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Glossary
Learning Products terms, explained
Short, plain definitions of the words you'll see on product pages and spec sheets. Each one links to a guide when there's more to know.
A
- AAMC MCAT Official Prep
- The AAMC's collection of free and paid resources for preparing for the MCAT exam. Read the guide →
- Adaptive test
- A test that adjusts question difficulty based on earlier answers. Read the guide →
- AP Course and Exam Description
- College Board's official subject guide to AP course content, skills and exam requirements. Read the guide →
B
- Block coding
- Programming by snapping visual blocks together, as in Scratch. Read the guide →
C
- CAS
- Computer algebra system: a calculator that solves equations symbolically. Read the guide →
- CEFR
- The Common European Framework of Reference, with language levels A1 to C2. Read the guide →
- Charlotte Mason
- A homeschool approach based on living books, narration and nature study. Read the guide →
- Children’s Product Certificate
- A written certificate that a manufacturer or importer uses to show a children’s product complies with applicable CPSC rules. Read the guide →
- CIRR outcomes report
- A coding bootcamp outcomes report with program, cohort, completion and employment information under CIRR reporting standards. Read the guide →
- Co-viewing
- An adult watching and talking about media with a child. Read the guide →
- Concordance table
- An official table converting SAT scores to ACT scores and back. Read the guide →
- Concrete-pictorial-abstract
- A sequence that connects physical objects, visual models and mathematical symbols. Read the guide →
- COPPA
- The US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, covering data from children under 13. Read the guide →
D
- Data Insights
- The GMAT section that asks test takers to interpret and use data in different formats. Read the guide →
- Decodable text
- Reading material that uses only the sound patterns a child has learned. Read the guide →
- Dual language learner
- A child learning through two languages, including English and a home language. Read the guide →
H
- High-quality tutoring
- A structured tutoring model with features such as trained tutors, frequent sessions and alignment with learning goals. Read the guide →
L
- LawHub
- LSAC's online service for official LSAT practice and test-interface preparation. Read the guide →
M
- Metronome
- A practice tool that produces a steady beat to help musicians work on timing. Read the guide →
- Microcontroller
- A small programmable board used in electronics and robotics kits. Read the guide →
- MOOC
- A massive open online course offered to a large number of learners through an online platform. Read the guide →
O
- Objective lens
- The microscope lens nearest to the specimen; its magnification combines with the eyepiece. Read the guide →
- Orthography
- The spelling system of a language, including patterns used to represent speech sounds in writing. Read the guide →
P
- Phonemic awareness
- The ability to hear and work with the individual sounds in spoken words. Read the guide →
- Practical life
- Everyday activities such as caring for belongings, preparing food or setting a table, adapted for a learner to do safely. Read the guide →
- Prepared environment
- An intentionally organized learning space with accessible materials, work areas and purposeful activity. Read the guide →
S
- Scope and sequence
- A curriculum's list of skills and the order they are taught. Read the guide →
- Spaced repetition
- Reviewing information at planned intervals across separate study sessions. Read the guide →
- Spiral curriculum
- A course sequence that revisits topics over time, often with later lessons adding complexity or cumulative practice. Read the guide →
- Structured Literacy
- An approach that explicitly and systematically teaches language and reading skills in a planned progression. Read the guide →
- Systematic phonics
- Teaching letter-sound patterns in a planned order with practice and review. Read the guide →
T
- Three-cueing
- Guessing words from pictures, context or the first letter; not supported by reading research. Read the guide →
V
- Verified track
- A course enrollment option that may include graded work or a certificate under provider-specific rules. Read the guide →
W
- Working distance
- The space between a microscope objective and the specimen when it is in focus. Read the guide →