While the IB provides just one sample exam on the MyIB Programme Resource Centre, Tom Coster’s book goes much further – TEN full-length exams (Papers 1, 2 and 3), each with high-scoring student responses. These sample answers give students and teachers a very clear insight into what a top-level response looks like.
Instead of guessing what earns a 7, readers can analyse near-perfect responses, identify successful strategies, and improve their own writing and exam technique. For teachers, it’s a time-saving tool for revision, assessment preparation, and modelling high standards. For students, it’s like having a roadmap to exam success.
One of the most exciting features of the new IB Diploma Psychology course is the emphasis on class practicals, which give both Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) students a chance to engage directly with psychological research methods. These activities are more than just experiments, they are designed to support critical discussion of each research approach, helping students build practical understanding while making connections to real-world contexts.
Class practicals are embedded into each of the course’s four contexts: Health and Well-being, Learning and Cognition, Human Development, and Human Relationships. Each context is linked with a specific research method:
In Health and Well-being: Interview.
In Learning and Cognition: Experiment.
In Human Development: Observation.
In Human Relationships: Survey/Questionnaire.
Interview
Each Context in the Subject Guide includes a list of suggested class practicals, but these are examples only and teachers are encouraged to tailor the activities to their own students and their local setting. For instance, under the Health and Well-being context, students could conduct focus group interviews on how peers manage stress, or investigate student perceptions of mindfulness practices after a class activity. Other examples include semi-structured interviews with professionals such as school counsellors or fitness coaches, or interviews exploring links between social media use and self-esteem, or exercise habits and mood.
Importantly, Tom Coster’s Textbook includes dedicated guidance for the In Class Practicals in each context, helping both teachers and students make the most of these learning opportunities.
The In Class Practical is not just a learning activity — it is also formally assessed in Paper 2, Section A, where students respond to four structured questions related to one of the 4 Practicals they completed. These questions test students’ understanding of methodology, concepts like bias or ethics, and the ability to design or compare research approaches.
In short, In Class Practicals bring psychology to life, giving students the opportunity to be researchers themselves and fostering deeper, more critical engagement with the subject.
Here is a free downloadable document describing how to complete the In-Class Practical for an interview. It includes summary notes that students would use to prepare for Paper 2 Section A.
When it comes to teaching the IB Diploma Psychology course, experience and insight matter.
With a Master’s degree in Psychology and years of hands-on teaching, Tom Coster brings strong subject knowledge and a deep understanding of how students learn. He’s worked extensively with the IB —as an exam marker, IA moderator, Extended Essay marker, and workshop leader. He knows how to read between the lines of a Subject Guide and translate it into real-world classroom success.
What does this mean for Psychology teachers? A complete set of affordable, classroom-ready teaching materials designed to help your students succeed—whether in the IA, exams, or the new extended essay.
The materials are:
Perfectly aligned with the new syllabus
Available in both print and eBook formats
Packed with simple strategies for success
Easy to use and built for real classroom conditions
Tom’s mission is simple: to make high-quality Psychology teaching less stressful for teachers and their students and more effective. And judging by the response from teachers around the world, it’s working.
Ready to simplify your planning and boost student achievement? See for yourself.
As a teacher, I can’t say enough good things about the new Internal Assessment task for IBDP Psychology. Compared to the old model—where students had to work in groups to replicate an experiment, often on dry topics like Stroop effects or eyewitness testimony—the new research proposal format is a breath of fresh air.
Now, students design a research proposal focused on a problem that actually matters to them and their target population. Whether it’s anxiety about climate change, peer pressure, bullying, or exam stress, students can explore real-world issues that resonate. They aren’t limited to running an experiment; they can propose interviews, surveys, or observations. This opens up creativity and allows for authentic engagement.
Even better, the proposal can spark ideas for Extended Essays or even CAS projects. It’s so much simpler to teach and support—no logistical nightmares of groupwork or ethics approval for data collection. Students focus on designing ethical, methodologically sound research rather than scrambling to collect questionable data.
In short, the new IA puts the emphasis on thinking like a psychologist, not just ticking boxes. It’s purposeful, meaningful, and a whole lot less stressful for everyone involved!
If you’re looking for a guide to help you and your students navigate the new IA process with clarity and confidence, Tom Coster’s The Internal Assessment is essential reading. This comprehensive, step-by-step resource demystifies every stage of the IA, offers practical strategies for every research method, and includes twenty high-scoring sample proposals to inspire and guide. Say goodbye to IA stress—this book has you covered!
Success in high school or college isn’t about being the smartest person in the room—it’s about using the right strategies to maximize your learning. Success at high school or college is your step-by-step guide to thriving in education, whether you’re aiming for top grades or simply want to get the most out of your studies.
Packed with practical advice, this book covers everything from attending every class and participating actively to mastering time management and building strong relationships with teachers. Each chapter provides actionable tips to help you stay motivated, organized, and confident in your academic journey.
Whether you’re struggling to keep up or looking to reach new heights, this book gives you the tools to take control of your education—and your future. Don’t leave success to chance—start building the habits that will set you apart today!
As psychology teachers, we’re often at the front and centre of mental health discussions – with students and also with colleagues. We teach our students about the biological, cognitive, and social explanations of disorders, the effectiveness of SSRIs, and the transformative power of CBT. And yet, one of the simplest and most effective interventions remains woefully underemphasized: adequate sleep.
There is a mountain of credible, published research highlighting just how significant sleep is to emotional regulation. We have compelling evidence showing that poor sleep isn’t just a symptom of anxiety or depression, it is often the primary cause.
The relationship between sleep and mental health is bidirectional, creating a vicious cycle: insufficient sleep heightens emotional reactivity, disrupts rational thought processes, and increases vulnerability to stress, making individuals more prone to anxiety and depression.
One night of sleep deprivation leads to a significant spike in anxiety and low mood the following morning. Chronic, ie longer term, sleeplessness makes everyday events feel more negative, reinforcing a bleak outlook on life. Research shows that individuals suffering from insomnia are at twice the risk of developing anxiety or depression compared to those who sleep well.
The evidence is compelling. Sleep deprivation impairs the prefrontal cortex, the brain’s emotional regulator, weakening its connection to the amygdala, which governs fear and emotional responses. This disruption makes individuals more emotionally volatile, prone to misperceiving neutral events as negative, and more likely to spiral into stress and mood disorders.
As educators, we must recognize the immense potential of sleep education as a preventative mental health strategy. A CAS project that focuses on sleep awareness could help students (and colleagues) track their sleep, analyze its effects on mood and cognitive function, and share findings with peers.
Getting sufficient sleep is not about school starting later or school providing quiet spaces for rest. It’s about teaching students, their parents, and colleagues that the simplest treatment (and prevention) strategy relating to the most common mental health issues of anxiety and depression is getting sufficient sleep. In general we all need 8-9 hours of sleep, so we must go to bed more than 8-9 hours before the required wake-up time because we need about half an hour to ‘fall asleep’. We all need to be in bed, light off and phone off around half an hour before the sleep time.
Ultimately, if there is one piece of mental health advice we can give our students—and even our colleagues—it is this: Prioritize sleep because it is the foundation of emotional resilience, cognitive function, and overall well-being.
Preparing students for the IB Diploma Psychology exam can be a challenge, but IB Diploma Psychology: Ten Mock Examinations by Tom Coster is the essential resource to ensure success. This book provides ten meticulously designed mock exams that mirror the structure, difficulty, and content of the real IB assessments, offering students the most authentic practice experience possible.
Teachers will appreciate how this resource aligns with the IB Psychology Subject Guide and Teacher Support Material, making it a perfect companion for classroom revision. With realistic time allocations, model answers, and success strategies, students gain valuable insights into exam techniques, structuring high-quality responses, and integrating research evidence effectively.
By using this book, teachers can provide their students with practical, targeted preparation, helping them approach the exams with confidence. With comprehensive syllabus coverage and expert guidance, this resource is the key to maximizing student achievement in IB Psychology.
Looking for the perfect study companion? The Textbook is designed to make learning easier, clearer, and more affordable. Available in both print and eBook formats, our eBook never expires and can be accessed on your phone, tablet, or laptop—so you can study anytime, anywhere.
With a straightforward Concepts, Content, and Context layout, The Textbook presents information in a way that’s easy to follow. It includes everything you need: diagrams, chapter summaries, a dedicated section on Internal Assessment, and a full guide to the examinations. No unnecessary complexity—just clear explanations in plain language.
But The Textbook is more than just a textbook—it’s the centrepiece of a complete collection of teaching and learning resources. This includes Homework Revision Questions, specialised books on the IA and the exams, a Book of Essential Research Studies, and a Vocabulary Book to strengthen key concepts.
Best of all, The Textbook costs significantly less than those from big publishers, making it an accessible choice for students and schools alike. Whether you’re studying at home or on the go, this is the complete textbook you can rely on.
New Teaching Resource Available: Complete PowerPoint Bundle for Tom Coster’s IB Diploma Psychology – The Textbook
Great news!!!
We’re thrilled to announce the arrival of a comprehensive set of 18 fully editable PowerPoint presentations designed to complement Tom Coster’s IB Diploma Psychology – The Textbook! Whether you’re an experienced IB Psychology teacher or new to the curriculum, this resource is your ultimate companion for delivering engaging and effective lessons.
Why You’ll Love This Bundle
This set of presentations aligns seamlessly with the updated IB syllabus (first examinations in 2027), covering the Concepts, Content, and Contexts required for student success. Each PowerPoint is structured for clarity and engagement, making complex psychological theories and research accessible to learners.
What’s Included?
This all-in-one teaching bundle consists of 16 separate PowerPoint (.pptx) files, covering:
Critical thinking in Psychology
Bias
Causality
Change
Measurement
Perspective
Responsibility
The biological approach
The cognitive approach
The sociocultural approach
Research methodology
Health & well-being
Human development
Human relationships
Cognition and learning
The Internal Assessment
The Examination
How to do well in IBFP Psychology
Fully Customizable and Ready to Use
Each presentation is visually appealing, logically structured, and ready for immediate use in your classroom. However, all slides remain fully editable, allowing you to adapt them to your own teaching style and student needs.
Prepare Your Students for Success
Beyond delivering content, these presentations provide exam preparation guidance and support for the Internal Assessment, ensuring students are confident and well-prepared for every aspect of the IB Psychology course.
Preparing to teach the new IBDP Psychology course may feel overwhelming, but The Tom Coster Collection has everything you need. Whether you’re a seasoned educator or teaching IB Psychology for the first time, our comprehensive suite of resources ensures you’re fully prepared.
So you can relax
We offer free downloadable course outlines, a detailed textbook, and PowerPoint presentations covering every aspect of the course—including the IA and all three exam papers. To support exam preparation, we provide a book of 10 mock exams with model answers, so students can practice effectively.
On our website we have more 100 free downloadable worksheets on every topic and learning objective. These are great as a consolidation activity, reinforcing/practising/rehearsing material taught in a recent lesson. Did we mention they’re free? (Of course, we hope you’ll repay the kindness by buying some of our paid materials.)
Need support with the IA? We have a dedicated book featuring a complete model IA, guiding students through the process. Our homework question book helps reinforce learning, while our Extended Essay research guide (aligned with the updated EE Guide) simplifies supervision.
We have a book of 70 multiple choice tests for quick and easy assessments throught the two-year course.
To enhance understanding, we also provide a book of 150 key research study outlines and a comprehensive psychology glossary.
With The Tom Coster Collection, teaching IB Psychology could not be easier. Everything you need is ready to use—so you can focus on teaching, inspiring, and helping your students succeed.
Tom Coster - Psychology 