MTTC 103 Elementary Practice Exam 2025 – All-in-One Guide for Comprehensive Exam Success

Using a diagnostic assessment at the beginning of the school year is ideal for gauging entering reading levels because it is specifically designed to identify students’ strengths and weaknesses in a particular skill set before instruction begins. This type of assessment provides valuable information about individual student abilities and reading proficiency, allowing educators to tailor their teaching methods and materials to meet the diverse needs of their students.

In contrast, formative assessments are ongoing evaluations that take place during the learning process, aimed at monitoring student learning to provide ongoing feedback. Summative assessments occur at the end of a learning unit to evaluate what students have learned, and aptitude tests typically measure potential for future learning rather than current skill levels. Therefore, diagnostic assessments are the most appropriate tool at the start of the school year for understanding where each student stands in terms of reading abilities.