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Why do baseline tests assess vocabulary? - Quick Guide for Teachers

Why do baseline tests assess vocabulary? - Quick Guide for Teachers

Vocabulary is important in every aspect of the curriculum. It gives students foundational knowledge that they can use to build their learning on – so ensuring a strong vocabulary foundation is essential.

Baseline assessments look at a student’s receptive vocabulary (reading and listening) as well as their expressive vocabulary (speaking and writing).

By understanding a student’s vocabulary skills, or their ‘word knowledge’, using the 40+ years of data collected from hundreds of thousands of students, we can predict their success in all school subject at GCSE, IGCSE, A level and International Baccalaureate.

What kind of words do students need to know?

  • Basic everyday words
  • Words that appear across the school curriculum but are not typical in everyday conversations
  • Subject-specific words

The Quick Guides for Teachers collection have been curated by the research and development team at Cambridge Insight to share insight on how baseline assessments support a positive learning environment in the classroom.

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Quick Guide for Teachers: An introduction to baseline tests

Quick Guide for Teachers: An introduction to baseline tests

Understanding student potential and then providing the opportunities for them to fulfil that potential and succeed is the goal of every teacher in...

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How do baseline tests assess vocabulary? - Quick Guide for Teachers

How do baseline tests assess vocabulary? - Quick Guide for Teachers

Vocabulary is one of the key building blocks for helping students communicate effectively, but it’s also essential to school performance more widely....

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