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Admission Screening Tests Assesses School’s Readiness & Not Children’s Readiness


School Preschool Admission Screening Test

 

 

“Development assessments are a process which allows to understand child’s competencies and to develop learning environments for child to grow to his or her development potential.”-   Pennsylvania’s Department of Education and Public Welfare

 

 

We see spurt of activities for the school admission as the year is rolling to an end soon. The schools and parents both are overwhelmed by the admission process. In the age of technology where many schools information website like Nexschools are all ready to provide easy Online Admission Form Services yet long queues for some schools never seem to end.

Besides the normal procedures for procuring admission forms on time and collecting all the documents, parents are beleaguered with another part of the process- “Admission Test.” The tests are taken by the children; parents too are at times interviewed for new school admission or for transition from Kindergarten to first grade. Parents are astounded - what is it that 6 or 7 years old child expected to know and what is it that school wants to judge in a child?

It is rather disheartening to learn that even admission to nursery in the most sought after schools have oral screening process. Parents are flabbergasted and raise growing concerns for crux of alarming issues.

The Stark Reality of Admission Tests in India

So what are these tests or screening all about across most of the schools for preschools to lower grades in India?

Many schools in India screen children based on academic skills, some of them take written screening test and some liberal schools spare the child with some oral questions only.

However, the ‘screening’ or ‘test’ word itself is a reason enough for mental stress among parents. Young children are also part of this practice.

How to Choose Preschool

Why are Admission Tests Conducted?

It is very crucial for parents to understand why are admission test conducted for preschool to grade two but it is even more important for schools, their founders and teachers to understand how and why should you conduct the admission test.

Admissions Tests are conducted to plan beneficial opportunities for each child. Admission Tests are conducted so that schools and teachers can plan their instructional strategies and prepare welcoming environment for all the incoming students. Classroom teacher can use the information to design the child’s learning environment for his or her success in school. In addition to create enhanced and facilitate more stimulating learning environment.

Assessments are NOT conducted for child’s readiness for inclusion in an educational setting of the grade for which he or she is seeking admission.

It is DEFINITELY NOT for excluding the child from preschool to kindergarten to grade level because he or she lacks presumed readiness for grade level.

What Should be the Objectives of the Screening?

Let us understand what school readiness is and what is that schools should look at in the admission process.

  • Screening are conducted to find out what children are interested in
  • Find out children’s strengths and area of difficulty
  • Discover how children change overtime

Admission Screening Tests should be basis for Schools Readiness & Not Children Readiness

  • School should screen incoming student to assess the skills of the children so that schools are better able to determine needed support services.
  • The screening also helps the school in developing an educational program that meets the needs of the children.
  •  It also helps school to enable welcoming environment as per age groups of children in adapting curriculum and teacher placements.
  • Link the assessments with instruction, making sure instruction is responsive and appropriate, matching what children can and cannot do.

What are NOT the Objectives of the Screening?

  • The screening or test is not to measure intellectual abilities.
  • The social skill plays a large part in kindergarten success.
  • Results of screening should be implemented for children from preschool to grade 3 i.e., age of 8 years in designing a curriculum that provides multiple learning opportunities that best suits how each child learns.

It is witnessed that a number of highly questionable practices have resulted from the trend to demand more from children of lower grades and preschoolers; including inappropriate use of screening and admission testing, denial and discouragement of entrance for eligible children etc. Potential misuse of assessment has also been resulted because there is a lack of awareness amongst educators and parents.

Parent TipParents Tip: Before taking screening for your children or selecting school ask the screener, “what is the objective of screening? How will you use the screening results?” This will help you in making the right choice and selecting the best school for your child too.

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