As is known, ATL is an acronym for Approaches to Learning, but what does it really mean? And what is more important, how do we guide our students to develop these approaches to their own learning?
The philosophy of the IB, in its endeavor to educate young adults in active learning, maintains that academic knowledge is reinforced through the teaching of skills, which are precisely intended to put this acquired academic knowledge into practice. To this end, five general skill areas have been identified which, along with rigorous academic knowledge, are the cornerstone of 21st-century education. Thus, communication, social, self-management, research, and thinking skills make up the heart of the IB pedagogical methodology.
These five areas are in turn composed of several clusters that develop each of the skills step by step. For example, communication skills do not only consist of being able to express oneself effectively both orally and in writing, but also in developing an “active listening” mechanism, so that the purpose of interactive communication is not only to respond but also to understand all the nuances of our interlocutors, given their cultural backgrounds and communication context. Likewise, when we work on self-management skills, we not only create good habits for personal organization but also provide guidelines for managing emotions such as demotivation while promoting good mental habits such as resilience.
Our Year 12 students had the opportunity to individually and collectively reflect on the developmental status of their own learning approaches in our last “Respect” session. They participated in passionate discussions about the need to recognize their personal learning style and how skill development is effective for success in academic and personal life.
The students evaluated the development of their own skills in a very positive way and understood that they are fundamental actors of their learning through the self-evaluation of their abilities and the identification of future personal goals, and we, Year 12 teachers, will continue to work tirelessly to support our students to reach their full potential.
