What are two purposes of diagnoses?

• A. Identify those not ready for new knowledge; identify for each student what kind of knowledge is lacking
• B. Determine teacher pay; assign grades
• C. Rank students by ability; decide seating
• D. Predict future test scores; replace instruction

Answer: (A)

Diagnoses are used to uncover what students already know and where their gaps are before introducing new material. The two purposes are: first, to determine whether a student is ready for the upcoming content, ensuring they have the necessary prerequisite knowledge and skills; second, to identify, for each student, exactly what knowledge or skills are missing so instruction can be targeted to address those gaps. This information guides reteaching, supports, and differentiation, helping teachers plan effective next steps. It’s a formative tool for planning, not a means to determine pay, assign grades, rank students, decide seating, predict future test scores, or replace instruction.