HISTORY
What is the nature of History at IGCSE level? History at SJII is not a matter of learning names and dates, nor a matter of spending long periods taking notes from the teacher or the text book. It is rather a wide range of activities through which students experience, understand and analyse the events they are studying. Above all, it is a process of thinking and developing a range of skills. Naturally, in the case of Grades 9 and 10 there is a focus upon the analytical skills required in the examination at the end of the course. What is the approach to learning in History? The student’s experience of History at SJII will be active, diverse and engaging. It will challenge them in their skills of judgment, evaluation and reasoning, and it will strengthen their values as they study real world dilemmas. They will be given the opportunity to be original and creative, to communicate to small and large audiences, to be persuasive, to lead and to follow. What is the nature of assessment in History? Students will be assessed throughout the two years with IGCSE style exams leading up to the main external examinations at the end of the course. Students will sit three papers in History: Paper 1
This is a short essay based paper of two sections. Students will complete two questions from section A and one question from section B. Students will have a choice of questions based on the course outline below for section A. Section B will be based on their ‘Depth Study’, the USA between the wars. Students are taught the need for specific detailed knowledge and how to explain the significance of events. Paper 2
This is the source based question paper. The topic of study changes annually and is based on one of the topics of the twentieth century. Students are taught to analyse and evaluate sources for information and reliability. Paper 4
This is the second of the essay based exams. This paper is the alternative to coursework. It is the ‘Depth Study’ which is also based on the USA between the wars. There is one essay question worth 40 marks. Students are taught how to create an argument and how to write in essay form.
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