Middle Years
Programme
Building on the Primary Years Programme
The Middle Years Programme (MYP) builds upon the inquisitive approach to learning acquired in the Primary Years Programme (PYP), and encourages students to further develop their creative, critical and reflective thinking skills.
The MYP stimulates students to make connections between what they are learning and the real world, preparing them for their futures. Students are motivated to become active learners, developing an international mindset and empathy for others. Critical, creative and reflective thinking are essential in the development of the MYP student.
The MYP is designed for students aged 11 to 16.
Comprises knowledge and skills from eight subject areas.
Curriculum
The curriculum encourages real-world learning experiences and is framed by key concepts in each subject to add depth to students’ learning. Students are encouraged to make connections between the different subject areas, helping them develop a newfound understanding of the world around them.
Subjects
The MYP has eight subject areas:
- Arts (Visual Art, Drama, Music)
- Design
- Individuals & Societies (social studies)
- Language Acquisition
- Language & Literature
- Mathematics
- Physical & Health Education
- Sciences
Skills
In all MYP subject groups, students are encouraged to develop their approaches to learning skills (ATLs). The various communication, thinking, research, self-management and social skills students acquire, encourage independent learning.
Service Learning
Other key elements of the MYP are Action & Service values. Students take their knowledge further than the classroom by becoming active community members, committing themselves to helping others and the environment.
The Community Project in Grade 8 gives MYP students the chance to develop their ATLs by helping the community achieve a particular need. Students follow a series of inquiry stages: investigating, planning, taking action and presenting their findings.
Personal Project
As a culmination of student learning in the MYP, the Personal Project begins in Grade 9 and is completed in Grade 10. The personal project is an ideal opportunity for them to put their acquired skills into practice, by choosing to investigate an issue they are passionate about.
Following the same inquiry stages as the Community Project, students decide on a challenging but achievable goal for their project. Over the course of their investigation students need to demonstrate their self-management, communication, thinking and reflection skills (ATLs). Midway through Grade 10, students complete their Personal Project by sharing their findings with the AIS community.
