In our blog post for psychology teachers, experienced author, teacher and examiner Lizzie Gauntlett offers strategies for teaching Cambridge International AS & A Level Psychology successfully.
As one of the authors of the Cambridge International AS & A Level Psychology series, updated for the revised syllabus (9990) I know that teachers of this syllabus will already be considering ways that they can best support their learners.
Here are some of my recommendations for strategies to help support teaching and learning of Cambridge International AS & A Level Psychology.
Full syllabus details can be found on the Cambridge Assessment International Education website www.cambridgeinternational.org. For more information on how our resources support you to teach the new syllabus download our What You Need to Know information sheet for Cambridge International AS & A Level Psychology.
Plan ahead
The updated syllabus introduces new materials and requirements at both AS and A Level. As teachers, it is essential to feel confident not only with the content of the syllabus, but also the way in which knowledge and understanding must be demonstrated and assessed.
In the AS section, five of the core studies have been replaced. There is also a reduction in the number of A Level studies and greater clarity on the level of detail required for each. The Cambridge University Press coursebook includes detailed summaries, which can introduce you to the studies before accessing the full articles online.
Specialist options have been re-titled and the options and research methods content have been reviewed. Existing teachers of the current syllabus who teach ‘Psychology and Abnormality’ as an option will notice this is re-titled as ‘Clinical Psychology’, and that ICD-11 replaces DSM-5 as the classification system.
The coursebook provides a full content checklist for each unit of the syllabus with teaching plans detailed in the teacher’s resource. These help you to understand and prepare for the changes.
Build on strengths
While the syllabus is suitable for learners with no prior study in psychology, it also encourages learners to think about the connections between psychology and everyday life. As teachers, we can ask, ‘what do our learners already know?’ as a starting point for introducing new topics.
For example, a new addition to the learning approach is the study by Fagen et al (2014) on elephant learning. This study looks at how positive reinforcement techniques can be used to promote animal welfare. Learners may already be familiar with some basic principles of animal training if they have pets or domestic animals. Try opening discussions about what they already know about rewarding animals for good behaviour. This could link to the psychology being investigated in this study.
It also is worth considering specific skills individual learners might bring to the course. Some might already have designed online surveys in business studies, or used IT software to collate data in mathematics. You can enhance teaching research methods in this syllabus by designing tasks that help learners use these skills or teach them to others in their group.
Encourage reflection
Reflection involves taking the time to think about a task. Both teachers and learners reflect, think of ways to improve, and attempt tasks again in different ways. Many of the examples in the workbook promote this important cognitive skill.
Examples of questions you can ask learners as they work include:
- Why have you chosen this way to complete this activity?
- How do you know you have included all the information – should you check again?
- Can you describe the procedure you used at that point?
Building in reflection time to teaching and learning activities is a valuable way of teaching learners to reflect in action; that is to adjust and correct their approach to their learning as they go.
We hope this blog post helps you support your students as they approach this subject for the first time. Follow our blog for more inspiration and advice for your psychology teaching.
Lizzie Gauntlett is an experienced teacher, author and examiner and former head of department. Lizzie has a PhD in Psychology and Education. Her research interests include social psychology, teaching and learning at further and higher education, mental health and qualitative research methodologies.
Marvel at the complexities of the human mind with new editions of our Cambridge International AS & A Level Psychology series, updated for the revised syllabus. Engaging questions and activities develop scientific skills and focus on research methods and important moral and ethical debates. Find out more!
