What is the Placement Assessment?
Sharpen’s Placement Assessment evaluates the learner’s current reading skills in order to determine the appropriate starting level in Sharpen Reading. It is important to note that the placement assessment helps identify the learner’s current reading level and skills. This assessment is not a measure of the learner’s current or future reading potential, but rather a tool to help create a learning plan that meets the learner’s specific immediate needs.
A parent or tutor administers the Placement Assessment on a single device and takes about 10–15 minutes to complete. It consists of three subtests:
- Letter-Sound
- Word Reading
- Nonsense Word Reading
Each subtest has a programmed cutoff score, and will automatically end when the material becomes too difficult. The Letter-Sound test is seen only once, while the Word Reading and Nonsense Word Reading tests have multiple lists of increasing complexity.
Upon completion of the Placement Assessment, the learner will be automatically placed into a starting level. Please keep in mind that the initial lessons in each level are intentionally designed to be a little easier. This helps the Learner get used to the activities, build their confidence, and set expectations for upcoming lessons.