PINGUIN – Assessing Elementary Students’ Initial Competencies

Assessing students’ initial competencies at school entry is essential for identifying strengths and needs early on and guiding targeted support. We present PINGUIN, a diagnostic framework designed to formatively assess early competencies in (1) language, (2) literacy, and (3) numeracy. Measuring these constructs at school entry poses challenges due to limited literacy skills and attentional capacity, heterogeneity in ability, and shifts in indicators over time. To address these challenges, we developed an engaging, tablet-based assessment, conducted three cross-sectional observational studies (N = 977), and applied item response theory for scoring. Results supported a multidimensional structure with conceptually meaningful, psychometrically sound subtests. Reliability estimates were sufficiently high to support differentiated feedback at the subtest level. A simulation study showed that randomized item presentation within a fixed time frame enhanced measurement precision compared to fixed item sets. These findings underscore the potential of PINGUIN as a reliable, age-appropriate tool for early assessment.