American Curriculum

The Curriculum used at Ajyal International School - Al Falah is standards-based. The American Common Core Standards are the ones adopted by the school for the teaching and learning of our students in English medium subjects.  

 

In order to support and promote Emirati heritage and Islamic culture, we place an equally strong emphasis on teaching Arabic medium subjects as well:  Arabic language, Arabic social studies, and Islamic education.

 

Our American Common Core Standards-based curriculum is focused on the specific things that we want students to know, understand and be able to do at each grade and in each subject.

 

The Pre-Kindergarten (PK) through Grade 4 standards for English language arts (ELA) include specific, grade level learning outcomes for reading, writing, speaking, listening, and language.  These literacy skills apply to a range of subjects and are not limited to only ELA. 

 

This interdisciplinary approach to literacy is based on extensive professional research which establishes the need for students to be proficient in reading complex informational text independently, in a variety of content areas.

 

The PK-Grade 4 mathematics learning outcomes address skills in the mathematical domains of counting and cardinality, numbers and operations, measurement and data, fractions, geometry and algebraic thinking.

 

Because Ajyal International School - Al Falah is committed to ensuring that student learning is long-lasting and meaningful rather than superficial and based primarily on rote memorization, we embrace the ideas articulated in the Significant Learning Model (SLM) of education.

 

The SLM is focused on students demonstrating:

 

• They understand core academic knowledge specific to each subject studied (Foundation Knowledge);

• They are critical and creative thinkers, problem solvers, decision-makers, project managers, and effective communicators (Application);   

• They are multifaceted thinkers capable of comparing and contrasting concepts who can identify interactive influences within and across disciplines and perspectives and between school learning and life (Integration);

• They are self-directing and self-authoring individuals who take responsibility for their own actions, exhibiting an in-depth understanding of themselves and having a clear vision of how they want to grow (Human Dimension-Self);  

• They are competent and effective team players, aware of the feelings of others and adept at inducing desirable pro-social responses as culturally-sensitive citizens with well developed interpersonal skills (Human Dimension-Other);

• They are willing to objectively examine and advocate for the values of integrity, transparency, accountability, respect for the environment, and social justice (Caring & Values);

• They develop positive feelings and attitudes towards both school-based and non-school related situations through actively pursuing opportunities to engage in personal interests (Caring, Interests & Attitudes); and  

• They are able to become self-directed lifelong learners aware of what they want and need to learn who are able to plan and conduct both formal and informal inquiry and research using historical as well as scientific methods (Learning How to Learn).

 

Ajyal International School - Al Falah believes that the unique blend of the SLM and American Common Core Standards is an ideal pedagogical approach to properly prepare our students for success in their academic and career futures awaiting in the global world of the 21st century.

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