Choithram International implemented the Skills Builder Accelerator Programme for all students from Nursery to DP 2, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive approach to essential skill development. The planning for teaching provision across different age groups was highly structured and differentiated to meet the developmental needs, and learning contexts of each stage.The essential skills were strategically divided by subject, with initial emphasis on Speaking and Listening. This approach enabled language teachers to seamlessly integrate these skills into their curriculum, aligning naturally with their subject objectives. As the IB framework is inherently skill-based, students were also receptive and eager to explore these skills in greater depth. For learners in EY and PYP, skill-building was integrated into activity-based and experiential lessons, using age-appropriate resources and practical tasks that developed foundational skills such as Listening, Teamwork, and Creativity ensuring engagement and relevance. In MYP and DP, the approach evolved to include more complex, real-world applications of skills. Students engaged in collaborative projects, exhibitions, student-led events, and enterprise initiatives, allowing them to practice Leadership, Problem Solving, and communication in real settings. A dedicated timetable for skill development, visual displays, and regular feedback cycles ensured that both teachers and students consistently used the common language of essential skills throughout the school community. This strategic, whole-school approach enabled Choithram International to deliver age-appropriate, progressive, and impactful skill-building experiences for all its learners.

At Choithram International, Principle 3: Measure It was systematically embedded through a comprehensive, multi-tiered strategy for assessing essential skills development across all grade levels. The school adopted the Skills Builder Universal Framework and its progression model, aligning it closely with the existing curriculum. Tasks and activities were designed with clear, criterion-based, and measurable steps, ensuring that skill acquisition could be accurately tracked. Assessment of essential skills was conducted using a balanced combination of teacher-led evaluations, group-level diagnostics, and individual self- and peer-assessments. This approach provided both breadth and depth in measuring skill development, capturing a holistic view of each student’s progress. Regular use of reflection sheets enabled students to set personalized learning targets, developing self-awareness and ownership of their skill development journey. This assessment process not only informed instructional planning but also ensured continuous, data-driven improvement in both teaching and learning practices throughout the school.

The assessments were intentionally low-stakes and formative, designed to inform teaching rather than serve as summative judgments. Data from these assessments directly influenced lesson planning and differentiated instruction, allowing teachers to address specific skill gaps and adapt activities to meet the developmental needs of each learner. The assessment process was cyclical and repeated throughout the academic year, enabling teachers and students to monitor progress over time. The teachers being IB trained was an added benefit as all teachers were confident and consistent in using the framework and tools for assessment. They used assessment data from the Skills Builder Universal Framework to identify each student’s current level for each essential skill. Based on these insights, instruction was tailored—students who needed foundational support received targeted activities and scaffolding, while those demonstrating higher proficiency were given more complex, real-world challenges. Teachers planned lessons with flexible grouping, allowing students to work in pairs or teams matched to their skill levels, and provided individualized feedback to guide improvement. The use of regular reflection enabled students to set personal goals and track their own growth, building a sense of ownership in learning. Assessments were ongoing and formative, ensuring that teaching remained responsive and tightly focused on developing the specific skills each student needed most.

Teachers intentionally mapped the eight essential skills—Listening, Speaking, Problem Solving, Creativity, Staying Positive, Aiming High, Leadership, and Teamwork—into subject lesson plans, ensuring that skill development was not isolated to standalone sessions only, but involved reinforcing of essential skills across all areas of the curriculum and integrated into daily learning experiences. Regular, timetabled skill-building sessions were complemented by deliberate practice opportunities within core subjects such as English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, as well as through co-curricular activities like student-led assemblies, exhibitions, business enterprise projects, and sports events. Ongoing formative assessments, skill passports, and reflection sheets helped students recognize how skills were being practiced across different contexts, supporting awareness and transferability. Visual displays, certificates, and regular feedback further celebrated and reinforced the importance of continuous practice. This whole-school approach ensured that essential skills became a natural, recurring part of every student’s educational journey at Choithram International, supporting sustained development and real-world readiness.

In Choithram International essential skills were actively connected to the wider school environment and the broader community, ensuring students experienced real-world application of their learning. Students organized and led major events such as ‘Innoverse’—a multi-day summit and exhibition involving 22 schools—which required advanced teamwork, leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills. Senior students launched and managed the ‘Good Earth’ business enterprise, participating in the international School Enterprise Challenge, where they planned, executed, and reflected on business and philanthropic projects, directly linking classroom skills to entrepreneurial and civic action. Beyond the school, students engaged in global citizenship initiatives, including international collaborations, exchange programmes, and projects aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals. These experiences developed intercultural understanding and active citizenship, as seen in partnerships with schools in Vietnam and participation in global forums and competitions. Skills were further reinforced through science and computer exhibitions, performing arts, sports, and community outreach, where students presented, explained, and showcased their work to diverse audiences.