Using Diagnostic Tests to gauge student ability for International Schools
EP Diagnostic Tests can be used to provide an indication of which year/grade level at which your students are performing. This article focuses specifically on the English Learning Area, but can be applied in other areas where diagnostic tests are available.
About the placement diagnostic tests
In your Library, you will find EP Diagnostic Tests.
Our placement diagnostic tests are intended to provide an indication of which year/grade level your students are performing at in regard to language conventions.
The questions in the diagnostics range from beginner to extension level. Once completed, you will be provided with a percentage breakdown of how your students have scored against each year/grade level. This data can be invaluable for entrance testing.
Assigning a test
You'll need to begin by assigning one of the tests to your students as an Assessment.
Follow the instructions in our guide to assign a placement diagnostic test.
Students will then complete the tests under exam conditions. They'll have a time limit and will not see the correct answers until marking is complete.
Interpret the data
Once completed, navigate to the Assessment in the Assessments tab. Click the Reporting tab to view the data.
You'll see a table similar to the below, which is available at both a class and individual student year/grade level.
Use this data as a guide, but as a teacher, you may wish to make adjustments to student levels based on your holistic understanding of your student's knowledge.
To get you started, here is how you could interpret the scores:
| Score range | 50% or below | 51% - 80% | Above 80% |
| Possible action | Move to the lower level | Stay on the same level | Move to the higher level |
More information on analysing assessment results can be found in our guide.
Language Conventions Diagnostic Tests
Once you have analysed the provided data and decided at which level your students should be working, we recommend assigning them the relevant pre-test at that level.
Our Language Conventions Diagnostic Tests assess similar topics to the Placement Tests, but provide recommended lessons for the students to work through once completed. You can then ensure that your students are working on skills that are targeted at the appropriate year/grade level.
Need a hand? Feel free to reach out to our team!