IB Source
An Overview of
the ATLs
(Approaches to
Learning)
Welcome!
We are IB Source. Today we will explore the ATLs and how you can
use them in your IB classroom.
This information comes from the Ibtrove Teacher Toolkit on the
ATLs and ATTs. You can find the toolkit on IB Source’s website and at
http://www.ibtrove.com. The toolkit works for PYP, MYP, DP, and CP
teachers, and is a great resource for an all-teacher PD.
Ibtrove also has Teacher Toolkits for the MYP (in each subject with an
MYP Projects toolkit coming out at the beginning of 2022), most DP
subjects, and the CP.
Our Agenda
Introduction
The Academic ATLs
The “Personal” ATLs
Questions & Reflections
An Introduction to the ATLs
The focus of the IB is less about the retention and repetition of facts and more about
developing a greater understanding of how we learn what we learn.
By introducing the approaches to learning (ATL) explicitly, the IB has made much
clearer links between the teaching of subjects (including the aims and objectives),
the IB Learner Profile, and the IB Mission Statement. This helps us develop students
and teachers into active, compassionate and lifelong learners.
The ATLs and our subject’s aims & objectives
Your subject aims & objectives link to the ATLs. Here’s an example from MYP PHE:
https://www.ibtrove.com/path-player?courseid=myp-physical-health-education-teacher-toolkit&uni
t=60d2e01d1e9747511232877fUnit
The ATLs and the Learner Profile
The ATLs also link to the Learner Profile to create a cohesive learning experience.
https://www.ibtrove.com/path-player?courseid=atl-att&unit=5fe05c7baea1db59d65ee992Unit
The ATLs
The Academic Skills
When analyzing the five ATL skills, we
can see a clear difference between
these skills and categorize them into
Academic Skills and Personal Skills.
The three skills that are considered as
more “academic” are:
The Academic Skills: Thinking
The ATL Thinking Skill look like this:
● Evaluate evidence and arguments.
● Consider ideas from multiple perspectives.
● Encourage students to present a variety of solutions to authentic problems.
● Encourage students to practice transferring ideas from one context to another.
Group 2: Language Acquisition
Write open-ended questions for a group discussion that compare and contrast themes.
Group 4: Experimental Science -- MYP Design example:
https://www.ibtrove.com/path-player?courseid=myp-design&unit=5fe1c727de96567f8a4e6
98bUnit
The Academic Skills: Research
The ATL Research Skill looks like this:
● Students interview people in their community and/or via the internet.
● Students make connections between various sources of information.
● Teach students to use digital tools.
● Students practice locating information from a variety of sources, integrating a range of
perspectives.
● Teach responsible media habits and ethical media practices.
Group 5: Mathematics
Students research a topic they are interested in and collect their data through both primary and
secondary research. This approach increases engagement and provides authentic opportunities for
students to use their mathematical skills to use, analyze and represent the data in an effective manner.
Group 6: The Arts
Students gather resources to create a music class for elementary students.
https://www.ibtrove.com/path-player?courseid=myp-arts&unit=5fe1c87e95ff5c055b60dca4Unit
The Academic Skills: Communication
We use the ATL skill of COMMUNICATION in these ways:
● Use a variety of media to communicate.
● Practice giving and receiving effective feedback.
● Collaborate in face-to-face and digital environments.
● Organize information logically.
● Become a good role model by speaking in grammatically-correct, clear sentences.
● Use small group presentations to teach information.
● Encourage students to write frequently in their process journals / learner portfolios.
Group 1 & Group 6 examples:
https://www.ibtrove.com/path-player?courseid=atl-att&unit=5fe05c7baea1db59d65ee994Unit
The Personal Skills
The other two ATLs can be considered
as more “personal” skills, which can
be explicitly taught and developed in
our subject lessons. The two
“personal” skills are:
The Personal Skills: Self-Management
The ATL Self-Management Skill can look like this:
● Setting specific deadlines as progress checks for larger projects.
● Chunk activities into smaller sections to allow students to be mindful and stay on-task.
● Publish a unit plan for students to see what is coming up in the next few weeks.
● Encourage students to create goals and check-in on their goals.
Group 2: Language Acquisition
Celebrate incremental improvement on your students’ language skills by creating goal check-ins and
short oral conferences that are positive and celebratory.
Group 3: Individuals and Societies
Break big projects into chunks so students can organize their time. DP History example:
https://www.ibtrove.com/path-player?courseid=dp-history-internal-assessment&unit=5ffdb62711d
c8007253d93baUnit
The Personal Skills: Social Skills
The ATL of Social Skills looks like:
● Creating opportunities for communicating with a range of people for a range of purposes.
● Plan for individual, paired, and group work.
● Give students opportunities to work with people beyond their immediate class.
● Encourage the creation of study groups or study buddies that extend past the classroom walls.
Group 1: Language and Literature
Expose students to differing cultural perspectives and
viewpoints by selecting works that are varied and diverse.
https://www.ibtrove.com/path-player?courseid=myp-language-and-literature&unit=5ff08f119231
65048627b7e6Unit
Group 4: Experimental Sciences
Use classroom routines and group work to encourage
students to practice empathy with each other. Example →
Which ATLs does this activity align with?
https://www.ibtrove.com/path-player?courseid=mypmathematics&unit=5ff06d7929a1b421cf5f284dUnit
Reflection
How can incorporating the ATLs into your
classroom to improve student learning?
THIS WORKSHOP IS BASED ON THE
ATL/ATT TEACHER TOOLKIT BY IBTROVE.
You can find subject-specific toolkits for the MYP, DP, and CP at
http://myibsource.com/collections/ibtrove-teacher-toolkits or at http://www.ibtrove.com
QUESTIONS?