Approaches to Learning in the MYP

1. Approachesto Learning in theMYP

2. What is the ultimate purpose of education? • Gaining good qualifications? • Getting into a good university? • Getting a good job? • Preparation for life? • Developing brilliant learners? • Developing good citizens?

3. Developingbrilliant learners? • self-motivated • self-directed • self-regulated • autonomous • independent • lifelong learners?

4. How do we measure success in producing lifelong learners?

5. Key skills of thelife-long learner? • setting learning goals • planning out their study • asking good questions • generating motivation and perseverance • processing information effectively – sifting, sorting, comparing, verifying, trying out different ways to learn • working to deadlines • reflecting on their achievement – both process and content • making changes to their learning processes where necessary

6. Learningskills –in theUS • 400 USA top corporate recruiters look for: • Oral and written communication skills • Critical thinking and problem solving skills • Professionalism and work ethic • Collaboration across networks • Ability to work in diverse teams • Fluency with information technology • Leadership and project management skills • Knowledge of mathematics came 14th on the list just ahead of science knowledge and foreign language comprehension (Wagner, 2010; Trilling & Fadel, 2009)

7. LearningSkills –in theUK 2008 QCA “A framework of personal, learning and thinking skills that are essential to success in learning, life and work” Independent inquirers Creative thinkers Reflective learners Team workers Self-managers Effective participators

8. Learningskills –in Canada Ontario – Growing success 2010 Learning skills and work habits: Responsibility Organization Independent work Collaboration Initiative Self-regulation

9. Assessment and Teaching of 21st Century Skills (ATC21S) project in Australia,Finland, SingaporeandtheUSA • Ways of Thinking • Creativity and innovation • Critical thinking, problem solving, decision making • Learning to learn, metacognition Ways of Working 10 essential skills for success in the 21st Century • Communication • Collaboration & teamwork Tools for Working • Information literacy • ICT literacy • Living in the World • Citizenship – local and global • Life and career • Personal & social responsibility – including cultural awareness and competence • (Binkley, Erstad, Herman, Raizen, Ripley & Rumble, 2010)

10. Learningskills in theMYP Approach to Learning skills Self- management skills Communication skills Thinking skills Social skills Research skills Information literacy Critical thinking Collaboration Communication Organization Creative thinking Affective skills Media literacy Transfer Reflection

11. ATL skills • ATL skills can be learned and taught, improved with practice and developed incrementally. • They provide a common languagethat students and teachers can use to reflect on and articulate, throughout the process of learning. • 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.

12. What is the cost of not teaching ATL skills?

13. Metacognition • two components – knowledge and performance • Meta-cognitive knowledge – students gaining awareness of the thinking and learning preferences, strategies, techniques and skills they use at present • Meta-cognitive performance – students using that knowledge to improve performance, changing ineffective strategies, trying new ones, learning new skills

14. Cognitive Skills • active information processing and retrieval strategies – ‘study skills’ • Organising and transforming information • Asking good questions • Taking good classroom notes • Using memory techniques • Goal setting • Reviewing information regularly • Time management • Organising the study environment

15. Affective Skills • enabling the student to gain some control over mood, motivation and attitude • Persistence and perseverance • Focus and concentration, overcoming distractions • Self-motivation • Mindfulness • Reducing anxiety • Delaying gratification • Managing impulsiveness and anger • Developing resilience

16. Learner Profile • Which of the learner profile attributes fall into the cognitive domain or the affective domain? • What makes some of these decisions harder to make?

17. What skills should we focus on? • Pair up with members of your department. • Look at the ATL skills in your cluster. • Determine two you think should be covered at each grade level. • Record them on the mini whiteboards. • Things to consider: cognitive development, emotional development, MYP units…

18. ATL Categories and Subject Areas • Math  Thinking • English  Communication • Languages  Social • Social Studies  Research • Science  Self-Management • Arts  Communication • Home Ec  Self-Management • Arts  Communication • P.E.  Communication • Design  Thinking

19. What do we need to consider when planning to teach ATL skills? • Potentially, many skills may be developed within the teaching and learning in a unit, so it is important to be strategic by considering: • The objective strand(s) that are being taught and assessed by the subject group criteria • The summative task • The learning experiences that build to the summative task.

23. Aligning the ATL with the objective strand • Mathematics • Criterion C: Communicating (year 5) • Organize information using a logical structure • In order for a student to (strand)organize information using a logical structure, students must (skill indicator) organize and depict information logically. • ATL Category: Communication Skill Cluster: Communication

25. Integrating ATL skills into your units meaningfully • Pick a unit in your subject area. • Using the template below, write an ATL statement that would go in the ATL box of the unit planner. • Your statement should begin with your objective strand and end with an ATL skill that will enable students to achieve the objective. Approaches to Learning (ATL) In order for a student to (strand)organize information using a logical structure, students must (skill) organize and depict information logically. (ATL Category: Communication; Skill Cluster: Communication)

26. Think, pair, share…. • MYP students are ‘reflected to death’ and most of that reflection is not focused on learning improvement. • TRUE? If so, how do you know that? • FALSE? If so, how do you know that?

27. Developingmetacognitiveperformance by reflection on: Content What don’t I understand yet? What questions do I have? ATL Skills What skills have I practiced today? How competent do I now feel in each skill? Strategies What strategies have I used or been exposed to today? How effective was each one for me?

28. What are the most important ATL skills for my studentsto learn this year? 80 7/1/17

29. Affective Skills • Affective skills are often developed through subject group wide, MYP year-wide and/or school-wide themes for specific lengths of time. • There are 5 affective skill areas defined by the MYP: Self-motivation, Perseverance, Mindfulness, Emotional Management and Resilience

30. ATL & the Learner Profile • Working with a partner: • Choose one ATL skill • If your students were to gain proficiency with this skill what learner profile attributes might they • develop to some extent • Draw what that might look • Share in 30 seconds or • less