Teachers administer diagnostic assessments throughout the year so that they can plan effective instruction targeted to the needs of their students. The choice of which assessment to administer runs along a continuum, driven by the goals of the teacher*. The figures below depict the assessments typically used for a math course at the beginning of the year and at the end of the year. If you would like more specific help deciding on the appropriate test to use for your needs, please contact us.
Test Selection
Notes on field testing: MDTP extensively field tests their materials to insure high quality results.
* Notes on test selection: Some teachers want a read on the background knowledge of students at the beginning of a course to help them plan their introduction of current course material; some want to measure progress made in deepening foundational knowledge and correcting misunderstandings mid-course; some want to measure readiness for the next course in the middle of a course; and some want to reflect on curricular strengths and weaknesses at the end of a course. For example, the Math 8 Readiness test is often given near the end of Math 7 or the beginning of Math 8. However, some Math 7 teachers administer the Math 8 test nearer the middle of their course while they have a chance to adjust their teaching goals and reorient student learning with time to spare before year end. And some Math 8 teachers, with a goal of towards bolstering foundational knowledge, will give the Math 8 readiness test up until the end of their course.
