Diagnostic Assessments

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        All teachers need to know about the learners in order to understand what is needed for them. Hence an assessment is needed that is conducted at the start of anything new, a course or a year or a lesson. The objective is to comprehend the students’ past knowledge, strengths and weaknesses. This is a diagnostic assessment (Ronan, 2015). It is also a process of using multiple measures to identify an student’s needs in specific skill set areas to personalize the instruction (Illuminate Education, 2021). Hence it is a type of pre-evaluation (FormPlus Blog, 2021).

        Several types of assessments can be used for diagnoses such as (a) universal screening, classroom observations, progress monitoring and qualitative data (Education, 2021). Further, in a simple way, initial writing prompts, KWL charts, Running Records, Informal Reading Assessments, Pre-tests, Surveys or Journals (Erie, 2017).

        There are several reasons why we need to implement diagnostic assessments in schools for all subjects. Some of these are:

· The learning outcomes are aligned to the real and achievable goals.

· The teacher can map out a meaningful instruction plan for the course.

· It creates an amicable learning environment when students find learning mapped to their levels.

· Teachers can individualize instruction if needed.

· Teaching and learning become more efficient as focus is on the content that needs to be taught.

        Understanding the levels of the students helps a teacher to map learning goals practically. Hence teachers should take diagnostic assessments as a process of identifying reason for a problem (Brown, 2020).


References

· Brown, R. (2020, November 12). Diagnostic Assessment as a Tool for Identifying Learner Need. https://www.illuminateed.com/blog/2020/11/diagnostic-assessment/

· Erie, PA. (2017). Diagnostic assessment. ERIESD. https://www.eriesd.org/cms/lib/PA01001942/Centricity/Domain/1917/Types%20of%20Assessments%20information%20sheets.pdf

· Formplus blog, (2021) diagnostic assessment in education: purpose, strategies, examples https://www.formpl.us/blog/diagnostic-assessment

· Illuminate education (2021) diagnostic assessment as a tool for identifying learners needs https://www.illuminateed.com/blog/2020/11/diagnosticassessment/

· Ronan, A. (2015). Every Teacher’s Guide to Assessment. EDUDEMIC. https://www.moedu-sail.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CFA-Handouts-for-C-Assessment-Design.pdf










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