SUBJECTS GROUPS
GROUP 1
STUDIES IN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE
Group 1 subjects are designed to promote academic studies through high level communication and language skills as well as aesthetic and social literacy. Studying texts actively, literature plays a significant role in promoting lifelong learning. When choosing a Group 1 subject, students are expected to have an academic command of the language. Therefore, students in our country generally choose Turkish A1 as Group 1 subject. Turkish A1 is taught in Standard Level or High Level.
In our school, Turkish A1 is offered in Standard Level and High Level as Group 1 subject. In High Level Turkish A1, students examine 13 works, 3 of which are chosen from world literature. In Standard Level Turkish A1, on the other hand, students examine 10 works, 2 of which are chosen from world literature. Thus, students have the chance to compare works from their culture with those from different cultures and study these works with a personal and critical point of view.
Group 1 subjects are assessed and evaluated based on how students use the language in spoken and written forms. It is also taken into consideration how much the emotions and ideas in the works are understood and interpreted by students, to what extent literary terminology is grasped and how they are analysed, and if the language in the works is properly used.
GROUP 2
LANGUAGE ACQUISITION
Group 2 subjects enable students to learn a foreign language as well as their mother tongue and to improve it, thereby developing a personal and critical point of view regarding different cultures. In Group 2 subjects, students have the chance to improve their speaking, reading, writing and listening skills by studying written or oral texts about different topics such as social relationships, communication and media, global issues, health, cultural diversity, science and technology.Our school offers English B in Standard and High Levels and German ab initio in Standard Level as Group 2 subjects. Students are required to examine two different literary works in High Level English B.
When Group 2 subjects are assessed and evaluated, it is taken into consideration how well students use the target language in writing and speaking, how much they adopt cultural communication elements and how well they express themselves with the improvement of writing, listening, speaking and reading skills.
GROUP 3
INDIVIDUALS AND SOCIETIES
Students systematically and critically examine human experiences and behaviors, the history and development of social and cultural institutions via physical, economic and social environment they live in. Students improve their ability and capacity to define and critically analyze nature as well as individual and social behaviors, and to evaluate theories, concepts and discourses. They learn various data collection methods, description and analysis, hypothesis testing, approaches to interpret complicated information and sources in social sciences. They comprehend the connection between what they learn and its relation to their own culture and to other cultures. They also realize that people have different ideas and approaches and therefore that a study related to society requires a broad perspective. Group 3 courses offered are as follows:
• Business Management,
• Economics,
• Environmental systems and societies,
• Geography,
• History,
• Philosophy,
• Psychology,
• Information Technology in a Global Society
Our school offers Turkey in the 20th Century (an interdisciplinary course including History, Economics and Sociology) as Group 3 subject.
Assessment Criteria:
• Two written exams externally assessed
• Internal Assessment Assignment assessed by the teacher and IBO.
GROUP 4
SCIENCES
When students study any one of the Group 4 courses, they learn how to apply “scientific method” properly, how scientists work and cooperate with one another. They understand interdisciplinary relationship among sciences as well as the nature of scientific method. They develop awareness of moral, ethical, social, economic and environmental implementations while using science and technology. They improve their knowledge of information technology and their scientific and experiential competence. They also acquire, employ and evaluate scientific information through methods and technical implementations as well as passing it on. Groups 4 courses offered are as follows:
• Physics
• Chemistry
• Biology
• Design Technology
• Environmental Systems and Societies
Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Environmental Systems and Societies are offered as Group 4 subjects in our school.
Assessment Criteria for Physics, Chemistry and Biology
• Three written exams externally assessed
• Individual Investigation assessed by the teacher and IBO
• Interdisciplinary Group 4 Project
GROUP 5
MATHEMATICS
Students who wish to be awarded IB Diploma are required to take a Mathematics course. Mathematics both in Standard Level and High Level, Mathematical Studies and Further Mathematics are offered in IB Diploma Programme. In our school, we offer both Standard and High Level Mathematics. Students realize that Mathematics is a science which highlights Mathematics is a universal language, questions and improves reasonable and creative thinking, helps them understand the relationship between technology and Mathematics, and enables them to acquire problem-solving skills using necessary methods.
Mathematics courses in IBDP cover all the 11th- and 12th- grade topics required by Mathematic Curriculum of Ministry of National Education in Turkey. They also provide a basis for post-graduate education.
Assessment Criteria:
• A portfolio which includes mathematical modelling and examination.
• Written exams externally assessed by IBO.
All the assessments are carried out in accordance with IBO standards and instructions.
GROUP 6
THE ARTS
The Arts in itself is divided into different branches: music, theatre, visual arts and film. Students are offered Visual Arts in our school. IB Visual Arts course enables students to create process-oriented works of art. Within the course framework, students work in creation cycle (research-plan-product-evaluation). Students enhance their creativity by making connections between different disciplines based on the theme they choose. Along with the practice, they thoroughly examine theoretical knowledge such as Turkish and World Art, Aesthetics and The Necessity of Art, which enables students to appreciate universal values of art, to empathize, to develop creative and aesthetical perspective.
IB Visual Arts course includes three components: Comparative Study, Process Portfolio, and Exhibition. All the works are evaluated through individual and group criticisms. At the end of Year 2, student’s works and Process Portfolio are displayed and they are evaluated by the teacher and IBO.
Those who do not wish to take Visual Arts can select an optional course from Group 2, 3, 4 (German Ab Initio, Environmental Systems and Societies, Physics, Chemistry or Biology) instead of a Group 6 course.
