Middle School MYP

International School of Athens - Middle School

The IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) is designed for students aged 11 to 16.

It provides a framework of learning which encourages students to become creative, critical and reflective thinkers. This period, encompassing early puberty and mid-adolescence, is a particularly critical phase of personal and intellectual development and requires a programme that helps students participate actively and responsibly in a changing and increasingly interrelated world. Learning how to learn and how to evaluate information critically is as important as learning facts.

The MYP consists of eight subject groups:

Distinctive features of the MYP include:

• Key and related concepts are big ideas, which form the basis of teaching and learning in the MYP. They ensure breadth and depth in the curriculum and promote learning within and across traditional disciplines.

• Global contexts provide shared starting points for inquiry into what it means to be internationally minded, framing a curriculum that promotes multilingualism, intercultural understanding and global engagement.

• Approaches to teaching and learning are skills which help students manage their own learning. They provide a foundation for success in further education and the world beyond the classroom.

• Interdisciplinary teaching and learning builds a connected curriculum that addresses the developmental needs of students and prepares them for further academic study and life in an increasingly interconnected world.

• Service as Action sets out clear learning outcomes that grow from students’ participation in local and global communities.

• The Personal Project, for students in grade 10, is a culminating experience in which students apply their approaches to learning skills to complete an extended, self-directed piece of work. This required component provides opportunities for creative and truly personal demonstrations of learning.

English as an Additional Language (EAL) Support at ISA

At the International School of Athens (ISA), we recognise the rich linguistic and cultural diversity that our students bring to the school community. To support students who are not native or native-like English speakers, ISA offers a dedicated and structured English as an Additional Language (EAL) programme from Grade 1 through Grade 8.

All students entering ISA are assessed to determine their English language proficiency. Based on these assessments, students who require additional language support are enrolled in the EAL programme, which provides four instructional periods per week. Our approach is inclusive and responsive, ensuring that students receive the language support they need while being actively involved in the life of the school.

The EAL programme at ISA is designed to build confidence and competence across all four key English language skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Through engaging and targeted instruction, students develop the academic English skills necessary to access the mainstream curriculum and succeed in both the Primary Years Programme (PYP) and Middle Years Programme (MYP).

Our goal is to ensure that EAL students can integrate smoothly into their grade-level classrooms, participate fully in learning, and thrive both socially and academically. With the guidance of experienced EAL specialists and the close collaboration of homeroom and subject teachers, students are supported every step of the way on their journey to English language proficiency.

At ISA, we are committed to providing an inclusive learning environment where every student is empowered to succeed.

ASSESSMENT

The MYP assessment model is criterion-related. Teachers, structure varied and valid assessment tasks so that students can demonstrate achievement according to prescribed objectives defined by the IB. Tasks are assessed against established criteria (grades7-8,
grades 9-10) not against the work of other students.

The curriculum develops a range of student skills. Teachers assess this acquired skill set, including how to succeed in written examinations. Typical MYP assessment tasks include open-ended, problem-solving activities and investigations, organized debates, tests and examinations, hands-on experimentation, analysis and reflection.

At the end of the academic year, MYP year grades are awarded for each subject, for the interdisciplinary project and the personal project for grade 10. The MYP 1-7 scale is based on the levels achieved in all criteria of a particular subject.