What is a Concept-Based Model and Why is it Used in MYP?

The Middle Years Programme at Mount Litera School International has been designed as a coherent and all-encompassing framework that offers challenges academically and develops the life skills of students from the ages of 11 to 16. These years are a vital period in the development of young people – they essentially prepare youngsters for what is up ahead – college, and beyond. Success in school is linked to personal, social and emotional well-being in some way or the other.

At a time when students are discovering their own identity & personality, and building their self-esteem, the MYP is designed to help students in achieving success in school and in life beyond the classroom. The programme allows students to develop and build on their personal strengths and to welcome challenges in subjects in which they might not excel. The MYP offers students opportunities to develop their potential, to explore their own learning preferences, to take appropriate risks, and to reflect on, and develop, a strong sense of personal identity.

So what is the concept-based model of learning and what role does it play in helping the Middle Years Programme accomplish its goals? If employed early enough during schooling years, this type of learning could potentially play a huge role in preparing students for higher education. A concept-driven curriculum encourages idea-centered teaching and learning. The MYP prescribes key concepts (overarching) and related concepts (subject-specific) to better ensure a common basis of conceptual understanding that is developed in MYP schools to provide students with a sound foundation for future learning.

Its role and importance, particularly in the MYP programme can be explained below:

• Helps children process factual knowledge at a deep intellectual level as well since they can now relate the facts and concepts to their own derived conceptual understandings.
• Prepares students in the case of bringing their own personal intellect to a topic of study as they use a key concept to personally focus on the unit topic in order to increase motivation for learning and appetite for knowledge.
• Promotes a sense of familiarity and command over the language as students are expected to back their ideas and thoughts with clear and effective reasoning through verbal and written abilities.
• Allows children to develop enhanced levels of critical, creative, and conceptual thinking as students research on eminent global points of discussion, such as climate change, international relations & conflicts, and the global economy, and create greater subject depth through the study of discipline-specific and related concepts.

To conclude, it can be stated that a concept-based curriculum primarily helps students relate factual information from a syllabus to real-life concepts and situations. It encourages them to also bring their thinking and thought-process into the learning process. Conceptual understanding also provides students with the basis and intellect to form their own opinions towards pressing issues across the globe such as global warming, climate change, and international affairs.