thespinarose.com

Planning for the new IB Psychology curriculum has left many teachers feeling apprehensive. 

With its shift to concept-based learning, the integration of six core concepts across diverse contexts, and the requirement to connect these to biological, cognitive, and sociocultural approaches, it’s a significant departure from the familiar content-driven framework. 

Understandably, this change may seem daunting, as it demands a rethinking of how to structure lessons and prepare students for success. 

However, with careful consideration, thoughtful planning, and collaboration among educators, this new approach can become an exciting opportunity to deepen student understanding and foster critical, conceptual thinking. 

By embracing this shift, teachers can unlock a richer, more interconnected way of teaching psychology that better prepares students for the complexities of the real world.

1. Start with the Concepts and Contexts

Understand the Core Concepts: Deeply familiarise yourself with the six key concepts (bias, change, causality, measurement, perspective, responsibility) and their definitions. 

Reflect on how these concepts connect to the broader goals of psychology.

Analyse the Contexts: Break down the four contexts (health and wellbeing, learning and cognition, human relationships, human development) and identify how they relate to the six concepts. 

For instance, bias might play a role in research on health disparities or in studies on human relationships.

Map Interconnections: Create a visual map or table linking each concept to specific contexts, ensuring a holistic understanding of how these elements integrate into psychological study.

2. Build Around the Approaches

Biological, Cognitive, Sociocultural Approaches: Ensure students have a strong grasp of the three approaches to psychology as these underpin the content. 

For each context, identify the key studies, theories, and models from each approach in the new syllabus that align with the concepts.

Balance Depth and Breadth: Avoid overwhelming students by focusing on a manageable number of studies while ensuring diverse perspectives across the approaches.

3. Design an Inquiry-Based Learning Pathway

Essential Questions: Frame each unit around open-ended, concept-driven questions (e.g., “How does bias affect communication in human relationships?”). 

These questions should provoke critical thinking and exploration.

Student-Led Exploration: Encourage students to take ownership of their learning by posing their own questions and engaging in discussions or mini-research projects related to the concepts and contexts.

4. Integrate Skills Development Throughout

Conceptual Thinking: Design activities that require students to analyse, evaluate, and synthesise information through the lens of the six concepts.

Approach Skills Holistically: Integrate research methods, critical evaluation, and application to real-world scenarios in every unit. 

For example, link the concept of measurement to evaluating the validity and reliability of true experiments to test child development in Learning and Cognition.

Exam Preparation: Build regular opportunities to practice exam-style questions, ensuring students can apply concepts and contexts effectively.

5. Create a Flexible Scheme of Work

Anchor with Overarching Themes: Start each unit with a clear focus on the relevant concept(s) and how they connect to the context being explored. 

For example, a unit on Health and Wellbeing might centre on causality and measurement in the context of research on mental health treatments.

Plan for Integration and Recap: Design opportunities for revisiting concepts and contexts throughout the course, showing students how they interrelate.

Collaborative Reflection: Use regular checkpoints to adapt your scheme of learning based on student understanding, ensuring alignment with the syllabus while staying flexible to their needs.

Tips and Tricks

Contextualisation: Use current events, case studies, or local examples to bring abstract concepts to life and make them relatable for students.

Spiral Learning: Revisit key concepts across multiple contexts to deepen understanding and encourage connections between topics.

Collaboration: Foster peer discussions to allow students to see how others interpret and apply the concepts, which reinforces learning.

Visual Tools: Incorporate mind maps, charts, or infographics to help students organise their thoughts and see the interplay between concepts, contexts, and approaches.

Teacher Networks: Collaborate with colleagues teaching the new syllabus, sharing ideas and resources to streamline planning and gain fresh perspectives.

By focusing on these steps, teachers can design a curriculum that is not only engaging and relevant but also prepares students to think conceptually and contextually, essential skills for success in the new IB Psychology syllabus.

Here's to confident and successful planning,

Thes

Coming soon - My weekly new  2025 IB Psychology syllabus planning blog!