Approaches

to Learning
(ATL)

Approaches To Learning
(ATL) Skills

ATL: Summary

Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills are deliberate

strategies, skills and attitudes that permeate the IB
teaching and learning environment.

ATL skills supports the IB belief that a large

influence on a student’s education is not only what
you learn but also how you learn

ATLs consist of Five categories of interrelated skills

and associated sub-skills that support students of
all ages to become self-regulated learners.

Teachers collaboratively plan for implicit and

explicit opportunities using a variety of strategies
to develop ATL both inside and outside the
programme of inquiry.

Source: D Y Patil International School | ibo.org

ATL Diagram

Source: i-Biology Blog

ATL Poster

1 ATL Poster.pdf

Source: Chris Gadbury http://www.magicstorybooks.com/learning-

resources.html

** Arabic ATLs - Source: Fatma Trabelsi

PYP ATL Poster

PYP Approaches to Learning.pdf

Source: Managebac

What Do We Need to Teach?

Source: Toddle

Approaches to Learning
Alignment

Source: Alison Yang

The General Purpose of ATL

ATL Poster.pdf

Source: Sheeza Ali Facebook

A Guide to Understanding ATL

ATL Overview - Cindy Blackburn.pdf

Source: This is a Section of a document - A Visual Guide to The PYP - by

Cindy Blackburn. - 34 pages.

ATL Student "I Statements"

2 ATL Check List -Complete.pdf

Source: Suzanne Kitto https://twitter.com/OrenjiButa

Webinar: Developing and

Implementing High-Quality
Success Criteria

How would your students respond to the question,

“How will I know if I have learned something?”
When both you and your students have clarity
about learning through high-quality success
criteria, there is a greater likelihood that learning
will happen and that all students will experience
success in their learning. Success criteria can be
used as a teaching/learning strategy to help
students understand and use ATL skills, assessment
as feedback, inquiry and developing UOIs. Whether
face-to-face, hybrid, or at a distance, this webinar
will introduce how best to support the
development and implementation of high-quality
success criteria.

Developing & Using Succe…

Run Time: 53:00 - Mar 9, 2021

The Importance of
Differentiating Instruction &
Assessment
It is critical to incorporate differentiation and
assessment strategies during collaborative
planning and teaching for implicit and explicit
opportunities for all students to develop ATL skills
both inside and outside the programme of inquiry.
Learn more about Differentiating Instruction and
Assessment.

The Importance of Teaching

Empathy as an ATL
Prior to the Enhanced PYP empathy was an "PYP
Attitude" attribute. In the Enhanced PYP, it has
been subsumed into the Learner Profile under
"Caring". Since empathy needs to be explicitly
taught, I encourage PYP teachers to consider
teaching empathy as an ATL skill under "Social
Skills" (as it is in the MYP). Learn more about the
importance of teaching Empathy.

The 3-2-1 Strategy For Critical Thinkin…

Source: TeachThought Website

What Is The 3-2-1 Strategy

And How Can It Be Used For
Critical Thinking?
What’s the 3-2-1 strategy? The 3-2-1
strategy is simply a format that can frame–
well, really anything. Great for stimulating
critical thinking and ATL understanding.

Click/Tap to Read More

Critical Thinking Classroom

Characteristics Of A Critical Thinking …

Source: TeachThought Website

How do you know if your students are ‘thinking critically’? Of course,

the answer depends on a scores and scores of factors, from the grade
level and content area you teach to your relationships with students
and the nature of your curriculum, units, lessons, and activities. But the
graphic above lists some examples that, if witnessed with any
consistency at all, might be a good sign that your students are thinking.

ATL Place Mat

5 ATL Placemat.pdf

Source: https://twitter.com/mrryanhigbea?lang=en

Explicitly Teaching Thinking

Skills

03:36

Source: From Principles Into Practice - ibo.org - PYP Resources (need

password).

Thinking Sub-Skills Check List

4 Thinking Sub-Skills Check List.pdf

Source: Suzanne Kitto https://twitter.com/OrenjiButa

Podcast: Interview Sonya

Terborg About the Approaches
to Learning (ATLs)

Podcast - Approaches to Learning - S…

Created by RACHEL FRENCH FRENCH

Source: Professional Learning International - 58:45 - Jan 8, 2019

Angeline Aow interviews Sonya Terborg about the

Approaches to Learning (ATLs). Sonya has been a
PYP educator since 2003 when she began working
with 2nd Grade students at Bonn International
School and has since worked as an art teacher,
homeroom teacher, and technology integrator.
Sonya is currently teaching MYP Design at Nanjing
International School. Sonya is a PYP workshop
leader and has worked with the IB on developing
the PYP Blog and on several projects in relation to
the PYP Enhancements. Her interest lies in
challenging ideas and seeking understanding in
how we can best “do school”. To find out more about
Sonya and her work, you can follow her on Twitter
or check out her website.

ATL Resources Toolkit

The following is an edited version of Lenny Dutton’s
amazing Google spreadsheet of ideas. While the
toolkit is targeted for MYP teachers, you will find
that many of the resources are very applicable to
the PYP, especially upper elementary. Select each
ATL by selecting a tab at the bottom to the spread
sheet. It's truly a bountiful resource! If you have
ever wondered what MYP ATL student
expectations are, this resource is a good window to
look through.

IB Approaches to Learning (AtL) TOO…

Primary Grades ATL Continuum

Example

Primary ATL Skills Continuum

Source: International School of Ho Chi Min City - Learning to wear

the big shoes – one step at a time Blog

Primary - Gr 8 ATL Continuum

Example

Primary to G3-5 ATL Skills Matrix

Source: International School of Ho Chi Min City - Learning to wear

the big shoes – one step at a time Blog

Student Personal ATL Learning

Plan Example

My Personal Learning Plan

Source: International School of Ho Chi Min City - Learning to wear

the big shoes – one step at a time Blog

PYP Early Years ATL Learning

Card Example

sonyaterborg.com/2019/03/16/pyp-early-years-
atls/

Source: The OECD Learning Compass 2030

OECD Future of Education

and Skills 2030 Project
The OECD Learning Compass 2030, a
product of the Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Future of Education and Skills 2030 project,
is an evolving learning framework that sets
out an aspirational vision for the future of
education with a focus on individual and
collective well-being. The compass
framework connects well to IB PYP
standards and practices through its offering
of a broad vision of the types of
competencies students will need to thrive in
2030 and beyond.

Click/Tap to read more

The Future of Jobs Report 2020

Top 10 Skills of 2025.pdf

The Future of Jobs Report provides timely insights into the skills
that will be/are required to orient labour markets and workers
towards opportunity today and in the future of work.

Source: World Economic Forum Website

The Sciences of Teaching

Click/Tap on Image to view article