IB? IGCSE? GED?...confused? Don’t be!

There is a plethora of options when it comes to international schools across Thailand, each with their own strengths and shortcomings. When choosing a school you should bear two things in mind:

What is the goal?

Which teaching style do I think would suit my child?

Although it may seem a long way off, having some idea as to the long-term aim of your child is key, in terms of if they wish to attend university and in which country. It is much easier to start within a system early, and work your way through, than try to switch in the later years of school. Also, different systems have different approaches to learning and although, broadly speaking, effective teaching is effective teaching, your child might prefer one style over another.

The American Curriculum

As individual States are responsible for designing their own curricula, this means content can vary greatly from location to location: this is also the case internationally. The curriculum in the US is in a continual state of development, which again will vary the content your child will study. One positive is that International American schools generally have higher standards than the public system schools within the US and they have to be accredited by one of four national non-governmental agencies. To gain accreditation, the school’s curriculum must be in line with the standards determined by the organisation (e.g. the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, WASC and New England Association of Schools and Colleges NEASC).

In Thailand, schooling for children under an American state curriculum may begin at the age of five or less in pre-schools or kindergartens. Learning at these ages is less academically based and is more intended to introduce children to a school’s social environment, although all schools will offer some degree of alphabetic and numerical teaching. Elementary, Middle School and High School education covers children from the ages of 6 to 18 years old and most schools will require students take exit examinations in core subject areas to enable students to graduate with an American based high school diploma. Student may also take external exams, such as Advanced Placements (AP) which strengthen university applications. Depending upon the specific admissions requirements of each college or university, the majority of overseas students looking to be offered a placement at a US college must also complete the external SATs or other college entrance examinations to whatever level the university prescribes.

In line with schools within the United States, schools in Thailand offering an American based curriculum will balance academic life with a rich and diverse array of community activities including sport, the arts, scholastic based clubs and a number of tutoring and mentoring enterprises.

 The British Curriculum

In Britain, education is currently compulsory for all children between the ages of 5 and 16 with clear provision made for students aged 3-5 and 16-18. Children are placed in year groups based on their age on 31 August. Progress between Year Groups is usually automatic, although students may be out of their age group for exceptional reasons. Year Groups are clustered into Key Stages and a defined curriculum is produced for each Key Stage. Throughout each Key Stage there are clear assessments and examinations to monitor and track each child’s academic progress.

Students study the International version of the General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) over the two years of Key Stage 4, from the age of 14. Most students study a compulsory core of English, Mathematics and Science plus a number of optional subjects. The norm is for students to take 8 or 9 IGCSE courses. The IGCSE examinations are a formal assessment of a child’s ability in each of the subjects they have studied. These are the final years of their compulsory high school education. The route however for students wishing to go to university is to continue into Key Stage 5, also known as Sixth Form, to follow two-year Advanced Level courses. GCSE and IGCSE are internationally recognised academic standards and used, alongside Advanced Levels, as part of the academic selection process for entry into the top universities around the World.

In recent years, schools within the British system tend to be moving towards what is often referred to as ‘knowledge rich’ curriculum. In some ways, this is a return to traditional teaching styles but with an emphasis on research led teaching techniques. You may find that your child will be familiar with terms like retrieval practice, knowledge organiser and spaced practice. This is the newest phase in an ongoing debate within education as to whether knowledge or inquiry based approaches are most effective: at the moment, in terms of cognitive science, knowledge based is winning. 

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Curriculum

Each year, the IB is taught in over 3,500 schools in over 140 countries with over one million children. Parents who choose the IB curriculum for their children can be assured that all schools offering any of the 3 IB programmes (Primary Years, Middle Years or Diploma) must be authorized to do so directly from the IB organisation. As the curriculum is devised by educators rather than governments, it can also be said to be a truly international education and free from political and economic influences. Quality is assured by the IB, as IB schools will undergo an evaluation for each of the IB programmes every 5 years.

Parents choose to send their children to IB curriculum schools for a wide number of reasons including the relevance of the programmes to all students regardless of home country or mother tongue. The IB is widely regarded as having a holistic approach and globally aware characteristics. The programmes emphasize not only learning knowledge, but also challenge students to develop skills and positive attitudes, and to take responsible action. IB teachers are all trained by the IB, providing a consistent, high-quality education in all IB schools. All of which in turn make it the curriculum of choice for many international families.

The 3 IB programmes cover learning for students aged 3 - 18 years old and each programme can be studied individually or as a continuum. A school that offers at least one of the 3 programmes is called an IB World School. A school may offer one, two or all three of the IB programmes.

Learning in the Primary and Middle Years Programmes focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer, both in the classroom and in the world outside. Students learn higher level questioning skills, and the learning is driven by their natural curiosity. The programmes provide frameworks that encourage students to embrace and understand the connections between traditional subjects and the real world, and become critical and reflective thinkers. The IB Diploma Programme is for students aged 16-18 years old. It is an academically challenging and balanced programme, with final examinations as well as assessments, that prepares students for success both at university and in life beyond. The IB Diploma is respected by universities around the world for its depth and breadth of learning, the consistency of the value of the grades, and for the additional elements of Creativity, Action & Service and Theory of Knowledge, all of which make IB applicants stand out positively during the university admissions process.

The IB programme may suit learners who enjoy an inquiry led approach to learning, it may also work better for students with an interest and aptitude in a broad range of subjects, whereas A Levels may favour students who have a more focused interest: arts, humanities or sciences, for example. 

Other National Curricula

In addition to British, American and IB schools, Bangkok also boasts a number of other national curriculum schools. These schools offer education following their home country’s curriculum and usually teach in their home country’s language. These schools are especially suited to families whose overseas stay is relatively short, or whose children plan to attend university in their home country. Frequently these schools are subsidised by the home country government. The advantage of attending a national curriculum school in Thailand is that students can follow the education they are used to while still gaining experience of living overseas, and they will be able to return to their home country with minimum disruption.

Referenced:

https://www.isat.or.th/education-systems

12:42pm 25/10/21

Leveraged Learning

How do we design a curriculum that can be translated across subjects and remains highly effective? 

Those of us who have been involved in education for some time bear the battle scars of the continuing ‘chicken or egg’ struggle between knowledge rich and inquiry based approaches to learning. Both approaches have their merits and both have some backing in research - although it would seem of late that knowledge based curricula are having their day in the sun, supported by recent advances in understanding in cognitive science. I for one have always found this dichotomy unnecessary, it seems obvious that elements of both schools are necessary for great teaching and learning.

But how do you structure this? In Leveraged Learning (2018), Daniel Iny provides a six-step process for designing and implementing an optimised method of learning or teaching any subject. 

Content is king - to begin with…

It all starts with content. Acquiring relevant knowledge is the key to learning, understanding which knowledge is relevant is the key to teaching effectively. This is merely the start of the story, however, and the acquisition of knowledge must take place with a goal in mind. 

Knowledge alone is useless

While developing a knowledge base, educators will focus on facts and procedures, but this alone is of little use academically, let alone in the real world and to future employers. After content is secured critical thinking and creativity need to be scaffolded so that a new goal can be reached...insight. This could be defined as the ability to see the world in innovative ways. It is these three aspects which will ‘robot-proof’ the next generation with skills that cannot be easily automated. 

Going beyond the curriculum

Experienced educators will tell you that a solid pedagogical framework is only the first step to developing a great school - without strong pastoral care, students struggle to develop the resilience and independence needed to be successful, and fall by the wayside. The author discusses the importance of ‘success behaviours’ in avoiding cultivating an entrenched pessimistic attitude. This attitude will grow into a set of internal, self-limiting lies rather than self-empowering truths. 

Effective practise 

How do we package these three aspects - content, insight and success behaviours - into a workable framework that can be taught? This is where the effective, evidence based teaching and learning techniques come into play:

- Focus on key content.

- Scaffolding

- Spaced retrieval practice

- Deliberate practice 

However, all too often these techniques are seen as only useful during a phase of knowledge acquisition. Developing insight also needs to be scaffolded and modelled. Allow your students to borrow your brain as you work through your thinking processes for them. Similarly, the development of success behaviours should be structured. We now know that the brain has a greater ability to ‘rewire’ itself than was previously thought - neuroplasticity is fundamental to developing fortitude. Purposefully plan activities that will demonstrate this skill and give students an opportunity to practise, in an emotionally safe space. In the same way that we might seek to build subject knowledge through frequent, low-stakes testing, our minds can grow to be more equipped to deal with the hurdles they will need to overcome both academically and in life. 

Bridging the gap

While Leveraged Learning isn’t breaking new ground - nor does it profess to - it is seeking to reconcile two competing schools of thought, with common aims. The book also makes strides to offer a generally applicable structure that educators and learners can use to be as effective as possible. For this reason, it is a welcome addition to the discussion and certainly worth a read. 

Choosing an international school for your child - navigating the minefield

International education has become big business, with many of the most prestigious and well-known schools in the UK seeking to move into the international market place. But how can you navigate this ever changing terrain? How can you make sure you are making the right decisions for your child? 

Here is a few ideas for questions you should ask any potential school that you are considering for your child:

Are you an accredited international school?

There are a vast array of recognised overseas educational bodies, all having slightly different approaches to how schools can achieve accreditation and the levels of accreditation they offer - bronze, silver, gold etc. These include Council of British Independent Schools in the European Communities (COBISEC), the Federation of British International Schools in South and East Asia (FOBISSEA) or The Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and for schools based on a British curriculum, The Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI). In many ways, these offer a similar service to OFSTED in the UK, but tend to be a more collaborative process rather than a gotcha style, spot inspection. A word of warning, don’t assume that a school with a ‘gold’ level of accreditation is necessarily better for your child than a lower level; schools tend to work their way up through the levels over a number of years and inspection cycles so it may well be that the school has simply been working with that body for a long time. Equally, it can take a number of years of preparation, working alongside an accreditation body, for a new school to be ready for their first inspection, as such, if a school tells you that they are not accredited your next question should be if they are working towards accreditation and with whom. 

Are all your teachers qualified to teach in their country of origin? 

In my experience, no amount of fancy facilities can compensate for poor teaching. Having fully qualified teachers, particularly in Thailand, is what should differentiate international schools from their competitors - it is what you are paying for. For example, British teachers should have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and preferably some experience of teaching in the UK. 

What qualifications does your school offer?

Broadly speaking, international schools will offer either British curriculum based IGCSEs and IA Levels or IB (International Baccalaureate), or a combination of the two. Some may also offer the US based GED (General Educational Development Test), which will enable students to apply to US universities. Both IB and IGCSE/IA Levels are respected globally but, depending on the location of the university your child wishes to apply to, there may be extra administrative hurdles to leap if you choose one rather than the other. My advice would be to carefully consider these two paths early in your child’s school career. Although both offer academic rigour, they have very different approaches to teaching and learning which may make it difficult for a child to switch from one system to the other, at a later date. IB has embraced an inquiry based approach to learning, whereas the British system is increasingly moving towards a knowledge based curriculum. Also, IB typically suits students who are capable across a broad range of topics whereas IA Level may suit students who would like to specialise, focusing on sciences, arts or humanities, for example. 

You know your child best.

Make sure you ask questions specific to your child. While some students will thrive in a highly competitive, tier one school with a large student body, others may feel suffocated and withdraw - so just going to the most expensive or most prestigious school you can find, might not be a good fit for your child. What about their EAL needs - what systems do the school have in place to support their journey towards language acquisition? Do you have concerns that your child may have some form of learning difficulty - does the school have a full-time SENDCo who will be able to support your child? What is the breakdown of nationalities at the school - would you like your child to have a more multicultural experience or is it important to you to maintain a strong link with their background? What about your child’s interests - what extracurricular activities are available? What is the school’s ethos regarding sport and activities - does every child who practices get a go or is it strictly competitive? 

Above all remember - happy children learn. Where will your child thrive and be happy? 

British Learning Centre: meeting the challenges of online learning

Even with the pandemic and its effects seeming to subside, globally, the impact on children’s education is still being felt. Indeed students, parents and educators are in uncharted territory, never before having experienced such interruptions to their everyday, school lives. 

As far as remote learning is concerned, the experience of our children and their families has been mixed. A recent study in the US found that only 29% of parents were very satisfied with the online education their children had received while a staggering 68% were concerned that their child might be falling behind. 

Due to these concerns, many parents have been seeking additional support for their children, either from freelance tutors or through tuition centres. But how can you guarantee quality of teaching and ensure that you are getting value for money, at a time when many households are feeling the pinch? 

One tuition school seeking to fill the gap created by remote learning is the British Learning Centre, based in Pattaya. The centre employs only experienced, fully qualified British teachers, which makes it stand out from the crowd in terms of a guarantee of quality of teaching. Also, the curriculum is designed to follow and support the British curriculum which is the foundation of the learning programmes of the vast majority of international schools. 

A major concern voiced by parents during online learning is that their child gets lost in large classes with little interaction with students. The British Learning Centre promises a maximum of 5 students per class, ensuring that this won’t happen. In fact, 96% of their parents said that their child was making progress throughout their online learning while 91% said that their child enjoyed the sessions - it would seem that the British Learning Centre is managing to do something right during these challenging times.

For businesses like the British Learning Centre, there are challenges ahead - having adapted to online learning, how will they continue to offer the same high quality service when schools reopen? The Thai government has made it clear that they aim to reopen schools in time for the second semester or the Thai academic year, in early November. Steps have also been taken to ensure that students are vaccinated: The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration says at least 88% of the capital’s high school students are now vaccinated against Covid-19, students having received the Pfizer mRNA vaccine. What will be the key lessons that can be learned from the last few months that will ensure continued success? 

As an experienced teacher myself, I am confident that organisations like the British Learning Centre can do more than survive through these difficult times, they can thrive. I have seen educational fads and crises come and go, and although we may be in unprecedented times, quality teaching still produces quality learning. My advice to parents remains the same: ensure that your children’s teachers are well-qualified and working within a solid, internationally recognised curriculum and they are in good hands.  

For further information, please contact the British Learning Centre:

info@britishlearningcentre.com