Has anyone had a dc complete the IB with dyslexia?

[chillipeppar]

We have the choice between an IB school or one that sits igcse.

I have read that the IB is very difficult for those with dyslexia, but I can't find much information on the subject tbh. Dd will be moving into year 6 so not yet sitting exams but don't want to get the move wrong.

I'm a bit confused by your question as most UK schools that offer the IB Diploma also do GCSEs.

I think it's more complicated than just dyslexia.

I'm one of 4 siblings - one dyslexic - 3 of us did A levels and 1 did IB.

IMO, IB is ideally suited to kids who are good all rounders and who don't have a strong and focused interest in a particular area.

It won't suit a child who cannot wait to ditch Maths, or a child who really wants to do Maths and STEM and wants to get rid of essay writing ASAP.

I also wouldn't pick a secondary school based on what they may do at 16+

DD has 9/8 targets for all her GCSEs, and is also very dyslexic. She's not looking at A Levels or IB, but L3 Extended BTECs - which for what she really wants to do will provide a far better training and qualification (and give her the equivalent of 4 A levels, on her 1st choice course, should she decide to aim at university later).

I would focus on the right school for 11-16 and then make a decision about 6th form later.

Have you got your qualifications right?

The IB diploma is sixth form- so an alternative to A-levels. IGCSEs are not the IB curriculum, but are the 'international' GCSEs, so the British curriculum. If you're talking about what the IB curriculum does in 11-16, it's the MYP program. It's very variable and designed to be able to fit round the needs of any school or culture.

I've taught dyslexic students on all those programmes. Some were fine, some weren't. It depends on the child. Not sure IB limits a dyslexic child more than A-levels.

Thanks all, I am picking in between international schools, one that does igcse/a level and the other the IB which goes from primary through to the MYP then the diploma. Dc is very good at maths and terrible at writing but we are working on that side of things and it is getting better.

Good luck with this. I don't know all that much about IB MYP but that notwithstanding, I think the most important thing to try to discover is how they will support your child in developing both their strengths and weaknesses. If you could be sure one assessment system would be better than the other, that still wouldn't benefit your child as much as being at a school that nurtured them and offered what they need for optimum learning.

My eldest has dyslexia and could not wait to drop English and Spanish after gcse.

IB would be very bad for him.

We're thinking about this too for our dyslexic DC. I think the requirement to do English and a language is less than ideal, there should be alternatives for dyslexic children.

I would go for iGCSEs and A levels, as this gives far more leeway for quietly ditching subjects that one is not very good at. The IB is a good stretching option for “talented all-rounders” and is hard work for those with a spiky profile who are good at certain things and not others.

Also, while the IB diploma itself has a good reputation, the MYP and PYP are pretty wishywashy IME and do not actually do a good job of preparing students for the demanding IB qualification in their late teens. The IB school near me claims to be doing PYP and MYP during the elementary and early teen years, but in practice the kids actually do iGCSEs at the end of the MYP so in reality they are mostly doing the iGCSE framework at school during those years. The school says that they do this because of the need for sufficient academic rigor.

(The MYP in particular attracts a lot of scorn from those familiar with it. I’ve heard it referred to as the Muddle Years Program, or “MYP as in “make your poster.””)

Go for GCSEs, the IB MYP is a great course but usually there is no qualification at 16, GCSEs give more options to choose IB Diploma, A Levels or BTEC and they provide a qualification in itself.

If your kids are likely to stay in the UK for uni and beyond then I would definitely go for GCSE. The IBDP is great, and very well recognised in the UK, but the MYP isn't well recognised, and (depending on what your children end up doing) they may encounter a few barriers if they don't have Maths and English GCSE, for example. Further down the line, you'll have a better idea of whether A levels or IBDP would suit them better, and you can always switch for sixth form.