+352 / 466644 - 9777 info@epstan.lu
  • Deutsch
  • Français
  • English
 

Assessed competences

International public schools

In general

Since the 2022/2023 school year, the ÉpStan have been gradually extended to International Public Schools. Similar to schools following the Luxembourgish curriculum, academic competencies of all students in P1/Stage 1, P3/Stage 3, and P5/Stage 5 in primary school, as well as S1/7e and S3/5e in secondary school, are being assessed. While competencies in mathematics have already been evaluated in all participating grade levels since 2022/2023, in the coming school years, all grade levels of the German and French language sections will progressively participate in the ÉpStan competency tests for listening and reading comprehension in their respective language of literacy acquisition. All ÉpStan competency tests are based on the learning objectives of the Luxembourgish curriculum. For schools following this curriculum, the ÉpStan assessments allow for evaluating whether students have achieved the learning objectives of the previous cycle at the beginning of each new learning cycle. For International Public Schools that follow an alternative curriculum (e.g., the European curriculum), the learning objectives defined in the result reports should be considered only as a broad reference framework. Consequently, it is possible that students’ actual competencies in international public schools may exceed the Luxembourgish curriculum’s learning objectives in some areas while falling behind in others.

Mathematics

The test for assessing mathematical competences is based on the learning objectives of the Luxembourgish curriculum. In the three primary school grade levels as well as in the first grade of secondary school (S1 or 7e), the mathematics test includes tasks covering the following competence areas: “Numbers and Operations,” “Space and Shape,” and “Size and Measurement.” The tasks are presented in a decontextualized and/or contextualized manner (i.e., in the form of word problems). To minimize reading comprehension demands, the instructions are provided in very simple language and accompanied by numerous illustrations. In the third grade of secondary school (S3 or 5e), the mathematics test covers the following competence areas: “Numbers and Operations,” “Shapes in Plane and Space,” “Dependence and Variation,” and “Data.” Depending on the complexity of the problem and the required response, the tasks are divided into four difficulty levels, which are determined by factors such as the number of calculations to be performed or the amount of digital information to be processed. In the three primary school grade levels, the mathematics test is conducted in the respective section language. In the two secondary school grade levels, the mathematics test is available in German, French, and English. Students can switch between languages at any time while working on the tasks. Further details about the mathematics test can be found in the “Assessed Competences” section for each grade level. Sample tasks in the three available languages—German, French, and English—can be viewed in the download section of this category.

Language competences (listening and reading comprehension)

The tests for assessing language competences are based on the learning objectives of the Luxembourgish curriculum. All P1/Stage 1 classes of International Public Schools participate in the competence test for Luxembourgish listening comprehension. Additionally, P1 classes of the German and French language sections take part in tests for listening comprehension and early literacy skills in their respective section language. Over the coming school years, all P3 and P5 classes of the German and French language sections will also progressively participate in the ÉpStan competence tests for listening and reading comprehension in their respective section language. Further details on the assessment of language competences can be found in the “Assessed Competences” section for each grade level. Sample tasks in the three available languages—German, French, and English—can be viewed in the download section of this category.

Test development and pre-testing

The tests evaluating language and mathematical skills are developed and compiled by experienced elementary and secondary school teachers, together with scientific staff from LUCET. New items are continuously developed for the ÉpStan every year. To validate the content, format and practicability of the newly developed test material, it must be tested with students attending the relevant grade levels. After the competence tests, therefore, students take part in a pre-test where they answer the newly developed test material. Students’ performance in the pre-test is not included in the ÉpStan results and thus, not reported back, as the focus is on the testing and the psychometric evaluation of the new items rather than on individual performance.