Pre-Testing and Course Planning

Why Pre-Test?

Pre-testing is critical for both you and your students. First, pre-testing gives your students a real testing experience and a benchmark to help them set personal score goals. We know that testing may look different this year with some students testing in-person and others testing online. We are here to help you in any situation. Second, pre-testing helps you plan your course. You can use pre-test data to identify student strengths and weaknesses, adjust your lesson plans, and track your students’ progress throughout the course. And with Cambridge’s pre-testing reports, much of this work is already done for you. Cambridge breaks down the test items and gives you item-level and test-level data about your class, and Cambridge provides customized lesson plans based on your classroom data. We know pre-testing requires a time commitment, but it is key to making your program a success.

How to Pre-Test

Pre-Testing should be completed in four steps:

• Step 1: Prepare for Test Day
• Step 2: Administer the Test
• Step 3: Submit Your Answer Forms
• Step 4: Review Your Reports

Cambridge offers several testing options for both in-person (paper and pencil) and virtual learning. These include:

Cambridge offers several testing options for both in-person (paper and pencil) and virtual learning. These include:
• Paper test booklets
• Paper answer forms
• Online test (Moodle reports only)*

*If you administer the online test, have students work through the test on their own and then use your provided teacher login to review their results on Moodle. You do NOT need to read the rest of the pre-testing instructions.

Cambridge also supports several proctoring situations to fit your needs. We can help you administer tests in:
• A classroom
• A group remotely
• An independent remote situation

Regardless of how you’re testing this year, you’ll need to prepare for pre-testing. Download and print a copy of this Pre-Testing Checklist and then review the information on the following pages to be sure you’ve got what you need to administer your pre-test in any of the situations described above.