Erzurum IGCSE Preparation
Bilkent Erzurum Laboratory School (BELS) students gained greater understanding of the demands and benefits of the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) program after speaking with Anne Akay, head of the Department (HOD) of English and IGCSE coordinator at Bilkent Laboratory & International School (BLIS). Ms. Akay recently traveled to Erzurum, where she visited BELS IGCSE Coordinator Okan Önder, conducted workshops and met with teachers and students.
Unlike BLIS students, who normally enter the IGCSE program in Grade 9 after having spent 10 years at BLIS speaking English, BELS students spend one year in Prep learning English after Grade 8 and then begin the IGCSE program. Current BELS students are studying English as a foreign language, but beginning next year, all Grade 9 students will be taking the IGCSE English first language course.
Ms. Akay worked on program planning with BELS English HOD Melanie Swetz, and both met with English teachers to heighten their awareness of the requirements of the English first language course and also the requirements of the IGCSE English literature course and how it prepares students for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. In addition, Ms. Akay met with all BELS HODs. She concluded her busy schedule with a presentation to the whole faculty about Moodle.