History

What is the nature of History at FC?

History at FC level at SJII involves giving a strong foundation to students, which allows them to discover the historical content, access the wider themes and acquire skills in preparation IB. The course will allow students to engage in a variety of topics and give them a basis to experience, understand and analyse these topics. Above all, it is a process of thinking and developing a range of skills which will set them up for higher-order thinking and independent research which is expected of them at IB level. In Grade 10FC there is a particular focus upon the analytical skills required for the IB Diploma.

What is the approach to learning in History?

The student will engage in a variety of topics from diverse areas of the world which will allow them to challenge their geopolitical understanding and significance of the topics. It will challenge them in their skills of judgment, evaluation and reasoning, and it will strengthen their values as they research and study real world dilemmas. It involves a mixture of research, investigation, presentation, with argument and source analysis. There is a strong emphasis on collaborative and communicative assignments allowing students to develop their skills. There is also inquiry-based learning which focuses on skills to enable students to be risk-takers and to investigate the content.

What is the subject content?

The content of the G10 FC History course is an introduction to the basic skills of the Diploma, directed research project on a topic of the students’ choice which is linked to topics covered in the IB programme such as World War One, World War Two, The Cold War, Dictators of the Twentieth Century, China and Japan. The students will mainly cover 20th Century History in Europe and Asia.

What is the nature of assessment in History?

Students will be assessed throughout with a combination of IGCSE History skills and the IB History skills. The IGCSE assessment prepares the students for the fundamental knowledge, explanation and source analysis skills. For the IB level, students will be exposed to pertinent extended writing skills which will enhance their essay skills, a major component of many subjects at the IB Diploma level. Students will do formative and summative assessments and a final exam.

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