The Trinity Early Screening Test for Reading and Writing (TEST2r) is a tool to assist teachers in the classroom to devise plans which meet the learning needs of each pupil.  Administered to 5 and 6-year-old children, it is suitable for use by both classroom and Learning Support teachers. 

The test is based on solid research (Cogan 2012; Cogan & McAnaney, 2012) and sound theoretical principles of early reading acquisition and reading failure.  It enables the teacher to comply with DES policy on assessment and learning (DES, 2011) and helps the teacher build up a profile of each child in their care

The teacher manual is the first element of TEST2r. It contains information on the theoretical basis for each subtest, the research evidence for its predictive success, as well as test administration and scoring directions.

The second element of TEST2r is the Visual Stimulus Booklet (an A-frame book of pictures and other visuals to help the child focus on the test items).

The third element, the Scorebooklet, enables the teacher to note the child’s response for each item and to develop TEST2r profile for each student.

TEST2r is divided into two parts:  

• The first part constitutes a rapid screener test, made up of five subtests (tasks).  These are administered to all the children in a class as a means of formative assessment (Assessment for Learning – AfL).  In this way, it helps the teacher to identify the learning needs of each child. 
• If a child does not perform well in a particular subtest (or subtests), then the Learning Support Teacher will administer Part 2, these subtests are more diagnostic in nature, in order to clarify specific literacy subskill needs. 
• Once the test has been administered and scored the results can then be entered on the on line TEST2r website to generate a written report.
• Based on these results a Learning Support Teacher will decide on appropriate interventions.  The interventions may be drawn from the teacher’s own resources, from resources in the teachers manual or from other on line resources.