International Middle Years Curriculum (IMYC)

The IMYC: The IMYC is an internationally researched curriculum framework for learners aged 11 to 14 years old. The IMYC is built upon seven principles that keep the students at the centre. 

The Seven Foundations

1. Foundation 1: Learner-focused Personal, International and Subject Learning Goals

2. Foundation 2: A Progressive Pedagogy

3. Foundation 3: A Process to Facilitate Learning for All

4. Foundation 4: Globally Competent Learners

5. Foundation 5: Knowledge, Skills and Understanding are taught, learned and assessed differently

6. Foundation 6: Connected Learning

7. Foundation 7: Assessment for Improving Learning

The 6 Needs of the Teenage Brain: The IMYC recognises that teenagers have very specific needs and the IMYC curriculum framework is designed to support and improve their learning during this critical time.

The Big Ideas and the Route Plans: In the IMYC, units of learning are developed around one Big Idea and Big Idea statement. These units are laid out in what is called the “route plan”. There are five units per school year. All subject teachers work on the same Big Idea at the same time. Teachers work collaboratively on designing Entry Point activities for each unit and they also guide and support students as they show their deeper understanding through the Exit Point presentations. 

The Process that Facilitates Learning: Each unit of learning follows the Process that Facilitates Learning with the student at the centre. This makes sure that all learning experiences are stimulating and effective. 

The Entry Point: The Entry Point is an activity for students that begins each unit of learning and provides an exciting introduction to the learning that is to follow. Entry Points could just take one hour or an entire day. The Entry Point is designed to activate schemata - learners’ previous knowledge and experiences, as well as excites learners for the coming unit.

Knowledge Harvest: The Knowledge Harvest takes place in the early stages of each unit and provides an opportunity for students to reveal what they already know about what they are learning. The teacher can then analyse this information and use it to guide planning and differentiation. This bank of knowledge can then be added to, developed and even challenged by the teacher throughout the course of the unit. 

Research, Record and Reflect: Each IMYC unit has a number of tasks that require students to Research, Record and Reflect on their learning. This mini-cycle will be repeated multiple times within a unit. Inquiry is a skill that is embedded within this process when it benefits the learner. Each subject has goals-driven research activities which are planned to make sure that learners can access information in a way that is appropriate to the context.

• • Research: Research activities always precede the recording activities. IMYC research activities should be designed to be experiential and exploratory. During research activities, learners use a variety of methods and may work collaboratively in groups or individually to find out a range of information.

  • Record: During the recording activities, students think about the process and interpret the learning they have researched. Teachers should promote choice and challenge when supporting learners with recording tasks as well as providing opportunities for learners to further develop their strengths and interests.

  • Reflect: Reflection activities should include students’ self and peer assessment of their learning, including the use of the rubrics when learning key skills. Opportunities to discuss as well as record (written, audio, or visual) answers to journaling questions should also be given.

Overarching Reflection: Each unit of learning has subject-specific reflective journaling questions that teachers can use and adapt to facilitate understanding in order to reach the specific unit’s subject Learning Goals. In every unit, there is a set of journaling questions that formally support student reflection. Throughout each unit, students participate in regular journal writing. The primary purpose of journal writing is to provide some initial reflection time for students to consider the Big Idea through guiding questions driven by the activities in each unit. Journaling can be done as a class activity, as homework, or during advisory times and it may help students to organise their Exit Point projects. 

Journaling questions are intended to support the students with:

• • Making connections with the Big Idea

  • Making connections with other subjects and personal or international learning

  • Developing metacognition - awareness of how they learn

  • Planning the next steps in their own learning

  • Identifying what they would like to know, understand and be able to do

  • Explore the significance/importance of learning

  • Thinking about Personal Learning Goals

  • Being able to support their peers to help them improve

Exit Point: The Exit Point is a project that the students complete at the end of each unit of learning. The Exit Point helps the students synthesise subject learning and personal and international learning. It also strengthens connections between learning and the wider world which may include an invitation to take action. It is also an opportunity to celebrate the learning that has taken place.

For each Exit Point, the students use a different medium to showcase their deeper understanding.