Secondary
Age 12 to 18
Connected and Conceptual
Our secondary curriculum closely follows the QEP curriculum to allow our students to travel and study in Montreal during the school year. The curriculum builds on the concepts, knowledge, skills, and attitudes previously developed in the Early Years and Elementary. Students are generally taught in grade-level subject classes, however, in English, they are arranged by language competency so teachers can be sure that the classes are most appropriate for their learning needs.
Conceptual learning is about big transferable ideas. A concept-based approach moves away from subject-specific content and instead emphasizes “big ideas” that span multiple subject areas or disciplines.
IB Middle Years Programme
The Middle Years Programme (MYP) provides a framework of learning which encourages students to become creative, critical and reflective thinkers. To find out more about the MYP, click here.
In Grades 7-10, the curriculum is organized into units of inquiry. A unit of inquiry provides a curriculum framework of essential elements - the concepts, global context, knowledge, skills, attitudes, and action - that young students need to equip them for successful lives, both now and in the future.
Students participate in at least one interdisciplinary unit, involving two or more combined subject groups, per year. Interdisciplinary units encourage students to develop deeper understandings of concepts through learning experiences shared across multiple subjects.
Subject Overview
The Grade 7 to 10 curriculum consists of 8 subject groups. To access overviews of the units taught in each subject, click the link below.
Note: these documents are only available to CIST students and their families.
Learning How to Learn
At CIST, a great emphasis is placed on learning how to learn. Approaches to Learning Skills (ATL) feature throughout the curriculum, equipping students with the skills to be lifelong learners. ATL skills include:
Self-management skills
E.g. goal setting, perserverance, time management, adaptability, mindfulness
Communication skills
E.g. collaboration, giving and receiving feedback, writing for different purposes
Social skills
E.g. practicing empathy, exercising leadership, delegating and sharing responsibility
Research skills
E.g. processing data, evaluating sources, information and media literacy
Thinking skills
E.g. critical thinking, creative thinking, transfer of knowledge between subjects
Ten Weeks in Canada
As part of our Academic Stay Program, all secondary students in Grades 7 to 10 spend ten weeks of each school year at our partner school, Lakeside Academy, an IB World School, in Montreal, Canada.
Students stay in a safe and secure dormitory, attend school each day, and are able to experience a range of trips and cultural experiences on the way.
To learn more, visit here or get in touch with a member of our Admissions team.
Personal Orientation Project
The Personal Orientation Project is undertaken by students with a teacher’s guidance as they investigate and learn more about their own aptitudes and interests and apply that knowledge to research various pathways for post-secondary education and reflect on future careers.
We expand on knowledge and skills gained in the classroom by:
providing a diverse extracurricular program
including students in community service initiatives
enhancing health and physical development through sports
fostering responsibility to the school and the community
Extra-Curricular Activities (ECA)
Students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of after-school programs/clubs including academics, sports, and social activities. ECAs are offered by teachers and outside providers in order to help students learn new skills and explore more talents.
Field Trips
School trips are designed to provide students with new experiences outside their normal activities e.g. alternative educational opportunities, cultural enrichment, and community service. This allows them to apply what they have learned in practical and new surroundings.
Kid's MBA
This fully accredited course is one of Forbes Magazine’s top 5 school-based business programs. The course helps students learn more about business by having all the necessary information for a successful startup business. To find out more, visit the Kid's MBA site.
A Commitment to Action
Service as Action
Students in all grades participate in service towards the community through Service as Action projects. They are encouraged to explore their role as citizens, both locally and globally, make connections between the things they learn and their environment, and consider their place in the community.
MYP Community Project
In Grade 10, students participate in the MYP Community Project. As a consolidation of learning in the MYP,, this year-long project engages students in a sustained, in-depth inquiry leading to service in the community and ends with an exhibition of their achievements at the end of the year.
Where will you be in the future?
START YOUR JOURNEY
Two Learning Pathways
The connections with our Canadian partners provide two pathways for students and their families at the end of Grade 10.
Students may stay in Bangkok to complete their studies
Students may pursue a Canadian High School Diploma in Montreal
OR