4th and 5th Form Studies Guide - Aiglon College

History(history@aiglon.ch) www.aiglon.ch/historyIGCSE Specification: Cambridge International Examinations 0470Why choose History?This course aims to help students:• to develop their interest in the past and understand how the world they live in has developed over thecourse of the last century;• to be more aware of their responsibilities as citizens as they improve their knowledge of politicalsystems and terminology;• to understand the nature and importance of evidence in the study of history, and to learn how tohandle it effectively;• to develop key analytical and critical thinking skills;• to express their ideas more confidently and effectively.How is History taught at Aiglon?The IGCSE course is taught in mixed ability groups. There is a strong emphasis on discussion work,particularly when dealing with historical sources. Frequent use is made of visual as well as written sources, andstudents are encouraged to learn to think for themselves, to express their ideas intelligibly and be able tosupport them effectively. This is just as important as the acquisition of factual knowledge. There are currentlythree History sets in both the 4th and 5th Forms.Who takes History?This course should appeal to students who:• enjoy learning about people and events in the past;• desire a better understanding of the world they live in;• enjoy discussion and debate;• wish to develop their analytical and critical thinking skills;• wish to develop their linguistic and communication skills (a reasonable degree of competence in theEnglish language is highly desirable before embarking on the course);• want to keep their future education and career options open – History is a useful humanities subjectto balance a strong science-based programme, and highly recommended for students contemplatinga wide range of careers, such as law, journalism and business.SpecificationThe IGCSE Specification is studied over two years and focuses on aspects of twentieth-century history. Somepreparatory work is done in the 3rd Form on World War One and its causes.The 4th Form course begins with a detailed study of the Peace Treaties following the First World War.Students then focus on the Depth Studies, where a particular country in a specific period is studied in depth.Currently, our 4th Form students study one or more of the following:Germany, 1918-45;The USA, 1919-41;Russia, 1905-41.Students studying the USA Depth Study may begin with this, and then follow on with the 1919-20 PeaceTreaties.In the 5th Form the focus is on “International Relations since 1919”. Revision of the Peace Treaties of 1919-20 is followed by a study of relations between the main powers in the period between the two World Wars,with a particular emphasis on the League of Nations and the breakdown of international peace by 1939. WorldWar Two and the Cold War are covered in some detail, and other topics as time permits.Textbooks4th Form: SHP books on the USA or Germany or Russia between the wars published by HodderMurray Germany 1918-1945 by Josh Brooman published by Longman5th Form: GCSE Modern World History by Ben Walsh published by John MurrayAiglon 4th and 5th Form Studies Guide 2013-14 15