeroom, but a majority of the work is completed outside of class. Therefore,

it is essential that students also utilize their organizational skills, especially in regard to time

management. Each student is given guidance from a staff advisor, with whom they regularly meet.

As students work on their Personal Projects, they keep process journals. This journal, along with

the final product, report, and bibliography, are the basis for the Personal Project and are assessed

using the Personal Project criteria of:

• Criterion A - Use the process journal

• Criterion B - Define the goal

• Criterion C - Select sources

• Criterion D - Apply information

• Criterion E - Achieve the goal

• Criterion F - Reflect on learning

• Criterion G - Report the project

GRADES AND REPORT CARDS

IB Published Grade Boundaries

Individual criteria are divided into various achievement levels that appear in bands (1-2, 3-4, 5-6

and 7-8). Each specific band for a given criterion contains a level descriptor, which uses a series of

qualitative value statements to describe work within that level.

Level descriptors for each one of the bands describe a range of student performance in regard to

the strands of each objective; a level of 0 is available for work that is not sufficiently described by

the 1-2 band descriptor. Subject specific criteria, along with their specific band descriptors, are

shared with students and can always be accessed via MangeBac.

At the end of each semester, teachers make judgments on their students’ achievement levels for

each subject group criterion, based on achievement evidence from the range of summative tasks

and learning experiences that have taken place.

Final levels for each subject are determined by the MYP 1-7 scale which provides general

descriptors that represent a student's achievement level. To arrive at this final level, teachers add

together the student’s final achievement levels in all criteria for a specific subject and use the grade

boundary table that follows to determine a final grade:

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Arts

Individuals

& Societies

Langua

ge and

Literatu

re

(English)

Language

and

Literature

(Arabic)

Maths

Physical

& Health

Education

Sciences

Design

(Technology)

Final

Mark

1 1-5 1-5 1-5 1-5 1-5 1-5 1-5 1-5

2 6-9 6-9 6-9 6-9 6-9 6-9 6-9 6-9

3 10-14 10-14 10-14 10-14 10-14 10-14 10-14 10-14

4 15-18 15-18 15-18 15-18 15-18 15-18 15-18 15-18

5 19-23 19-23 19-23 19-23 19-23 19-23 19-23 19-23

6 24-27 24-27 24-27 24-27 24-27 24-27 24-27 24-27

7 28-32 28-32 28-32 28-32 28-32 28-32 28-32 28-32

Note: students need to have been assessed at least twice in every criterion in order to determine

final levels.

Special considerations for students who do not meet this minimum of having been assessed at least

twice for any criterion will be made in an individual basis by the MYP Coordinator.

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Below are the IB general grade descriptors for the Final Mark grade. A mark on this 1-7 scale will

appear in the Managebac report.

Final Mark Descriptor

1

Produces work of very limited quality. Conveys many significant misunderstandings or lacks understanding of most concepts and contexts. Very rarely demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Very inflexible, rarely using knowledge or skills.

2

Produces work of limited quality. Expresses misunderstandings or significant gaps in understanding for many concepts and contexts. Infrequently demonstrates critical or creative thinking. Generally inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, infrequently applying knowledge and skills.

3

Communicates basic understanding of some concepts and contexts, with occasionally significant misunderstandings or gaps. Begins to demonstrate some basic critical and creative thinking. Is often inflexible in the use of knowledge and skills, requiring support even in familiar classroom situations.

4 Communicates basic understanding of most concepts and contexts with few misunderstandings and minor gaps. Often demonstrates basic critical and creative thinking. Uses knowledge and skills with some flexibility in familiar classroom situations, but requires support in unfamiliar situations.

5 Produces generally high-quality work. Communicates secure understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, sometimes with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar classroom and real-world situations and, with support, some unfamiliar real-world situations.

6 Produces high-quality, occasionally innovative work. Communicates extensive understanding of concepts and contexts. Demonstrates critical and creative thinking, frequently with sophistication. Uses knowledge and skills in familiar and unfamiliar classroom and real-world situations, often with independence.

7 Produces high-quality, frequently innovative work. Communicates comprehensive, nuanced understanding of concepts and contexts. Consistently demonstrates sophisticated critical and creative thinking. Frequently transfers knowledge and skills with independence and expertise in a variety of complex classroom and real-world situations.

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Communicating assessment information:

Communicating assessment information is essential for students, parents and teachers alike. In MYP,

teachers follow the following set of procedures to ensure students and parents have access to all

necessary assessment information:

• Essential information on specific summative tasks, task cover sheets and task descriptions will be

uploaded (or linked to) on ManageBac. This information should be posted with a two weeks’

notice of the given task’s submission date as a minimum.

• Within two academic weeks of an assessment, the gradebook on ManageBac should be updated

to include either written feedback regarding the student’s performance or a comment specifying

how the feedback was (will be) provided to the student.

• Assessment data and assessment results will be updated on ManageBac at least once by each half

term for students and parents to view.

• Task Specific Clarifications (according to IB formats) should be provided when a task is issued to

students (this can be done verbally or in written form).

Reporting achievement levels

The academic year in MYP is divided into two semesters; semester reports are generated in January

and May. Students receive one judgement for each criterion in each subject at the time of reporting

in January and two judgements for each criterion at the time of reporting in May. If a student arrives

late in the year, individual considerations will determine the feasibility of determining final grades for

each subject group.

Procedures for different situations

Absences

If a student is not present for an exam, oral presentation or any other structured summative

assessment taking place on a specific day/time, and no explanation is provided:

• Students must make contact with the subject teacher on his/her first day back at school (either

personally or via email) to arrange submitting the task on the next Tuesday/Thursday. Non-contact

from the part of the student or missing a scheduled time to present the missed assessment will

result in his work considered not to be described by any of the descriptors below the starting level

of 0 for any criteria assessed on that specific task and will be graded accordingly.

Upon missing a scheduled summative task, due to scheduled medical or approved absence of leave:

The student must contact the subject teacher and complete the summative task on either the first

Tuesday or Thursday back after their sickness/absence from school. Missing this date will result in his

work considered not to be described by any of the descriptors below the starting level of 0 for any

criteria assessed on that specific task and will be graded accordingly.

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Note: if a non­attendance period of two weeks after a given assessment is reached, students’ work

will be considered not to be described by any of the descriptors below the starting level of 0 for any

criteria assessed on the given task and will be graded accordingly. Extenuating circumstances will be

considered in a per case basis and these can result in student work not receiving a grade level.

Ongoing assessments

If a student fails to turn in an ongoing assessment (i.e. essay, long-term project, written report, video

or any other summative assessment which is not developed in a specific day/time) by the given

deadline:

The teacher will notify the student and parents/guardians on the day of the deadline for the

assessment task via phone call and/or email, and a 24-hour deadline for submission will be set for

the student.

If the 24-hour deadline is not met by the student, this will result in his work considered not to be

described by any of the descriptors below the starting level of 0 for any criteria assessed on that

specific task and will be graded accordingly.

Special circumstances and arrangements regarding the non-submission of an assessment task will

be discussed and decided on by the programme coordinator.

Inappropriate behaviour during a summative assessment

If a student behaves inappropriately during a summative assessment:

The student will be requested to hand in the assessment, which will be marked as is.

Additional considerations may apply as per the school’s Behaviour Code.

Summative tasks involving group work

When introducing group work-based summative tasks to students, teachers should inform the

procedures for groups missing a group member at the time of assessment.

In the case of a group missing one of its members, the remaining members of the group can be asked

to present/perform as per the discretion of the teacher. If a group presents/performs without a

specific group member, the teacher will treat this as an absence from a summative task, and the

missing student must present/perform on his return to school on a Tuesday or Thursday.

Teachers need to document carefully the input of individuals working in a group situation so that the

achievement levels for individual students can be determined. Achievement levels in group tasks

should be individually determined and not group determined.

Malpractice during an assessment

If a student commits any form of malpractice during an assessment:

The student will be requested to hand in the assessment, which will be marked as is.

Additional considerations may apply as per the school’s academic honesty policy.

Alternative assessment opportunities

Assessment tasks are carefully designed by teachers in order to serve both as a learning experience

as well as to gauge an understanding of their level of competence in their skills associated with

learning. A range of assessment opportunities are designed throughout the school year, with each

subject specific criterion being assessed at least twice.

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Students who perform poorly on the subject criteria addressed by a specific assessment task will

either have had prior opportunities to perform on these criteria or will have the same future

opportunities of performing against these criteria as their classmates. Alternative assessment

opportunities in the form of extra-credit activities or remedial tasks will not be given to students who

perform poorly on a summative assessment task.

Special considerations

Special considerations and arrangements regarding assessment tasks, time provided, allowed

resources and others can be contemplated through the Learning Support department, the school’s

inclusion policy, language policy and/or a student’s IEP.

APPROACHES TO LEARNING SKILLS FEEDBACK

The Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills are not awarded grades in the IB subject areas. However,

subject-area teachers, and homeroom teachers, provide various forms of feedback on students’

development of these skills. The ATL skills also serve as a platform for student self-reflection during

student-led conferences and individual student-teacher conferences throughout the year.

STUDENT CONFERENCE PORTFOLIOS

In preparation for conferences, students are provided with an opportunity to reflect on their progress

across the subject areas. Students compile work and complete a reflection that demonstrates their

level of understanding within each subject area, placing this information in their conference folders.

STUDENT-LED CONFERENCES

Conferences are held once a year providing families with an opportunity to formally discuss their

children’s progress. These conferences are led by students as they share their conference portfolios

with their families. During the conferences, students reflect on the learning process, their current

level of achievement in each subject area, and the ATL skills and Learner Profile traits that have

assisted them.

GRADE BOOK ACCESS

Our gradebook system offers parent portal, so families can check on their children’s progress with

more independence and frequency.

RESPONSIBILITIES WITHIN THE KSA LEARNING COMMUNITY

The education of students is a collaborative effort, in which all stakeholders play an important role.

A. STUDENTS

Students are expected to:

-Take responsibility for their learning

-Regularly reflect and self-assess

-Complete formative work in preparation for the summative assessment

-Know and use the assessment criteria while completing assessment tasks

-Produce quality work and use the assessment as a way to demonstrate their understanding and grow

in their learning

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-Submit work that is their own and represents their own efforts and abilities (see Academic Honesty

Policy for more information)

-Turn in their summative assessment tasks on time

-Advocate for themselves in the event of needing an extension

B. FAMILIES

Families are expected to:

-Stay informed about their children’s academic progress by regularly communicating with their

children and the teachers

-Share important information about their children that may impact their academic performance

-Contact KSA teachers, staff, and/or administrative team with any concerns

-Attend conferences

-Provide feedback regarding their children’s educational experience through completion of the family

survey

C. TEACHERS

Teachers are expected to:

-Provide multiple and varied opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning

-Differentiate assessments to meet student learning needs

-Design assessments that fulfill the requirements of KAS Assessment Policy and KAS Grading Policy

-Use a variety of assessment strategies, tasks, and tools

-Inform students of the summative assessment task and expectations, prior to giving the summative

task

-Give adequate time for the completion of assessment tasks

-Provide timely and meaningful feedback to students on assessment tasks

-Inform families if a student’s letter grade is below expectations

REVIEW PROCESS

The Assessment policy is reviewed by a committee of teachers, the MYP coordinator and the Head of School every other year. The purpose of the committee will be to study the current document to ensure its accuracy toward meeting IB MYP standards.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

International Baccalaureate Organization. MYP: From Principles into Practice. Cardiff: International Baccalaureate Organization, 2008.

International Baccalaureate Organization. Programme Standards and Practices. Cardiff: International Baccalaureate Organization, 2010.

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MYP Academic Honesty Policy

Standard B1.5d:

The school has developed and implements an academic honesty policy that is consistent with IB

expectations.

Our school defines academic honesty as a set of values and skills that promote personal integrity in

teaching, learning and assessment. We believe that in order to achieve this, it is important that we

focus on educating our students to be principled, to recognize and celebrate authentic student work,

and to take pride in promoting student learning through inquiry that includes responsible use of

information and communication of original work.

Definition

The Academic Honesty Policy is designed to define and clarify the expectations associated with the

submission of authentic work. It will provide staff, students, parents, counselors, and administrators

with a common understanding of malpractice, define the responsibilities of all parties in preventing

malpractice, and encourage principled behavior in the learning environment of our school.

Academic honesty is acknowledging responsibility for the production of students’ own work,

recognition of the work of others, and maintaining honor and trust in the learning environments of

our schools. In order to understand appropriate academic honesty practice, it is important to clarify

behavior that can lead to an unfair advantage in academic work, hereby referred to as malpractice.

Plagiarism

An act or instance of using or closely imitating the language and thoughts of another author without

authorization and/or the representation of that author's work as one's own, by not crediting the

original author. Plagiarism equally applies to work other than text (i.e. art, music, etc.). It is important

that students understand how to appropriately use another author’s work in their assignments to

avoid both intentional and unintentional instances of plagiarism.

Examples:

Any representation of others’ work as your own

Non­original work that is not cited and appropriately referenced in submissions.

Copying information from a book or a website.

Misuse of quotation marks, paraphrasing, and in-text citations makes authorship unclear.

Failure to identify source of elements of nonverbal work (i.e. painting, photo, proof, musical

composition, etc.) that you’ve derived your work from.

Using online language translators unless explicitly allowed.

Collusion

Supporting malpractice by another student, including allowing one’s work to be accessed or copied

or submitted for assessment by another student.

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Examples:

Helping someone else cheat both deliberately and through support.

Allowing your work to be copied and/or submitted by another student.

Divide and conquer approach where you are not the author of the entire assignment given by the

instructor (if not part of assignment).

Representing significantly unequal work as an equal collaboration.

Writing a paper or doing homework for another student, both at the time as well as sharing

completed work with students who take a course in the future.

Sharing information about assessment content and questions with other students.

Collusion is to be contrasted with collaboration, which we define as multiple students actively

engaged during the course as well as in the creation of a product per the assignment guidelines. It is

important to note that teachers must be clear with assignment guidelines to specify what is

collaboration versus collusion on any given task.

Duplication of Work

Submission of the same work, for different assessment components or curriculum components. All

assignments should be created newly for the course or assessment unless discussed with the

instructor in advance.

Unfair Practice

This is defined as any action that gains a student an unfair academic advantage.

Examples:

Falsifying records

Falsifying data

Sharing passwords, using unauthorized material

Disclosing information about assessments

Altering grades

Phony citation

Impersonating person

Misconduct during testing times

It is the understanding of all school personnel that when a student puts his or her name on any

assignment, they are submitting it as their own and acknowledging original ownership.

Roles and Responsibility in Supporting Academic Honesty

Faculty: (including teachers, counselors, media specialist, support and paraprofessionals)

Communicate appropriate collaboration versus collusion with each assignment.

Teach a recognized citation convention for written and non­written works.

Demonstrate and model academic honesty in presentations, etc.

Report and record academic dishonesty through a referral.

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Assure students in your class understand that when they submit a task as their own, they are

representing that they have not received nor given aid on assignments or assessments. Teachers can

opt to ask students to use their signature to explicitly assure this point if needed.

Minimize temptation for malpractice in assignments/assessment situations.

Communicate with students, parents, counselors, administrators, with concerns and malpractice

offenses.

Teachers, administrators, and counselors involve students in reflection/discussion in the instance

of malpractice.

Students:

Confirm understanding of academic honesty with signature on Code of Conduct form each year.

Report malpractice violations to a trusted school employee.

Work to produce authentic work

Understand that putting name on assignment certifies it as your own work, cited appropriately.

Minimize malpractice temptation by balancing time appropriately.

If an incident of malpractice occurs, either intentional or unintentional, complete the reflection

process with your instructor.

Understand proper citation expectations for assignments (MLA or APA where appropriate)

Ask for guidance when you are unsure.

Administration:

Support academic honesty policy and investigate all counselor/teacher reports of malpractice.

Ensure that all staff, students, and parents understand definitions, responsibilities, and

repercussions.

Ensure the academic honesty policy is applied consistently throughout the school.

Provide staff development and guidance on academic writing and referencing systems that are

available.

Maintain an account with plagiarism detection service (only high school).

Provide teachers with material to guide students in maintaining academic honesty.

Investigation of malpractice.

Make parent and student contact to reflect on malpractice incidents.

Parents, guardians, and/or outside support:

Read/sign Code of Conduct form.

Encourage your child to practice academic honesty.

Encourage your child to cultivate a culture of academic honesty in school.

Address concerns of academic misconduct/malpractice with your student and school personnel if

necessary.

Monitor hired tutors to assure authentic student work.

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Repercussions

Malpractice incidents will be discussed with the student and then reported to parents, counselors, and

administration. Age appropriate consequences will be administered within school’s discipline protocol,

based on frequency and recurrence of the violation.

Communication Plan

This academic honesty policy will be published on the school website, discussed in September for each

grade level, and published in student planners where appropriate.

Review of the Academic Honesty Policy:

This will be reviewed and updated annually by King Abdulaziz School. If you still have questions after

reading this handbook, please contact the IB Middle Years Programme Coordinator, at

[email protected]

Resources:

- International Baccalaureate Organization, MYP: From principles into practice. United Kingdom, 2014

- www.Managebac.com

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King Abdulaziz School Special Educational Needs (SEN) Policy

1. Philosophy

King Abdulaziz School is committed to promoting a safe and supportive learning environment for students with

Special Educational Needs to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. KASM provides an inclusive curriculum

and is non-discriminatory against students and prospective students with Special Educational Needs, both in the

admission process and in the provision of education and associated services. The purpose of the KASM Special

Educational Needs Policy is therefore to recognize and articulate our responsibility in identifying and providing

support for students who have Special Educational Needs which cannot be met within the parameters of the taught

curriculum. Hence these students will have the opportunity to fulfill their potential and be prepared to access an

international education to the highest recognized academic standards.

2. Special Educational Needs

Special Educational Needs at KASM include but are not limited to:

• Learning difficulties

• Emotional and behavioral difficulties

• Medical conditions-ADHD

• Gifted and talented students

3. Learning Support

Learning support at KASM includes the provision of accommodations, modifications and various supports to enable

students to reach their potential. Learning support enables students to succeed academically, socially and

emotionally.

4. Aims

KASM employs teachers across the school to provide learning support to students with Special Educational Needs

and assist with the educational planning and monitoring of the student’s progress. The school provides training for

teachers to best support SEN students through offering differentiated lessons, altering resources and taking account

of different learning styles.

The development of an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) aims to:

• Establish a learner profile by identifying a student’s strengths, skills, preferences and abilities.

• Set educational goals, both short term and long term.

• Promote collaboration amongst teachers to develop a whole-school approach.

• Provide additional support, strategies and resources for other teachers of the student.

• Teach skill development to students with Special Educational Needs during the school day.

• Evaluate and review student progress and programmes.

• Establish effective home-school partnerships, including the development of support strategies for parents

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The aim of our programme is to help the students lead a more independent life both in school and their social

environment.

5. Admission to the School

Through KAS’s admission office, students with documented Special Educational Needs may be admitted in the

school, and be provided with any or all the following support options:

• Mainstream class with indirect support

Parents will be assisted in determining the best support strategies for the student, considering the student’s specific

additional learning and support needs, and parent’s input on the matter. The student’s profile will then be

established on the school database and made available to all teachers of that student through ManageBac.

The school will also provide information and may refer parents to other professionals outside of school that may

help support the development of the student. It is expected that parents of current students identified with special

needs will agree to opt for support sessions in order to receive additional learning support (outside the school). If

that does not happen, the school cannot guarantee that the child will have full and appropriate access to the

curriculum and alternative arrangements will be recommended.

6. Identification Procedures

Identification of a student with a learning need can occur at any age or stage of development. Special Educational

Needs may become apparent as a student progresses through the school. When a classroom teacher suspects that

a student may need additional support, the procedure for referral is as follows:

• Class teacher is to observe the student in various settings and while working on various tasks. Assessments and

work of the students, as well as “average” work for the class to compare need to be collected. Teacher is to

document any strategies that have been tried and whether or not they have been successful. The teacher is to fill

in a student referral form.

• Teachers need to use the checklist to identify the students who need support.

• Teacher is to send the form and accompanying documents to the Head of SEN and Inclusion Programme.

• Head of SEN and Inclusion Programme conducts an assessment and/or observation.

• Once assessments and/or observations have been conducted, the information will be compiled.

• The Head of SEN and Inclusion Programme will then make recommendations to the appropriate personnel of

any teaching interventions or support which may be needed.

• The Head of SEN and Inclusion Programme will communicate with the referring teacher, and other teachers as

appropriate.

• A parent meeting will be held to share the areas of concern and explain the programme.

Identification procedures apply to the whole school with referral forms being available within on the schools

shared drive.

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7. Ongoing Support

The school assists classroom teachers in addressing the educational needs of students with learning difficulties. In

the classroom, provisions for students with Special Educational Needs will be made by class teachers to ensure

access to the whole curriculum. All students with an IEP (Individual Education Plan) will follow the same curriculum

as their peers. In some areas of the curriculum such as literacy and numeracy, students may require modification of

content or assessment. Students will be given in-class support during lesson time in order to ensure the skills are

implemented, and to assist them in accessing the curriculum in the classroom.

8. Extent of Learning Support

There is always a possibility for students to be able to work independently without support; this is especially true

for students with mild learning difficulties. However, for students with a more severe learning difficulty, the school

is able to provide limited support. The amount of support needed may vary, depending on the interaction between

the school’s demand and the individual’s strengths and needs. All faculty involved with a student with Special

Educational Needs will provide input to determine the support needed, if any, in each area of the curriculum.

9. Professional Development

Professional development is provided as per needs. The Head of SEN & Inclusion Department is responsible for

keeping up to date with current SEN methods and practices. The Head of SEN & Inclusion presents regularly to

staff and is responsible for:

• Preparing IEPs in collaboration with classroom teachers and parents.

• Planning and implementing intervention strategies and classroom accommodations with other teachers to

achieve IEP goals.

• Supporting an inclusive learning environment inside the school.

• Attending parent-teacher meetings.

• Contacting parents on behalf of the school whenever necessary.

• Observing and monitoring student performance in different learning areas.

• Providing feedback on student’s improvement and performance evaluation during parent-teacher meetings.

• Conducting formal and informal assessments when needed.

• Evaluating the IEP based on student’s achievement and performance at the end of each semester

10. Classroom teachers

A key element of successful learning-support is a high level of collaboration between the class teacher and the Head

of SEN & Inclusion Programme. Collaboration is central to the development, implementation and review of the IEP.

Classroom teachers’ responsibilities include:

• Being alert to the possibility that some students may have specific learning difficulties and bringing their

concerns to the attention to The Head of SEN & Inclusion Programme who has responsibility for coordinating

special needs service, following the school’s identification procedures.

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• Collaborating in the development of an IEP and identifying appropriate accommodations to support learning.

• Implementing the accommodations stated in the IEP.

• Maintaining a record of students’ progress towards achieving the goals specified in the IEP.

• Differentiating the curriculum to meet the needs of all learners, within their class.

• Participating in a review of the progress of SEN students at the end of a term.

• Consulting with parents to outline the support that has been practiced at school and the progress made by the

student.

11. Parents

Parent involvement and participation will improve the intervention and support by:

• Providing a good learning environment at home which provides opportunities for parents and children to

participate together in developing language and numeracy.

• Supporting the work of the school by engaging in activities at home like storytelling, discussion about reading,

writing lists, review what they have done at school, etc.

• Being a role model at home by modeling their own involvement in different learning areas.

• Discussing the learning targets and actions to be taken by the school to meet those targets.

• Discussing their child’s progress with the class teacher at the end of each semester.

12. Students

The involvement of students in the development, implementation and evaluation of their own learning program is

an effective way to support students’ needs, develop self-management and independence.

Students should:

• Contribute to the setting of the learning targets on the IEP.

• Become familiar with their learning goals.

• Contribute to the selection of texts and materials that can help to achieve their goals.

• Reflect on their progress by participating in various assessments.

13. Administration

In order to provide the best possible support for students with Special Educational Needs, the administration

will:

• Collaborate with The Head of SEN & Inclusion Programme on the process of admitting students who may need

learning support.

• Acquire, and share with the appropriate teachers, any student records from previous schools and any medical

references of the students in need.

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• Arrange time for the Head of SEN & Inclusion Programme to assess students’ needs and organize possible

support options.

• Provide information to parents about the school’s procedure and policy for students with special needs.

14. SEN Support

Whilst, the general ethos of supporting all students is a universal aim at KASM, the specific support within each

programme is developed to support that specific programme. Teachers at KASM are expected to respect the

general principles outlined by the IB when planning adaptations to teaching and assessment for students with

Special Educational Needs.

These principles are shown below:

• Where normal assessment conditions would put SEN students at a disadvantage, reasonable adjustments,

including the use of Technology, must be given to allow the student to demonstrate his/her ability.

• The special adjustments put in Programme to allow students to demonstrate their true ability must not put SEN

students at an advantage.

• Any grade awarded to a SEN student in any subject must not be a misleading description of the student’s level of

attainment based on the course objectives.

• Where special arrangements have been made for assessment, they must correspond to school policy and reflect

the conditions available to the students in the classroom. Special assessment arrangements must be recorded and

made available to the IB on request.

• If KASM requires validation of grades by the IB, then students with Special Educational Needs should be

identified as soon as possible.

15. Behaviour Management of Students:

Behavior management is an important aspect of learning. Students behavior management will be the

responsibility of all the teachers at school in all the learning areas and spaces of the school.

The Head of SEN & Inclusion Programme will extend his support in:

• Creating a school culture of respect.

• Working with the student council to promote understanding of International Mindedness and meaningful

student action in the School.

• Observing student’s behavior in all the learning spaces and areas of school.

• Documenting instances of students conduct and misbehavior

• Designing and administering student behavior management plan for the students

The King Abdulaziz School Special Educational Needs Policy is compiled in October 2018 and reviewed further in

November 2018. Scheduled for next review August 2019.

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References: SEN Policy

1) Dwight school of Seoul

2) Stone Hill International school

3) MEF School

4) Ebicia International School

5) ISTEK schools

6) IB Special education needs policy- http://www.sjp2.us/images/pdf/ib/Special-EdNeeds-in-IB.pdf

7) http://www.karinthy.hu/pages/ib/sen_policy.pdf

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The Homework Policy Homework is a necessary adjunct to classroom teaching, and all students can expect to receive homework on a regular basis. Homework is intended to reinforce work covered in class and to help students develop important habits of self-discipline, organization and self-reliance. Homework assignments are given to prepare students for the next day's lesson or to offer students the opportunity to practice newly-acquired skills. Homework assignments are developed in keeping with the IB MYP framework and serve an important purpose in developing students’ ATL skills and personal responsibility within the IB MYP and beyond. MYP assignments such as reports and projects take many weeks of careful planning and good organization on the part of the student. The amount of homework given will vary across the school; as a general rule, Grade 6 (MYP1) students can expect approximately 5-7 hours of homework each week, Grade 7 (MYP2) students 6-8 hours and Grade 8 (MYP3) students 8-10 hours; and Grades 9 and 10 (MYP4 and 5) can expect up to 15 hours. The school does not operate a strict homework timetable for students but does offer a suggested schedule that students can use to allocate time to their work. In line with our policy of fostering independent learning and striving to develop the dispositions of the IB Learner Profile, we promote a collaborative approach to the setting of homework, through which teachers will plan homework schedules at regular curriculum planning meetings and will, as appropriate, involve students in the setting of deadlines. Students are responsible for organizing their time appropriately to manage long-term projects and communicating with their teachers when problems arise. Parents are encouraged to assist in monitoring student progress toward the completion of the assignments but should not do the students’ work for them. Parents can be most helpful to their children by providing a routine time and a place that is conducive to undisturbed study. Students can seek help in developing more effective study skills from their teachers, counselors and the learning support department. It can be assumed that students will always be required to be reading set texts in preparation for lessons and reading around all of their subjects as a matter of course. Students are also expected to proofread all written tasks. Getting work done on time requires careful planning, organization, determination and self-discipline. These qualities are important in the later working-careers of students and in their personal lives. To promote the habit of punctuality, our policy is as follows:

• Teachers clearly communicate to students the guidelines, expectations and use of criteria for homework or

coursework;

• School breaks and vacations are recovery periods for students. In Grade 10 (MYP5), students will not receive

vacation homework, as they are expected to be working on their Personal Projects;

• Students are responsible for finding out about any and all missed assignments when they have been absent from

lessons. All missing assignments must be made up. Assignments due during an absence should be submitted

during the first lesson upon return. Any work assigned during an absence is due on the regular due date unless

prior arrangements have been made with the teacher;

• If a student is present in class when a test or quiz is announced, the student is expected to take the test or quiz

on the day of his or her return to school, if the teacher wishes. Special arrangements for exams will only occur

due to sickness (accompanied with a doctor’s certificate) or bereavement;

• Any assignments due the day of a field trip must be submitted prior to the field trip, curricular or extra-curricular

activity.