What is a diagnostic assessment?

A diagnostic assessment is designed to evaluate the current knowledge and skills of students at the beginning of a course, or before instruction begins. This type of assessment aims to pinpoint students' strengths and weaknesses in a particular area, which can inform educators on how to tailor instruction to meet individual learning needs. By identifying these attributes early on, teachers can provide targeted support and adjustments to their teaching strategies.

The other choices represent different types of assessments: an evaluation at the end of a course is typically a summative assessment, which measures overall achievement after instruction; an informal chat to gauge student interests falls under formative assessments aimed at understanding student engagement; a test of language fluency evaluates a specific skill set rather than a broad understanding of strengths and weaknesses. Thus, the initial assessment to identify strengths and weaknesses accurately captures the purpose and characteristics of a diagnostic assessment.