FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

If a student struggles with a reading subskill post-instruction, which assessment can best help the teacher identify the specific issue?

1. Summative assessment

2. Diagnostic assessment

3. Norm-referenced assessment

4. Formative assessment

The correct answer is: Diagnostic assessment

The best choice for identifying a specific issue a student is experiencing with a reading subskill post-instruction is a diagnostic assessment. This type of assessment is designed to provide detailed insights into a student's strengths and weaknesses in particular areas of knowledge or skill. By administering a diagnostic assessment, the teacher can pinpoint exactly where the student is struggling and tailor instruction to address those specific needs. Diagnostic assessments focus on individual performance and learning gaps, making them particularly useful for understanding the underlying reasons for a student's difficulties. This targeted information enables educators to create effective intervention strategies that can support the student's reading development. While other assessment types can provide valuable information, they do not serve the same purpose for identifying specific issues. Summative assessments evaluate overall learning at the end of an instructional period and do not provide the granularity needed for addressing individual weaknesses. Norm-referenced assessments compare a student's performance to that of a larger population, which can highlight general trends but not pinpoint specific areas of need. Formative assessments offer feedback during the learning process but do not typically provide the in-depth analysis of specific skills that a diagnostic assessment can deliver.