Concept-based teaching is at the core of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP). Rather than memorizing facts, students explore big ideas that connect learning across disciplines and time. Concepts help students see patterns, think critically, and apply understanding to new situations — the essence of the IB mission to develop inquiring, reflective learners.

For MYP educators, teaching conceptually means designing lessons that move beyond surface knowledge toward meaningful, transferable understanding. With the right strategies, teachers can make concepts come alive in every classroom.

Quick Start Checklist

• Identify key and related concepts for each unit
• Use inquiry questions to connect learning to real-world contexts
• Encourage students to explain relationships and generalizations
• Design assessments that test understanding, not recall
• Reflect on conceptual connections across subject areas

Why Concept-Based Learning Matters

Concepts are the “glue” that connects content and skills. They help students organize knowledge into frameworks rather than isolated facts. For example:

• The concept of change can link scientific evolution, historical revolutions, and literary character development.
• The concept of systems can connect biology, economics, and design.

By focusing on these big ideas, students begin to transfer learning across subjects — a key goal of the MYP and the broader IB continuum.

Core Elements of Concept-Based Teaching

The MYP identifies three levels of understanding that educators should design for:

1. Factual knowledge – basic information and content.
2. Conceptual understanding – the big ideas that connect facts and topics.
3. Transferable understanding – applying concepts to new contexts and problems.

Effective concept-based teaching ensures that all three levels are addressed, with emphasis on how facts and skills support conceptual growth.

Strategy 1: Start Units with Conceptual Inquiry

Every MYP unit begins with a Statement of Inquiry (SOI) and guiding inquiry questions. These should connect the key concept, related concepts, and global context into a meaningful exploration.

For example:

• SOI: “Innovation changes how societies adapt to challenges.”
• Inquiry questions:
  • Factual: What are examples of technological innovation?
  • Conceptual: How does innovation reflect cultural values?
  • Debatable: Should all innovation be considered progress?

This questioning structure helps students explore multiple dimensions of understanding rather than memorizing isolated facts.

Strategy 2: Use Conceptual Vocabulary Consistently

Students need repeated exposure to conceptual language. Use words like relationships, perspectives, systems, identity, and change across lessons, encouraging students to apply them in different contexts.

In classroom discussions, prompt students to make conceptual links by asking:

• “What pattern do you notice?”
• “How does this idea connect to another subject?”
• “Why is this concept important beyond this topic?”

Such questioning builds habits of transfer and reflection.

Strategy 3: Scaffold from Concrete to Abstract

Concepts can feel abstract for younger or less experienced learners. Start with concrete examples before generalizing. For instance:

• In Design, explore a local invention before discussing the broader concept of innovation.
• In Individuals and Societies, analyze a specific event before connecting it to the concept of change.

Gradual scaffolding helps students internalize conceptual understanding through context and experience.

Strategy 4: Design Assessments for Conceptual Understanding

Assessments should measure how well students can apply concepts, not just recall facts. Effective approaches include:

• Real-world case studies requiring analysis across perspectives.
• Performance tasks where students explain patterns or systems.
• Reflections connecting classroom learning to global contexts.

Assessment rubrics should explicitly reference conceptual understanding, encouraging depth and synthesis.

Strategy 5: Collaborate Across Subject Groups

Concepts are most powerful when students see them applied across disciplines. Teachers can align units using shared concepts such as communication, interdependence, or creativity.

Cross-subject collaboration promotes coherence, allowing students to transfer ideas naturally from one class to another. It also supports interdisciplinary unit design — a key requirement of the MYP.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many concepts should a single MYP unit include?
Typically, one key concept and two or more related concepts are sufficient. Fewer, well-developed ideas lead to deeper understanding.

2. How can teachers tell if students have developed conceptual understanding?
Look for evidence of transfer — students applying concepts in unfamiliar contexts, drawing generalizations, or making connections between subjects.

3. Can factual content still play a role in concept-based teaching?
Absolutely. Facts provide the foundation for conceptual thinking. The goal is not to eliminate content, but to use it purposefully to build understanding.

Conclusion

Concept-based teaching transforms the MYP classroom into a space of inquiry and meaning. By focusing on the “why” and “how” behind knowledge, educators help students think deeply, reflect critically, and connect learning across disciplines.

For MYP teachers, mastering concept-based strategies is an ongoing journey of reflection and collaboration — one that empowers students to become independent thinkers and global citizens. When concepts guide instruction, learning becomes lasting, relevant, and transformative.