What does Transdisciplinary Learning look like at our school?

Transdisciplinary Learning at ISS provides students with learning experiences that

are:
Engaging - of interest to students, involving them actively in their learning
Relevant - linked to students prior knowledge and experiences, current circumstances which
allow our students to learn in a context related to their lives
Challenging - extend students prior knowledge and increase their competencies and
understanding
Significant -have global significance for all students in all cultures

What do we want students to learn? (Written curriculum)

The core of the PYP is often referred to as the five essential elements.

1. Knowledge: Significant and relevant content which students revisit
throughout their years at school, which are taught through Mathematics,
Language (Literacy Programme), Programme of Inquiry, PSPE (Personal, Social and Physical
Education), Art, Music and Additional Languages.

2. Concepts: Powerful ideas that have relevance within a subject and transcend them. These
are written as key concept questions which students explore in order to develop a coherent and
in-depth understanding.

Form: What is it like?
Function: How does it work?
Causation: Why is it like it is?
Change: How is it changing?
Connection: How is it connected to other things
Perspective: What are the points of view?
Responsibility: What is our responsibility?
Reflection: How do we know?

3. Skills: Capabilities that students need to demonstrate that may be disciplinary (e.g. numeracy
and literacy skills) or Transdisciplinary (e.g. social. self- management, communication, research,
thinking skills) in nature.

4. Attitudes: What we would like students to feel. Expressions based on fundamental values,
beliefs and feelings about learning the environment and people. (Appreciation, commitment,
confidence, cooperation, creativity, curiosity, empathy, enthusiasm, independence, integrity, respect and
tolerance)

5. Action: A demonstration of deeper learning by practicing and applying their
learning through responsible behavior and responsible action.





The Curriculum Corner

The Primary Years Programme

A Curriculum Framework for
International Primary Education


A curriculum framework for international primary education.
How Best Will Students Learn? (Taught Curriculum)

Using a Transdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning provides both teachers and students with a
rich learning environment.

We are learning about a subject and we are also learning through these subjects.
This means that the knowledge, concepts and skills from the subject areas
(Knowledge -Written Curriculum) will support the 5 essential elements and
enhance the Transdisciplinary Learning in the PYP

Example:
Language We learn about different types of texts in
Language through reading and writing (literacy skills).
We learn about Transdisciplinary Themes through Language
by applying our literacy skills to identify relevant information
and record our learning using different text types e.g. report,
poem, exposition, role play etc.

Math: We learn about patterns, chance and data in Math. We
learn through Math by using our knowledge of patterns,
chance and data to analyse data collected during our units of
inquiry. We will then be able to predict trends and draw
relevant conclusions from our findings.

Finally Transdisciplinary learning is inclusive. The learning experiences are
differentiated to accommodate the range of abilities and learning styles in a
group.

Students are
empowered to value their learning and learn from it.
seen as competent and are listened to
encouraged to be curious, inquisitive, explore and interact with the
environment physically, socially and intellectually
made aware of explicit learning outcomes and the learning processes are
made transparent to the students
supported in their struggle for mastery and control on their journey to
become independent and autonomous learners












Action: Delegation from Middle
Primary students with suggestions on
how we can save paper in our school.
From the
PYP Coordinator
Rosi Uluiviti

References from; 1. Making the PYP Happen -A curriculum framework for international primary education, revised 2009,
IB, Cardiff, Wales, 2009.
2. The Primary Years Programme as a Model of Transdisciplinary Learning IB, Cardiff, Wales 2010.