Paste a list of vocabulary words and see each one classified into Beck's three tiers. Find out which words transfer across subjects and which are niche to one field.
Enter words and click Classify Words to see tier assignments, transfer scores, and academic word list flags.
Common words children learn through conversation. These rarely need direct instruction after early elementary grades.
Words that appear across many subjects and texts. These are the highest-leverage targets for vocabulary instruction.
Niche terms tied to one subject or field. Important for content knowledge but low transfer outside their domain.
Each preset reflects vocabulary from a common textbook unit or test-prep list. Load one to see how the classifier sorts domain-specific terms from high-utility academic words.
Mix of Tier 2 academic words and Tier 3 science terms from a typical ecosystems unit.
Words from a middle-school English unit. Mostly Tier 2 with a few Tier 1 holdovers.
Heavy on Tier 3 proper nouns and domain terms, plus Tier 2 analysis words.
Dense Tier 3 vocabulary. Shows why biology units need dedicated word study time.
High-frequency Tier 2 words that appear across reading passages. Strong transfer scores.
A spread across all three tiers. Useful for prioritizing which words to teach first.
This classifier uses Isabel Beck's three-tier model from Bringing Words to Life. Tier 1 covers everyday speech. Tier 2 holds high-utility academic words. Tier 3 contains domain-specific terms. The model helps teachers decide where to spend instructional time.
Each word gets a 0-100 transfer score based on how many school subjects it appears in. A word like "analyze" scores high because it shows up in science labs, history essays, math problems, and literature discussions. A word like "mitochondria" scores low because it mostly lives in biology.
The AWL flag marks words from Averil Coxhead's Academic Word List. These 570 word families appear frequently across academic texts in English. They are high-priority targets for test preparation and academic reading.
Teaching Tier 1 words to older students wastes time. Teaching Tier 3 words as if they were general vocabulary creates false confidence. The biggest mistake is treating all vocabulary as equal. This classifier makes the differences visible.
Note: This is a reference aid based on a curated word list. Some words shift meaning across contexts. Always double-check against your specific curriculum before making instructional decisions.