AEPA key terms

A learning theory holding that learners build understanding by connecting new information to prior knowledge through active experience, questioning, and reflection rather than by passively receiving facts.

Temporary support a teacher provides so a student can complete a task just beyond independent ability; the support is gradually removed as the learner gains competence.

The range of tasks a learner can accomplish with guidance from a more capable person but cannot yet do alone; instruction aimed here stretches skills without overwhelming the learner.

Planning lessons with varied content, process, and product so students with different readiness, interests, and learning profiles can work toward the same standards.

A framework for designing curriculum from the start with multiple means of engagement, representation, and action or expression so diverse learners can access and show learning.

Ongoing checks during instruction that reveal what students understand so the teacher can adjust teaching and give feedback before a final grade is assigned.

Evaluation at the end of a unit, course, or program that measures achievement against standards and usually results in a grade, score, or certification decision.

The consistency of an assessment; a reliable test produces similar results across occasions, raters, or equivalent forms when the underlying ability has not changed.

The degree to which an assessment measures what it claims to measure and supports the intended interpretations and uses of the resulting scores.

An assessment that compares a student's performance to a defined standard or set of skills rather than to the scores of other students.

An assessment that compares a student's score with those of a comparison group, often reporting percentiles, stanines, or grade equivalents based on that group's distribution.

The percentage of scores in a comparison group that fall at or below a given score; it is not the same as percent correct.

The ability to notice and manipulate individual sounds, called phonemes, in spoken words, including blending, segmenting, and deleting sounds without relying on print.

Instruction in the relationships between letters and the sounds they represent, used to help students decode unfamiliar words and spell accurately.

Awareness of the sound structure of spoken language, including syllables, rhymes, and individual phonemes; phonemic awareness is the most advanced part of this broader skill.

Reading text with accuracy, appropriate rate, and expression; fluent reading supports comprehension because less mental effort is spent recognizing words and more is available for meaning.

Constructing meaning from text by integrating word recognition, vocabulary, background knowledge, and active strategies such as predicting, questioning, and summarizing.

The body of words a person knows and can use; depth and breadth of word knowledge strongly predict reading comprehension and academic success.

Using letter-sound knowledge and spelling patterns to convert printed words into spoken words, a foundational skill that supports accurate word recognition.

Frequent, brief assessments of a specific skill used to track student growth over time and judge whether an instructional intervention is working.

A multi-tiered school framework that provides increasingly intensive, evidence-based instruction and monitors student response before referring a student for special education evaluation.

A schoolwide framework that organizes academic and behavioral supports into increasing levels of intensity based on student need and ongoing data.

A legally required written plan for a student with a disability that specifies goals, services, accommodations, and placement, developed by a team that includes parents.

The legal principle that students with disabilities should learn alongside peers without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate, with supplementary aids and services as needed.

A change in how a student accesses instruction or assessment, such as extended time or a quiet setting, that does not alter what is being taught or measured.

A change to the content, expectations, or standards of an assignment or assessment, making it different from what peers are expected to learn or demonstrate.

A proactive, tiered approach to behavior that teaches expectations, reinforces appropriate behavior, and uses data to reduce discipline problems and improve school climate.

The routines, rules, relationships, and instructional strategies a teacher uses to create a safe, orderly, and engaging environment where learning can occur.

Instruction that uses students' cultural knowledge, experiences, and communication styles as resources for learning while maintaining high expectations for all.

A student whose first language is not English and who is developing English proficiency; instruction may include language supports and sheltered content teaching.

Teaching subject-matter content to English learners with clear language, visuals, and scaffolded supports so they can learn content while developing English proficiency.

Principles describing how adults learn: they are self-directed, bring experience, need relevance, and prefer problem-centered learning rather than passive transmission of content.

Adult learning that changes a person's frames of reference through critical reflection on assumptions and experiences, often leading to new perspectives or actions.

The principal's work of setting a clear vision, supporting quality teaching, using data, and building a collaborative culture focused on student learning.

A team of educators who meet regularly to examine student data, improve instruction, and hold themselves collectively accountable for student results.

A data-based plan that sets measurable goals, strategies, timelines, and responsibilities for raising student achievement and improving the school's programs.

An educator who manages the library program, teaches information literacy, curates resources, and collaborates with teachers to support curriculum and student learning.

The ability to find, evaluate, use, and share information ethically and effectively, including digital and print sources, to solve problems and answer questions.

An approach where students investigate questions, gather and analyze evidence, and construct explanations rather than only receiving facts from a teacher or text.

Extended learning in which students investigate a real problem or question and produce a product or presentation, building content knowledge and skills through sustained work.