Developed for international students: incorporating cultural sensitivity into the curriculum

When we designed our Fair Assessment model that ensures our exams are accessible and relevant to international students, we felt very strongly that this commitment must extend beyond just using understandable language and internationally relevant contexts. It was also critical that we developed courses that were suitable for students all over the world and respectful of the varied cultures of the countries in which we operate. 

That is why, as an integral part of our exam development process, we have a dedicated team that checks our exam content is culturally appropriate for all regions where the assessment will be sat. This team is separate and distinct from the teams that check language and accessibility but work closely with the entire assessment design team to make sure that international students, and their teachers, can be confident that every OxfordAQA qualification they take will be relevant, accessible and appropriate. 

Take a look at some key examples below:

• International GCSE Psychology
• International AS/A-level Psychology
• International GCSE Media Studies
• International AS/A-level English Literature
• International GCSE Languages (French and Spanish)

During development of the ‘Mental Health’ unit of this specification, we only selected conditions that have dedicated treatments stated in the International Classification of Diseases, such as post-traumatic stress disorder. This contrasts with the approach taken by UK exam boards that includes British-specific treatments of issues such as alcohol addiction and depression. This approach ensures that OxfordAQA’s International GCSE is appropriate and relevant for every culture.  

Interested in International GCSE Psychology?

• You can see the differences between other GCSE Psychology specifications and the OxfordAQA specification in our switching guide.
• Sign up for a Digital Inspection Copy of the brand-new Oxford University Press textbook for this qualification, complete with every named case study and lots of practice questions. After registration, you can access your Digital Inspection Copy for 30 days.

OxfordAQA’s inclusion of scientific approaches in psychology only considers cognition and biology, limiting reference to other contentious approaches that may be inaccessible or unsuitable for students. We reinforce this link in the applied psychology unit, ‘Work and the Individual’, as the only International AS/A-level Psychology specification that directly encourages students to apply this theoretical knowledge to workplace contexts.

Interested in International AS/A-level Psychology?

• You can see the differences between other AS/A-level Psychology specifications and the OxfordAQA specification in our switching guide.
• Sign up for a Digital Inspection Copy of the Oxford University Press textbook for this qualification, which considers both theory and practical application when introducing psychological concepts. After registration, you can access your Digital Inspection Copy for 30 days.

As trends in media consumption vary widely across the world, we designed our International GCSE Media Studies to enable each student to understand themselves as a media user within their own context. To achieve this, our specification allows teachers to select the media texts they use to teach the course content, such as films, social media, video games or podcasts that students can relate to – providing a stimulating, relatable and personalised learning journey. In addition, the source material used in our assessments is carefully and deliberately chosen to be of an appropriate genre and suitable for students aged 14-16, anywhere in the world. 

Interested in International GCSE Media Studies?

• The authors and editorial team at Oxford University Press are working hard to develop the brand-new, bespoke textbook for this qualification. You’ll shortly be able to register your interest in viewing a Digital Inspection Copy, so keep an eye on this page for updates. In the meantime, you can take a look at the sample pages. 

We’ve chosen our set texts to not only offer a balance between classic works of English literature and modern, international texts, but also for their suitability for international schools. Within this, schools have a free selection of texts with no compulsory authors, including Shakespeare, so teachers can choose the right text for their classroom and students. Furthermore, our qualification also offers a coursework route where students study two texts (one prose, one poetry) of their choice, giving them a chance to explore literature through their own eyes and cultural experiences. 

Interested in International AS/A-level English Literature?

• Sign up for a Digital Inspection Copy of the Oxford University Press textbook for this qualification, which contains plenty of extracts and exercises from both unseen and set texts, drawn from a wide range of canonical and contemporary texts. After registration, you can access your Digital Inspection Copy for 30 days.

The thematic approach of our language qualifications empowers students to personalise their language learning experience. 

Through three themes – identity and culture; local, national, international and global areas of interest; current and future study and employment – students can develop the four core language skills while exploring ideas that are relevant and relatable.  

Interested in International GCSE French?

• You can see the differences between other International GCSE French specifications and the OxfordAQA specification in our switching guide.
• OxfordAQA International GCSE French is supported by Tricolore 6th Edition. You can discover this course – with an international focus at its heart – and all its resources on the Oxford University Press website.

Interested in International GCSE Spanish?

• You can see the differences between other International GCSE Spanish specifications and the OxfordAQA specification in our switching guide.
• Sign up for a Digital Inspection Copy of the brand-new Oxford University Press textbook for this qualification, which guides students through each of the three themes and provides opportunities to test each skill at every step. After registration, you can access your Digital Inspection Copy for 30 days.

Express your interest in OxfordAQA and our local team will be in touch with more information.