Benga Riverside

Primary Year Programme (PYP) 1-6: How we learn

 

The Primary Years programme of the International Baccalaureate is our framework for teaching and learning.  This means it guides us in how we deliver the curriculum.

The PYP is designed for students between the ages of 3 and 11 and it is transdisciplinary meaning that students learn across subject areas while investigating big ideas.  The PYP encourages the development of the whole child, in and out of the classroom. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PYP students gain an understanding of the six transdisciplinary themes and they become aware of how knowledge and skills are interrelated. Students are empowered to ask questions, set goals, find the ways to achieve these goals, and then share this acquired knowledge with their teachers and peers.

Inquiry-Based Learning

The approach to teaching and learning in PYP is called inquiry. This approach recognises students as being actively involved in their own learning and taking responsibility for that learning. Inquiry involves;

• Exploring, wondering and questioning

• Applying concepts to deepen understanding

• Experimenting and playing with possibilities

• Researching and seeking information

• Solving problems in a variety of ways

• Making connections between previous learning and current learning

• Collecting data and reporting findings

• Establishing and testing theories

• Taking and defending a position

Elements Of The PYP Framework

In the PYP students learn about significant concepts through units of inquiry. The six transdisciplinary themes that guide units interweave subject areas such as Mathematics, Literacy and Language, Science, and Social Studies.

This approach encourages students to make their own connections between what they learn in core subject areas and how it relates to the world around them. As students engage with content they will also be involved in learning that asks them to practice different skills and demonstrate certain dispositions. These are called approaches to learning (ATLs) and IB learner profile attributes.

Ultimately, the goal of the Primary Years Programme is to develop international minded-ness in students which, is made possible through a focus of learning about real-world contexts, skills and character development.