ECONOMICS

What is the nature of Economics at IGCSE level?

Economics is for those students who want to understand how the world really works. It is primarily concerned with how resources are allocated at present on a local, national and global scale and how they might be allocated in the future. Economics considers who has the resources and who should get the resources. It considers how markets allocate resources, how markets fail to allocate resources and then it considers whether governments can do a better job!

Economics is for ordinary students who want to learn why it is said that “money makes the world go round” but it is also for those extraordinary students who want to make a real difference. Economics is not about what was or what is but about what will be. Economics is for those students who consider themselves “game-changers” However, in order to get into the game students, have to know the rules and IGCSE introduces a broad range of economics topics to do that.

Everybody is affected by and makes economic decisions every day. Every occupation depends on the quality of those decisions. Hence, whether you are lobbying for funds for research and development, raising money for a charity or even demanding higher wages as a professional footballer, an understanding of Economics will help you.

What is the approach to learning?

Economics is dynamic. Every time an economist believes they know how the economy works it morphs into something else. Hence, in class we constantly draw on real-life examples to stay in touch with those changes and do simulations to explore the outcomes from the mundane to the far-fetched.

The aim of the course is that, appropriate to this level, students should gain an understanding of basic microand macro-economic topics, acquire the necessary skills for elementary economic analysis, practice the presentation of arguments clearly and effectively both orally and in writing, and develop an interest in economics issues locally and internationally

Economics teaches students to consider problems and appraise their solutions. In the end, we expect our students to be able to give an intelligent critique of economies.

What is the subject content?

▪ The basic economic problem

▪ The allocation of resources

▪ Microeconomic decision makers

▪ Government and the macroeconomy

▪ Economic development

▪ International trade and globalisation

At SJII, all sections will involve a study of relevant elements of the economy of Singapore and other countries.

What is the nature of assessment?

Paper 1: 45 minutes multiple-choice questions equating to 30% of total marks.

Paper 2: 2 hours 15 minutes structured questions equating to 70% of total marks.

What is the nature of Geography at IGCSE level?

Geography is a diverse discipline, which bridges the arts, social and natural sciences. It is concerned with developing a balanced understanding of the dynamic, interdependent world we live in, and through this understanding, helping us respond to complex and current issues. It is distinctive in its spatial dimension, and it takes advantage of its position to draw on a wide range of disciplines to examine issues and concepts.

Because of the nature of the subject, geographers are necessarily international-minded and adaptable, Geography at IGCSE offers students the opportunity to develop and strengthen a range of transferable skills, which equip students for a world, which is constantly changing.

What is the approach to learning?

IGCSE Geography lessons are dynamic and engaging. Students are introduced to a range of different contemporary issues such as changes in demographic structures in different countries, migration flows between places and globalisation. All units draw on real world situations, and students are able to apply their understanding of theory and critically consider the effectiveness of management responses to issues in different places.

Fieldwork is an important element within IGCSE Geography as it allows students to interact with their environment directly, and allows students to develop and strengthen their skills planning and investigating geographical issues in authentic contexts. Students also learn to handle data, both in terms of presentation and interpretation, and evaluate data collection methods.

Students further develop and strengthen learning skills related to for example, research and synthesis, collaboration, effective communication and self-management. Students also continue to develop their information and literacy skills as well as media literacy skills.

What is the subject content?

The IGCSE Geography course aims to enable to students to develop:

• an understanding of location (place) and scale

• an awareness of characteristics, distribution and processes affecting contrasting physical and human environments

• an understanding of the ways in which people interact with each other and their environments

• an awareness of the contrasting opportunities and constraints presented by different environments

• an overall appreciation of and concern for the earth and the diversity within

The syllabus is divided into three themes:

• Theme 1 – Population and settlement (including population dynamics, migration, urbanisation and urban problems and solutions)

• Theme 2 – The natural environment (including earthquakes and volcanoes, weather and climate, rivers and coasts)

• Theme 3 – Economic development (including development and globalisation, industrial systems, agricultural systems, tourism, energy and water security and the environmental risks of economic development)

All topics within these themes draw on current case studies of real-world situations. Students also learn to interact with and/or produce a range of resources such as photographs, map extracts, satellite images, drawings, diagrams, graphs, statistics and tables of data.

In Grade 9, to support the teaching of Paper 4, which focuses on fieldwork, there is a compulsory residential field trip to teach students how to design and successfully conduct geographical enquiries across the different themes. Students will also learn how to present, analyse and evaluate their data. The location of this fieldwork is Vietnam.

What is the nature of assessment?

Formative and summative assessments will be used through the two-year course to determine student progress and introduce students to exam skills.

The final examinations are externally assessed and are structured as follows:

• Paper 1 Geographical Themes (45% of the final grade) – 1 hour 45 minutes

The paper has three sections based on the themes, and students answer three questions, one from each section.

• Paper 2 Geographical Skills (27.5% of the final grade) – 1 hour 30 minutes

This paper tests the skills of application, interpretation and analysis of geographical information (such as topographical maps, graphs, tables of data and diagrams). Students answer all questions,

• Paper 4 Alternative to Coursework (27.5% of the final grade) – 1 hour 30 minutes

This paper tests skills related to the route to geographical enquiry. Candidates answer two questions. Fieldwork scenarios for each question are drawn from the three themes.

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

Students will explore 2 Depth Studies to gain knowledge and understanding of the key features and characteristics of these historical periods. They will develop skills to analyse and evaluate historical interpretations in the context of historical events studied. They will enhance skills to explain, analyse and make judgements about historical events and periods studied, using second-order historical concepts.

The 2 Depth Studies are: Germany 1918-1945 and Superpower Relations 1943-1972

Paper 2

Building on the skills developed for Paper 1, Paper 2 aims to develop the learning of how to use a range of source material to comprehend, interpret and cross-reference sources. This together with developing skills to analyse and evaluate historical interpretations in the context of historical events studied.

The investigation for Paper 2 is the USA 1918-1941 and the Breadth Study encompasses a study of the Changing Nature of Warfare 1919-2011.