Developing ATL holistically

Approaches to Learning Skills are transferable across different disciplines. For example, when students are taught the key tenets of research such as identifying the relevant information using skimming and scanning through the text or identifying keywords, students could use the same strategy in a social studies lesson as well as during a literacy session when they are reading a nonfiction text. In addition, digital literacy skills that can be an invaluable resource for information gathering or processing, as well as for critical and creative thinking, communication, and collaboration are embedded within the ATL.

Through collaborative planning, teachers also consider the learner profile attributes and identify a connection to the ATL. For example, thinking skills are necessary to become an effective thinker or an inquirer. Further sample links between the Approaches to Learning and Learner Profile attributes can be found here:

Skill Category	Early Years	Primary
Thinking Skills	Creative Thinking - Make unexpected or unusual connections between objects and/or ideas. (Risk-Taker) Creative thinking - Consider alternative solutions, including those that might be unlikely or impossible, in play and other situations. (Open-minded)	Critical Thinking - Recognize unstated assumptions and biases. (Principled) Critical Thinking - Revise understandings based on new information and evidence. (Open-minded)
Research Skills	Information Literacy - Acknowledge sources, for example, from a book, movie or peer. (Principled)	Media Literacy - See a range of perspectives from multiple and varied media sources. (Open-minded)
Communication Skills	Listen actively and respectfully to others’ ideas. (Caring)	Literacy - Responsibly participate in, and contribute to, digital social media networks. (Principled)
Social Skills	Play cooperatively in a group; sharing, taking turns. (Principled)	Social and Emotional Intelligence - Practise empathy and care for others. (Caring) Social and Emotional Intelligence - Take on a variety of roles in group learning. (Risk-taker)
Self-Management Skills	States of Mind - Be aware of body-mind connections. (Balanced) States of Mind - Demonstrate persistence in tasks. (Risk-taker)	States of Mind - Manage anger and resolve conflict. (Balanced)

By combining ATL and the attributes of the learner profile, PYP students become self-regulated learners.

Self-regulated learners are agents of their own learning. They know how to:

• set learning goals

• ask open-ended questions

• generate motivation and perseverance

• reflect on achievement

• try out different learning processes

• self-assess as they learn

• adjust their learning processes where necessary

Embedding the ATL implicitly in the classroom culture: Teachers may consider:

• using the language of the ATL

• modelling the ATL

• giving feedback about ATL

• highlighting the use of ATL in children’s literature and in the learning spaces

• setting up essential agreements and routines around the ATL.

Establishing the ATL explicitly through an inquiry: Together with students, teachers may consider:

• co-constructing ATL goals

• identifying specific ATL for development in a unit of inquiry

• reflecting on specific ATL from the unit

• personalizing ATL for further support

• designing specific learning engagements to support the development of an ATL

• monitoring the development of ATL.

(PYP Learning and teaching, 2018)