Why is it essential to assess students' prior knowledge?

Assessing students' prior knowledge is essential because it allows educators to tailor instruction effectively and build upon what students already understand. By understanding students' existing knowledge, teachers can identify gaps, misconceptions, and areas of strength, enabling them to make informed instructional decisions. This approach connects new learning to students' existing frameworks, fostering deeper understanding and retention of new concepts. It also helps differentiate instruction to meet the diverse needs of students, ensuring that lessons are relevant and appropriately challenging. This connection between prior knowledge and new learning can lead to heightened student engagement and success as learners see the relevance of their experiences to the material being taught.