FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

A student appears to be struggling with a reading subskill after initial instruction. Which assessment would best aid the teacher in identifying the issue?

1. Formative

2. Norm-referenced

3. Diagnostic

4. Summative

The correct answer is: Diagnostic

The diagnostic assessment is designed specifically to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses in certain skills, pinpointing specific areas where they may be struggling. This type of assessment provides detailed information that can help teachers understand the precise nature of a student’s difficulties with a particular reading subskill. Using diagnostic assessments, educators can gather data on individual student performance, which can inform their instructional strategies and lead to targeted interventions. This tailored feedback is essential because it not only reveals what the student is struggling with but also allows the teacher to implement specific strategies that cater to the student's needs. In contrast, formative assessments are typically ongoing assessments that help monitor student learning and provide feedback during instruction, but they may not offer the depth of understanding needed to identify a particular subskill problem. Norm-referenced assessments compare a student's performance to a larger group and may not provide specific insights into an individual’s struggles. Summative assessments evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit but do not offer the immediate feedback that helps in addressing specific learning gaps. Thus, a diagnostic assessment is the most suitable choice for uncovering and addressing a student's challenges with reading subskills effectively.