Task 1: Diagnostic Assessment Interview

 For this task, you will need to arrange to interview your MST at a time convenient to her.
The focus of this task is to understand:
- what diagnostic assessment has taken place this school year in your class,
- who developed the diagnostic assessment (teachers, school management, ADEC/MOE,
etc.),
- how the diagnostic assessment was carried out,
- what the purpose of that diagnostic assessment was/is, and
- what decisions the teacher made as a result of the diagnostic assessment.

 You need to prepare a minimum of 10 questions prior to the interview. You may add
additional questions during the interview based on your teachers responses, i.e. to clarify
answers or garner further information.

 You will need to record your teacher’s responses – use the strategy that works best for you.
If you are using a voice recording device, you MUST inform your MST.

 The interview must be typed and included in your Portfolio.

 You may develop your own questions specific to your context, however the following may
give you some ideas.

Example Interview Questions

1. What diagnostic assessment has taken place this semester?
They did Math and English so far, but they are trying to take it continually every week or
two they do a diagnostic assessment in literacy.
2. When did this occur?
At the start of the year to see the level of the student and it helps them in planning,
differentiating and putting students in groups.
3. What types of assessments were conducted? (written, oral, practical, etc.)
There were oral and written in different areas in math and English there was dictation
but, my MST went 2 weeks late, so she wasn’t able to assess the students.
4. Who developed these assessments?
The school or last year grade two team.
Example Interview Questions
5. Who conducted the assessments? (classroom teacher, Arabic teacher, classroom
assistant, etc.)
The classroom teacher and previous classroom teachers.
6. Were the assessments completed by students individually?
Yes, it was one by one.
7. What information did you hope to get from the assessments?
To see where they are at the beginning of the year to help with the teacher’s planning.
Also, to see what level they at and to know where they need to be.
8. What decisions did you make based on the assessments?
It helped me on planning specially on Math and to re-plan the numeracy and modify it
to figure their level.
9. How did you group your students? (same/different academic levels, friendship groups,
similar interests, etc.)
From the reading levels and writing assessments, the teacher grouped the student to
five groups, but she mixed the students in the group to help each other.
10. Do the groups change for different learning subjects/topics?
Absolutely because some of them a very high reader but it’s not necessary to be high in
math or writing.

After the Task - Reflection

Reflect on the interview and the information gained about diagnostic assessment from your
MST. Consider how/why you would implement diagnostic assessment in a UAE primary
classroom in the future. Explain how this practice will affect student learning in a primary class.

Diagnostic assessment is important because it helps the teacher to know the student’s level in math,
science, English, or Arabic. Also, it helps the teacher in planning the lesson is a way that improve the
student’s levels. As my MST said that there are different groups for each subject because it’s not
necessary to be low in all subjects. Moreover, the teacher should do the assessment continually every
two weeks at least because student will get help from the teacher to improve their level.