Curriculum

MYP (Middle Year Programme)

Qatar Academy Al Khor is a private, non-profit, and coeducational school, founded by the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development to provide students at all the levels with internationally accepted English medium curricula, and Arabic, Islamic Studies and National Studies curricula that meet the National Standards.

QAK Mission and Vision

Our vision at Qatar Academy Al Khor is to empower students to be open-minded, inquiring and knowledgeable life-long learners who are able to adapt to an ever-changing world through intercultural understanding and respect. We envision our future leaders as courageous problem-solvers who will make a positive difference to the world. 

Our mission at Qatar Academy Al Khor is to create a safe yet dynamic learning environment that inspires innovation. QAK empowers learners to think critically as compassionate and principled global citizens grounded in Arab values while celebrating Qatari National heritage and culture. 

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 programmes of international education and rigorous assessment. These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand other people, with their differences, can also be right. (International Baccalaurreate 2014)

IB Programmes at QAK 

QAK offers the PYP, MYP and the DP creating a continuum of international education. This continuum also assures a common educational framework with aims and values, and the concept of how to develop international mindedness. The “Learner Profile” is the core of this framework and is an embodiment of what the IB means by “international-mindedness”. The Primary Years Programme (PYP) is a curriculum framework designed for students aged 3 to 12. The PYP trans disciplinary framework focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both at school and beyond, The Middle Years Programme (MYP) aims at students aged 11 to 16 and provides a framework of academic challenge and life skills through embracing and transcending traditional school subjects. Inquiry is at the centre of student learning. The MYP is academically challenging and rigorous, and we continue to consolidate and develop an innovative and dynamic international curriculum which promotes high achievement, develops high expectations, equips students with a vision of the future and helps to develop students with a sense of responsibility and confidence in their ability to make a worthwhile contribution to the community, and world which they live in. The Diploma Programme (DP) for students aged 16 to 19 is a rigorous two-year curriculum that meets the needs of highly motivated students and leads to academic qualification status through final examinations that is recognized globally by leading universities. We look forward to the exciting opportunities in developing the continuum of the IB programmes at QAK.

In order to adhere to its mission statement, QAK is developing its own curriculum, which aims at teaching the best international and local standards. Our continued aim is develop our students with a growing sense of responsible citizenship through service as action, as well as becoming critical thinkers. Special attention is given to the Arabic language where the school selected the Arabic language and Qatar History to meet the standards approved by the Supreme Education Council in Qatar. For Arabic and all other subjects we will be aligning the curriculum in such a way that it fits both the National, and the objectives and requirements of the IB.

The IB Middle Years Programme Model

(International Baccalaureate 2014)

The main aspects of the IB Middle Years Programme model.

• The student is at the centre of learning.

• Approaches to learning (ATL) which demonstrates a commitment to approaches to learning as a key component of the MYP for developing skills for learning.

• Approaches to teaching emphasizing MYP pedagogy, including collaborative learning through inquiry.

• Conceptual understanding highlighting a concept-driven curriculum.

• Global contexts, showing how learning best takes place in context on international dimension.

• Inquiry-based learning through service as action in the community.

• The MYP culminates in the personal project in Grade 10.

• The MYP organizes teaching and learning through eight subject groups: Language and Literature (Arabic & English), Language Acquisition (English or Arabic), Individuals and Societies (Integrated Humanities), Sciences, Mathematics, Arts (Visual Arts and Performing Arts Drama), Physical and Health Education, and Design.

• The students study both disciplinary and interdisciplinary units, which are connected by inquiry into global contexts and key and related concepts. *

• At Qatar Academy Al-Khor we want students to recognize the connections between the subjects and real life situations, become aware and understand cultural differences and global engagement, and enable them to communicate their knowledge beyond subject boundaries.

The IB Learner Profile is at the centre of learning , developing the student as a whole.

The learner profile is the IB mission in action. These attributes of internationally minded people who embrace life long learning represent a broad range of human capacities and responsibilities that go beyond a concern for intellectual development and academic account. They imply a commitment to implement standards and practices that help all members of the school community learn to respect themselves, others and the world around them. We all embrace the attributes of the IB learner profile.

Concepts - Key concepts

The MYP identifies 16 Key Concepts to be explored across the MYP curriculum. These key concepts, shown below represent understandings that reach beyond the eight MYP subject groups from which they are drawn. * 

  (Adapted from MYP From Principles Into Practice 2014)

Students will also use Related Concepts in order to develop conceptual understanding through inquiry practices. (See individual subjects)

Global Contexts 

Students will also use Related Concepts in order to develop conceptual understanding through inquiry practices.

(Adapted from MYP From Principles Into Practice 2014)

Teaching and learning in the MYP 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?

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 creating relevance for adolescent learners

Each unit is also guided by 

• An inquiry statement (a sentence that explains the understanding you will gain in the unit) 

• Inquiry questions (factual, conceptual and debatable) explored throughout the unit 

• Formative and summative assessments lead back to the statement of inquiry. Each unit will explore aspects of the above. Your assessments will help you to address them.

Approaches To Learning (ATL)

Through approaches to learning (ATL) in IB programmes, students develop skills that have relevance across the curriculum that help them “learn how to learn”. ATL 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. IB programmes identify five ATL skill categories, expanded into developmentally appropriate skill clusters. *

The focus of ATL 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 rigorous academic programmes like the IB DP. We encourage our students to self reflect and become become self directed learners on the development of their Approaches To learning Skills. We would like our students to identify if they are either a beginner, learner, practitioner, or an expert at an ATL skill. A distinguishment is made between explicit and implicit teaching of ATL skills. 

Assessment in the Middle Years Programme

Assessment at QAK is continuous throughout the year. Teachers assess students regularly both formally and informally and information and data is  gathered and used to adjust teaching so it meets the differentiated needs of our learners.

Assessment in the MYP is an integral part of teaching and learning. Assessment is the collection of information regarding student progress in relation to identified learning outcomes. Assessment is essential to allow teachers and students to identify strengths and weaknesses. The purpose and means of assessment is clearly explained to students.

The following types of assessment are used at QAK:

Diagnostic Assessment - Also called placement assessment, is used to place students in the appropriate grade level. Teachers also use diagnostic assessment to find out what students already know about a topic before teaching the unit. For English we use NWEA MAP testing and WIDA testing for English Language Acquisition and English Language and Literature placement. We also us this information to develop strategies to support growth and literacy for EAL students and the development of English as a whole, which caters for a majority of our students. For Mathematics and numeracy development we use NWEA MAP testing. We are developing at a district level diagnostic testing platform with PUE at Qatar Foundation to assess growth in the Arabic language. This will also support strategies for developing differentiation in the classroom.  

Formative Assessment - Ongoing assessment aimed at providing information to guide teaching and improve student learning. Formative assessment is not used in calculating a grade for a student. Formative assessment allows for students to practice assessment routines in preparation for summative assessments. Examples of formative assessment include homework, quizzes, reflection tasks, class participation, written and oral classwork, classwork learning experiences and collaborative experiences. 

Summative Assessment - The culminating assessment for a unit of work, designed to provide information on the student’s achievement level against specific objectives. Summative assessments are directly based on subject specific criteria in the IB Middle Years Programme. Examples of summative assessment tools include, projects, essays, reports, presentations, tests and exams. These are just a few of the assessment tools used. 

Parents are sent by SMS the Assessment policy in the Senior School which defines our Assessment practices and procedures. 

Formative and summative assessment:

• Allows both the student and teacher to assess what the student can do, and how he/she can use knowledge, concepts and skills.

• Measures the application of knowledge, concepts and skills rather than recalling facts

• Reflects achievement against criteria for the subject

• Involves student participation and reflection.

• Provides students an opportunity to analyse their own learning and to recognise what areas need improvement.

• Is based on agreed standards of performance suitable for the grade level.

• Is informative for students, parents and teachers, and provides direction for further instruction.

• Provides equal opportunities for all students to be successful.

• Provides an opportunity for students to take responsibility for their own work, their own learning and their own actions and reflect upon these actions to make improvement.

Types of assessment used by teachers include:

• Homework tasks

• Individual Projects and investigations

• Presentations

• Classroom tasks

• In-class tests and quizzes

• Oral presentations

• Group projects

• Written tasks

• Class participation

• Practical assessments

• Performances

• Subject examinations

Assessment in the MYP at QAK

1. Student assessment will be both formative and summative and will occur on an ongoing basis.

2. Diagnostic assessment will be completed to formally assess students and determine the efficacy of program standards.

3. Appropriate summative assessment will reflect collaborative planning and the development of the same assessments for units of study within each subject area. The same shall apply for formal summative examinations where they are age appropriate.   

4. Summative assessments will be moderated within departments to insure consistency in grading when there is more than one teacher.

5. Diagnostic testing and any internal tests and examinations will be conducted in a manner consistent with the IB regulations. Every effort will be made to insure students have adequate time for preparation and review.

6. Student assessments should reflect a variety of measures that give balance to the summative assessment (tests, essays, presentations etc.) consistent with the criteria established for each subject.

7. Student assessment will be completed according to explicit criteria established at the beginning of each unit of study and assessed using published rubrics.

8. MYP students will be assessed academically as well as in terms of the Learner Profile or ATL skills as appropriate.

9. Reporting of student assessment will be completed using a report card consistent with the aims of the MYP

10. Culminating activities which includes the Personal Project in the MYP, and the Extended Essay in the DP, will be completed by all students

The table below shows the different assessment criteria in each subject group. 

 

Each subject has 4 criteria students are assessed in each criteria. The highest level of attainment. An example for mathematics is shown below. 

To determine an overall  Grade (1-7) at the end of Semester 1 and 2 the table below shows ho this is worked out, using the Mathematics criteria as an example, using the MYP Grade boundaries. 

 

Reports 

Student reports are issued at four intervals during the year.

• November - Progress 1 Report (levels only)

• January - Semester 1 Reports (levels and grades)

• March - Progress 2 Reports (levels and grades)

• June - Semester 2 Reports (end of year levels and grades)

All assessments are ongoing . We determine the overall level for A B C D through the ‘best fit’ judgement by the teacher. Standardisation ensures this is consistent. 

eAssessment , ePortfolios and IB MYP Certification

As part of the successful completion of the Middle Years Programme students in Grades 9 and 10 will be preparing for the MYP eAssessments (external assessments) At the end of Grade 10 students will complete a range of eAssessments and complete ePortfolios from 8 subject areas.

The results of the eAssessments will lead to formally recognised IB MYP Certification.

These are:

• eAssessment on screen examinations in:

  • Mathematics

  • Arabic and English Language and Literature

  • Integrated Sciences

  • Integrated Humanities

  • Interdisciplinary understanding

• ePortfolios (coursework) in:

  • English Language Acquisition (Capable and Proficient)

  • Physical and Health education or Visual Art or Design

• The MYP Personal project which is manadatory

Candidates must also meet the school requirements for participation in community service (service as Action). Students receive IB MYP course results for each component completed. The maximum total score for the IB MYP certificate is 56, with a grade from 1-7 assigned to each required eAssessment. Students must achieve a total of at least 28 points, with a grade of ‘3’ or higher in each eAssessment component, to be eligible to receive the IB MYP certificate.

Through the use of technology and the focus on deeper levels of understanding, the examination process will be an engaging, positive experience for students, while ePortfolios provide a stimulating and structured final unit of study. eAssessment will therefore be an appropriate and natural culmination of the student’s time in the MYP.

IB MYP General Grade Descriptors

The Personal Project

The Personal Project is a mandatory culminating project in the Middle Years Programme, which is completed by students in the final year of the MYP in Grade 10. It is an opportunity to explore a topic which interests students, to develop their approaches to learning skills further and to create something which is unique and personal to the student. It is a celebration of the accumulation of student learning in the Middle Years Programme

The aims of the MYP projects are to encourage and enable students to:

• Participate in a sustained, self-directed inquiry within a global context

• Generate creative new insights and develop deeper understandings through      in-depth investigation

• Demonstrate the skills, attitudes and knowledge required to complete a project over an extended period of time

• Communicate effectively in a variety of situations

• Demonstrate responsible action through, or as a result of, learning

• Appreciate the process of learning and take pride in their accomplishments.

Students must identify one of the global contexts for their MYP project, to establish the relevance of their inquiry (why it matters). Successful completion of the Personal project is  requirement for students to progress to the IB Diploma Programme.

Students create three items:

• A process journal (similar to the design cycle folder in Design technology or developmental workbook in the arts)

• A product or outcome (this will be displayed in the personal project exhibition at the end of the process)

•  A project report (written component)

* Adapted from IB MYP From Principles Into Practice (IB 2014)

Parents have access by SMS to the 

• Subject overviews

• Language Policy

• Assessment Policy

• Inclusion Policy

• Academic Honesty Policy

• Admissions Policy