The Subject-centred approach
Lorrie A. Shepard (2000) described an approach of breaking each subject down into a series of standardized steps. Meeting the assessment or success criteria for each step meant that a student was ready to move on to the next one. Standardized tests often get a bad rap, but backward mapping based on clear criteria can lead to positive outcomes and can help students understand what and why they’re learning in each subject (Hayes, 2003). Below is a video with an interesting perspective on standardized testing (TED-ed, 2017):
Richard Stefano - PME Course progress 