The Rechenfische“ Test – Appliance, Reliability and Validity of an Instrument to Measure Math Proficiency of First Graders

There is a strong need for instruments which make it possible to evaluate students’ learning progress in a formative way and also in a way that can be accomplished in primary school settings (Klauer, 2006; Diehl & Hartke, 2007; Strathmann & Klauer, 2008; Walter, 2008; Diehl, Hartke & Knopp, 2009; Koch & Knopp, 2010). Instruments meeting these criteria can be considered as one crucial element of effectively preventing learning difficulties. In this article, the test “Rechenfische“ is discussed as one possibility for evaluating the learning progress in a formative way. It tests students’ knowledge in first-year arithmetic. First the test itself and the design of a study (N=1688) used to implement this test for the first time are described and, afterwards, findings are reported and discussed.