The easyCBM vocabulary tests assess students’ knowledge of vocabulary in context. Words and phrases, embedded in sentences, are presented to the students, and they are asked to select the answer option that best represents the meaning of the target words/phrases. Some of the words are from grade-level lists of content words, others are idiomatic expressions, and still others are examples of metaphorical language. Since the words are used in context, the vocabulary measures are a mini comprehension test.

The tests are designed to be administered no more than once every three to four weeks.

The easyCBM measures are, by design, intended to be “general outcome measures” that assess students’ ongoing mastery of year-long grade-level content rather than “mastery measures” designed to assess students’ memorization of specific narrowly defined content. Thus, it is actually really important that teachers not specifically teach the vocabulary words on the easyCBM measures, as doing so would artificially inflate your students’ scores, and you might find that students who actually really need help might not be identified as needing that help when assessed with the screeners.

Instead, we encourage you to continue to focus your instruction on providing students with exposure to vocabulary-rich texts, with intentional repetition of new vocabulary to help students’ internalize the meanings of the new words they are encountering.