Cambridge’s Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) has conducted baseline assessments for over four decades. In that time, CEM has found the assessment to be a valuable tool in bridging the gap between teaching and learning. When conducted well, the baseline assessment helps teachers and students to understand what the latter can do, while ensuring the former makes decisions on how to best help the student.

1. What Makes
B a s e l i n e A s s e s s m e n t s ?
Rolph Balgobin

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C
ambridge’s Centre for Evaluation and Monitoring (CEM) has con-
ducted baseline assessments for over four decades. In that time,
CEM has found the assessment to be a valuable tool in bridging
the gap between teaching and learning. When conducted well, the
baseline assessment helps teachers and students to understand
what the latter can do, while ensuring the former makes decisions
on how to best help the student.
Over time, these are some of the elements of the baseline assessment that have
been critical to its success.
It’s The Start of a Journey
The baseline assessment is typically undertaken at the beginning of a period
of study or during transition points in a student’s educational path. As such, it
marks the beginning of a journey that offers helpful insights into the type of in-
terventions that assist a student.
It Supports Teaching and Learning
The assessment can show a teacher where a student’s starting point for a curric-
ulum is, which is useful in assisting the teaching and learning activities. There’s
also valuable feedback for both the learner and teacher.
It Helps in Setting Expectations
Through the assessment, a teacher can understand a student’s ability very early
in the process, thereby helping them to clarify and adjust expectations at an
individual level.
What Makes
Baseline
Assessments?

4. To learn more ab ou t t h is t op ic ,
visit the blog of Rolp h Balgob in .