Unlike norm-referenced grading, where students are ranked against each other, MYP uses criterion-based assessment: each subject group has a fixed set of assessment criteria (usually four per subject), each with its own achievement-level descriptors, typically scored from 0 to 8.

What Criterion A generally covers

Criterion A varies by subject, but across subject groups it is most commonly focused on knowing and understanding — a student's ability to recall, apply, and demonstrate understanding of subject-specific knowledge and terminology. For example:

  • In Sciences, Criterion A is typically "Knowing and understanding."
  • In Individuals and Societies, Criterion A is typically "Knowing and understanding."
  • In Language and Literature, Criterion A is typically "Analysing."
  • In Mathematics, Criterion A is typically "Knowing and understanding."

Always check the specific subject guide for the exact wording and strands relevant to the class you teach — this article gives the general pattern, not a substitute for the subject-specific criteria.

How achievement levels work

Each criterion is broken into strands (typically 2-3 per criterion) and scored on an 8-point scale, divided into four achievement-level bands (e.g., 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8), each with its own descriptor of what a student at that level can do. Teachers use "best-fit" judgment against the descriptors, not a rigid points-added rubric.

Why this matters for planning

Because assessment is criterion-based, every summative task should be designed backward from the criterion descriptors, not just from the unit content. This is why the Unit Planning phase explicitly asks teachers to map summative tasks to specific criteria before teaching begins.

Use the Assessment Checklist in the Resource Library to check a task against its criterion before you hand it out.