Do you know the difference between “describe” and “explain”? What does “analyze” mean? Or “evaluate”?
All assessments in the MYP and DP include command terms that are well defined. Understanding these definitions makes the instructions for learning tasks clearer. Ask your child if they know where to find these definitions… if they don’t, have them ask their teachers.
Describe means to give a detailed account.
Explain means to give a detailed account including reasons or causes.
Analyze means to break down in order to bring out the essential elements or structure. (To identify parts in relationships, and to interpret information to reach conclusions.)
Evaluate means to make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and limitations.
Of course, each of these may need clarification in different subject areas which your child’s teacher will help draw out. There are more than 25 defined command terms in the IB and each subject uses about 16 of them.