IB、A-Level、AP、IGCSE……也许这些五花八门的国际课程您或多或少听说过，但它们之间有什么区别？英国课程、美国课程、澳大利亚课程……这些国际课程在不同国家和大学的认可度如何？选择国际课程时应考虑哪些因素？课程设置如何？难度如何？每种课程适合什么样的孩子学习呢？协和教育中心特邀了总校长卢慧文对大家最关注的IB课程、英国课程和美国课程这三种主流国际课程进行解读。
IB课程：不细分科目，在探究中学习
国际文凭组织课程（IB）分为三个阶段：1~5年级小学（PYP）、6~10年级中学（MYP）、11~12年级大学预科（DP）。
小学阶段课程主要有两种类型，一种是我们国内教育的分科制学习，语数外英体美各有各的老师，学生就按照学科去学习。另一种是跨学科、主题探究制课程。其课程框架分为六大主题。例如，我们是谁，我们身处什么时空，我们如何表达自己，世界如何运作等。六大主题每一年循环往复进行。PYP为代表的小学阶段国际课程大多是用综合主题探究的方式帮助孩子一步步地整理各学科的知识。
英国课程：评分标准统一，广受认可
英国课程层次较多，分为小学低年级阶段KS1、小学高年级阶段KS2、中学低年龄段KS3、中学高年龄段GCSE和大学预科阶段A-Level。
英国在5个阶段结束的时候都有全球的统一考试，如果家长更看重孩子定期的考试成绩及其在世界范围内的学业表现，英国课程就比较适合。在KS1和KS2学制结束后的全球统考中，每一门学科，每一个学段都有一个一致的评价标准。也就是说，孩子在一所学校读了英国国家课程，转到世界上任何一个用英国国家课程作为标准的学校，都不存在适应和过渡的困难。
值得一提的是，对于比较偏科的孩子来说，选择就读A-Level是一种较好的解决方案。因为该课程只需要在50~60门学科中选择3~4门。但不建议本来读中国课程的孩子，到最后两年才转去读A-Level，因为这样并没有读到英国课程的精华。
美国课程：学科平衡，层次递进
美国课程的精华就是其高中课程，它是以上国际课程中唯一的4年制高中课程。一方面，它以学分制来确保各个学科的平衡度，保证了学科的宽泛度；另一方面，它对课程难度进行了分层，供不同层级的孩子来选择。
当然，不同学校提供的美国课程质量也是不一样的。如果想要选择美高课程，以下两点需要家长认真考察：1.有没有经过美国权威鉴证。所有的美国高中和大学都是学分制的，所有学分的获得和学分的转换都是通过Accreditation，家长可以去查询这个学校获得何种鉴证。2.学校的课程体系及学校的课程分类、分层是否适合孩子的需求。各个学科当中要有适合孩子薄弱学科的托底课程，也要有适合其强项的富有挑战性的课程；同时还要有较多活动来培养孩子真正的领导力。
总结：比较三种国际课程
这就是三大国际课程的基本情况，以上内容根据卢慧文校长的口述整理。协和教育中心建议，在选择国际课程时，先了解各国院校的升学要求，从孩子自身的能力和兴趣出发，选择真正适合的国际课程；再从提供相同国际课程的学校中，选择最适合自己的学校。不论选择哪种课程、哪所学校，我们都由衷地希望，通过教育，孩子能学会肯定自己的努力和价值，同时找到自己的位置，成为更优秀的人。
It’s possible that in recent years you’ve seen a lot of educational acronyms in the media or heard something about the different international curricula offered in schools. What, you may have asked, are IB, A Level, AP and IGCSE? You may have also developed many questions about these things. Which curricula are accepted or preferred by universities around the world? What factors should be considered when choosing a particular curriculum? How about curriculum provision and level of difficulty? In summary, which curriculum is the best overall match for my child? We invited SUIS’ General Principal, Ms Lu Huiwen, to answer some of these questions and have summarised her feedback below.
IB Curriculum：An emphasis on inter-disciplinary learning and inquiry
The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a truly international curriculum that offers a programme for each of the three phases of schooling: the Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Primary school (Grades 1-5); the Middle Years Programme (MYP) for Middle school (Grades 6-10); and the Diploma Programme (DP) for High school (Grades 11 and 12).
The IB curriculum not only includes the learning of core subjects such as Chinese, Math, English, PE and Arts (taught by specialist teachers), but more importantly includes a heavy emphasis on cross-subject and theme inquiry learning. The IB PYP curriculum, for example, includes six trans-disciplinary themes, such as Who we are, Where we are in place and time, How we express ourselves, and How the world works. The six themes repeat every year. It is this emphasis on subject integration and inquiry that develops an independent, creative and internationally-minded student.
The IB Diploma Programme (DP), a pre-university programme, is a broad curriculum that involves students participating in six subjects, two of which must be languages. In addition, students must complete three additional requirements: take a Theory of Knowledge (TOK) course, write an Extended Essay (EE) and accumulate a number of extra-curricular hours in activities centred around Creativity, Action and Service (CAS). Due to the IBDP’s broad nature and highly demanding coursework, High School graduates who have achieved the Diploma are very highly regarded by top universities.
The two-year DP programme culminates in external examinations for each of the six subjects taken, and receive points for the combined EE, TOK and CAS components. If successful, students receive an official IB Diploma. Representatives from top universities around the world are increasingly expressing a preference for IB Diploma graduates over other pre-university curricula, and many universities will offer first year course credits to students graduating with the IB Diploma.
National Curriculum for England：Standard Criteria, widely used and accepted
Many international schools will use one or more of the curriculum stages of the National Curriculum for England (NCfor E): Key Stage 1 (KS1) (for Lower Primary school)，Key Stage 2 (KS2)（for Upper Primary school), and Key Stage 3 (KS3) (for Lower Secondary school).
The National Curriculum for England (NCforE) is relatively prescriptive and academic in nature; students receive an education in a large number of distinct subjects. Some schools may use this curriculum in Primary school and/or lower Secondary school. Because the NCforE is similar in nature to the national curricula of many countries around the world, students can transfer into and out of schools offering this curriculum quite easily. The heavier emphasis on academics in this curriculum will mean, though, that the student will need a good command of the English language if he/she is to be successful.
IGCSE：Academic, broad range of subjects
The International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) is a well-established Grade 9 and 10 curriculum that is currently used by many international schools around the world. It is rigorous in nature, involves students taking a broad range of subjects and prepares students well for the established pre-university curricula such as IBDP, A Levels and Advanced Placement (AP). The two-year programme culminates in external examinations from the University of Cambridge for each subject taken, and students receive an official certificate from Cambridge which lists their examination grades.
A-Level：Highly academic, few subjects
Advanced Level (A Level) subjects are pre-university subjects that are offered in many international schools around the world, particularly in schools that have a British school culture or background (but not necessarily so). A Level subjects are very theoretical in nature and, compared with IBDP and AP subjects, tend to be more challenging academically. The A Level programme is also a very narrow academic experience in the sense that students need only take three A Level subjects throughout Grade 11 and 12 i.e. universities only require students to submit three full A Level grades for their admission application.Many universities will offer first year course credits to students graduating with full A Level examination results.
US Curriculum：Balanced subject, level processed
A US-curricular program focuses on principles and philosophy and is often less-proscribed than other curricula. US educational philosophy focuses on educating the whole child, with emphasis on personal, social,emotional, artistic, and athletic development,as well as academics. It also emphasizesbreadth of exposure rather than narrow focus on few subjects. Students are encouraged to engage in elective courses outside of the core areas of Math, Science, Social Studies, and English for a more holistic appreciation of the world. Finally, US education is centered in a standards-based approach to curriculum. While standards in many subjects will have some variation from state to state, students in schools are measured against achievement towards the standard rather than against their fellow student. In English and Mathematics, almost all states and many international schools have adopted the Common Core Standards in whole or in part. These provide our schools and students with a seamless program throughout their schooling, fromKindergarten through Grade 12.Successful achievement in these school programs ensures that students are able to excel in higher education.
Students in US-curriculum schools and those applying to university in the United States will have the opportunity or be required to take courses and external assessments to measure achievement and to act as a verification on the reporting of student achievement by the schools. The Advanced Placement courses and exams are externally marked and scored, and successful performance can result in advanced standing in college and greater chance of admission to more competitive colleges and universities. The ACT and SAT tests are standardized achievement tests that most colleges require to measure student readiness for college in basic skill areas core subjects.Students who are successful in a US-curriculum program and the school standards are well-prepared for each of these assessments. |
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