2007 / 2008

The Middle Years: Grades 7 to 9 or Junior High

Overview:

It has been recognized that students aged 11 to 14 generally reach a different level of development. The noted psychologist Jean Piaget distinguished between the concrete stage of intellectual development and the stage of formal operations that can begin at the grade 7 level for many students. The British National Curriculum defines this as key stage 3 and modifies the curriculum for students at this stage.

Korean International School’s Middle Years Programme

Just as the school is a member of the Cambridge International Primary Programme, we will also be part of the new Cambridge Lower Secondary Programme for similar reasons: we value the specification and teacher resources that Cambridge offers in English, mathematics and science but we do not want to have our total programme defined for us because we operate in an Asian context.

English:

Students in key stage 3 will follow the curriculum specified for the British National Curriculum in English. This divides learning into the general areas of speaking and listening, and reading and writing – what is generally referred to as production and comprehension. Reading is a particular focus at KIS and all subject teachers work together to foster reading comprehension.

At KIS, the English programme has designed courses in grades 7 to 9 that address all these areas while supporting students who are second language learners by offering them instruction in smaller groups that features a different curriculum. Specialist ESL teachers work closely with students with the ultimate goal of moving them into classes operating at the normal achievement levels.

Mathematics:

Students in key stage 3 will follow the curriculum specified for the British National Curriculum in mathematics. Mathematics at this level is divided into the following general areas: number and algebra; shape, space and measures; and handling data. Formerly these areas were algebra, geometry and statistics and the National Curriculum is thus an integrated approach to mathematics with different topics offered at increasing levels of complexity – what is offered called spiraling – in subsequent years.

An important adaptation of key stage 3 mathematics is made at Korean International School by selecting programmes with options for both the regular and more able students. This is done because many of our students have focused on mathematics in their former schools and given our general policy of challenge, we fit the curriculum to the student and not the other way around.

Parents coming from western systems of education should particularly value this modification of the National Curriculum as it addresses a major criticism of the levels of attainment in mathematics in countries like the United States and Canada.

Science:

Students in key stage 3 will follow the curriculum specified for the British National Curriculum in science. The general areas covered over the 3 years include: scientific enquiry; life processes and living things; materials and their properties; and physical processes. There is a wide variety of textbooks and support materials developed to meet this curriculum and again Korean International School selects appropriate materials for the different ability levels of its advanced and regular classes that are offered in grades 7, 8 and 9. The use of mathematics analysis to explore scientific relations in data generated by experiment is a major focus in all classes and a place where internet resources are brought to bear.

Social Studies:

Students in key stage 3 will follow the curriculum specified for the British National Curriculum in geography and history. This curriculum is modified however with Britain reduced as an area of study and the world increased. In history, students develop their understanding of events, people and changes in the past with a focus on interpreting and questioning what has gone before.

Second Language:

Korean International School offers Mandarin to students in grades 7, 8 and 9 by ability level. Beginning students, intermediates and native speakers are all accommodated within small classes using material imported by our mainland teachers. The importance of Mandarin is particularly recognized at KIS because we realize the potential usefulness of the language in many of the careers our students are planning.

Physical Education:

Students in key stage 3 will follow the curriculum specified for the British National Curriculum in Physical Education. Experience teachers select those parts of the curriculum that fit our programme of studies given our resources and student interest. PE is valued and offered daily at Korean International School because we know that the physical and emotional development of students aged 11 to 14 is accelerated given the nature of puberty.

Arts:

Students in grades 7 to 8 are offered art classes by a trained teacher in a resource room. The programme of studies in art has been developed to meet school and local objectives and is broadly defined and does not generally follow the prescriptions of the National Curriculum.

August 20 2007.