The MYP places great importance on the development of Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills, which enable students to “learn how to learn.” We provide our students with ample opportunities to use, enhance, expand upon and improve pre-existing skills, but also to hone new ones, both through the taught curriculum and through extra-curricular activities.
According to the MYP, the ATL skills are encompassed into the following general categories:
- Thinking Skills
- Social Skills
- Communication Skills
- Self-Management Skills
- Research Skills
The depth and degree to which each individual student implements any one of the aforementioned skills vary and can be assessed as follows:
- Novice/beginning - students are introduced to the skill, and can watch others performing it (observation)
- Learner/developing - students copy others who use the skill and use the skill with scaffolding and guidance (emulation)
- Practitioner/using - students employ the skill confidently and effectively (demonstration)
- Expert/sharing - students can show others how to use the skill and accurately assess how effectively the skill is used (self-regulation)