Sherry Reach

Regional Manager, Americas

18 December 2012

Cambridge IGCSE

Excellence For All Overview

• We are Europe’s largest assessment agency

and our tests are underpinned by our

substantial research program

• We are at the heart of a global learning

community including more than 9000 schools

• We work in partnership with educators

worldwide, including 25 national

governments, and the NCEE MOWR

Excellence For All project

A department of the University of Cambridge

Cambridge International Programs

Developing successful students

Students build:

• knowledge

• learning skills

• critical thinking skills

• problem solving

skills

Cambridge students

become independent

learners

The learner is at the heart of what we do

Assessment

Teaching Curriculum

Promoting good practice in

teaching and learning

Offering choice within a flexible, relevant curriculum framework

Setting international standards in assessment

Aims

Assessment Objectives

Description of assessment components

Curriculum content

Including detailed summary of what candidates should

know, understand and be able to do

Grade descriptions

Resource list, including texts and much more

The subject syllabus is where it

begins…

www.cie.org.uk

Suits a wide range of abilities

Core level: all students

Extended level: more

able students

Coursework : adapt for

local context

One-year or two-year

course

Assessment Objectives for Biology

Knowledge with understanding (50% - not more

than 25% recall)

Handling information and problem solving (30%)

Experimental skills and investigation (20%)

Question papers include

Questions that Require knowledge

Gradually remove scaffolding

Require the application of knowledge in unfamiliar contexts

Encourage connections to be made between topic areas or concepts

Recalling

knowledge

Abstracting

appropriate

knowledge

Applying

knowledge

in a novel

context

IGCSE Literature (English): Assessment

Objectives

Show detailed knowledge of the content of literary texts in the three main forms (Drama, Poetry, Prose) 25%

Understand the meanings of literary texts and their contexts, and explore texts beyond surface meanings to show deeper awareness of ideas and attitudes 25%

Recognize and appreciate ways in which writers use language, structure and form to create and shape meanings and effects (= application) 25%

Communicate a sensitive and informed personal response to literary texts 25%

Example Literature Question

In this story, Conrad has left his car near the ‘red zone’ – a no-parking area of the city in which he works. He comes back to find that some people are enjoying watching it being towed away.

Read the passage below carefully and then explore how the writing makes you feel sympathy for Conrad and how it is amusing at the same time.

You should include in your answer a response to:

• Conrad’s situation

• the characters and the words they use

• the way the incident is narrated.

Grade description (Literature in English)

a Grade A candidate will have demonstrated the ability to:

sustain a perceptive and convincing response with well-chosen

detail of narrative and situation

demonstrate clear critical/analytical understanding of the author’s

intentions and the text’s deeper implications and the attitudes it

displays

make much well-selected reference to the text

respond sensitively and in detail to the way language works in

the text

communicate a considered and reflective personal response to

the text

A* student

Conrad’s situation is not a strange one; it is one most readers may not have experienced but would be familiar with. Wolfe’s narration enables us to feel sympathy for many reasons. The first, and simplest, is that he appears to have been wronged: he remembered parking his car outside the red zone. In addition to this, the “giant” tow truck operator and the meter maid do not listen to what he says and virtually ignore him. In the end Conrad loses, only to be mocked by a crowd of bystanders. “Woooo-eeeee” (Paragraph 23) they call at him, when the meter maid rebuffs his appeals. Conrad is not merely helpless; he is turned into a public and humiliating joke. It is impossible not to feel sympathy for him in this situation.

C student

Although this story makes you feel sympathy for Conrad, it is at the same time amusing due to the fact that the lady and the giant man paid less attention to him and this made him look somehow stupid as it was like he was talking himself.

Another amusing thing about this story is the way Conrad negotiates for his car. He speaks on top of his voice and this makes passers-by think there is a fight which is about to erupt.

Supporting Teaching

Standards booklets to help teachers understand the level

Outline course plans

Range of textbooks endorsed by Cambridge

Online discussion forums for teachers

10 sets of past exams with answers (except for newly developed American History)

Feedback on examinations (report from senior examiners)

FRESHMAN YEAR CAMBRIDGE SOPHOMORE YEAR CAMBRIDGE Semester 1 Semester 2 Semester 1 Semester 2

Mathematics - includes Algebra and Geom. Mathematics (con't) - includes Algebra and Geometry

Coordinated Science - includes Bio., Chem., and Physics

(will have 2 choices for scoring labs: “Coursework” which is a lab designed by a coursework accredited

teacher and Cambridge approved OR a lab done under test conditions on a date set by Cambridge)

OR Biology (same lab scoring choices)

Coordinated Science (con't) OR

Chemistry OR

Physics

English First Language or English as a Second Language

English Literature

History (“World”) History (American)

Art and Design (either 2D, 3D or other option) OR

Drama OR Music OR CTE elective

Note: These are all one-year courses and could be taken in freshman or sophomore year

Art and Design (either 2D, 3D or other option) OR

Drama OR Music OR CTE elective

Note: These are all one-year courses and could be taken in freshman or sophomore year

Electives (optional) Foreign Language or Economics or

Global Perspectives or Computer Studies or other local / Cambridge elective (e.g. Cambridge agriculture

or travel & tourism)

Electives (optional) Foreign Language or Economics or

Global Perspectives or Computer Studies or other local / Cambridge elective (e.g. Cambridge agriculture,

or travel & tourism)

Our syllabi provide learners with the foundation to achieve high

levels of academic and personal learning in an engaging way.

Together with schools, we aim to develop learners who are:

• Confident in working with information and

ideas – their own and those of others

• Responsible for themselves, responsive

to and respectful of others

• Reflective as learners, developing their

ability to learn

• Innovative and equipped for new and

future challenges

• Engaged intellectually and socially, and

ready to make a difference

A Learner-Centered approach

Ideal Target Date Deliverable

December - February Send Cambridge completed School Application Form Excellence For All Pilot Commitment Letter Submission to NCEE

January - March • Cambridge School Orientation Workshop: Introductory training for administrators and Cambridge teacher support overview presentation for teachers

19 February 2013 (deadline option 2)

Register teachers for Spring Session intro level On-Line training for English, Math, Science, History course accessible 25 Feb– 19 May2013. School must be registered with Cambridge to participate in this training.

Late April / Early May 2013 June – July 2013

Three Day Face to Face Teacher Training Conference – location TBD Order Long Distance Coursework Training Packs Teachers complete training course materials and send to Cambridge by August

Getting Started with Cambridge

Cambridge Lower Division Implementation Cost

Summary

$ 750 Cambridge Orientation Workshop (conducted on school site)

$ 1500 pp

(inc. travel)

Yr 1 Teacher PD – coursework accreditation training 9th grade

teachers (c. $50 pp), online intro course ($50 pp), face to face

($500) for grade 9 teachers

$183 pp Yr 1 Student Exam fees / mailing $61 pp per 9th grade subject

(English Lang., World History, Biology)

$500 pp

(inc. travel)

Yr 2 Teacher PD –online intermediate course ($200 pp), best

practices training (c. $125 pp)

$305 pp

(includes

Fine Arts)

Yr 2 Student Exam fees / mailing $61 pp for 10th grade Eng

Lit, Am. History, Chemistry or Physics, Math, Fine Arts (or

local CTE)

$ 5460 Year 2 Cambridge School Annual Registration Fee (waived 1st

year.) Due October of year 2 if annual spending on exams /

training fees does not exceed $11,500.

Total Cost Summary

$ 750

Cambridge Orientation Workshop (conducted on school site)

$488 pp

(includes

Fine Arts)

Student Exam fees / mailing costs

$2000 pp

(includes

travel est.)

Teacher PD / Coursework Accreditation

$ 5460

Year 2 Cambridge School Annual Registration Fee (waived

1st year.) Due October of year 2 if annual spending on exams

/ training fees does not exceed $11,500.

Thank you – Questions? Contact Sherry Reach at

Reach.S@cie.org.uk

Learn more!

Getting in touch with

Cambridge is easy

Email us at

info@cie.org.uk

or telephone

011 44 1223 553554

www.cie.org.uk