PPAD-E / MDLI-G
Post-Primary Assessment and Diagnosis – English (PPAD-E)
Measúnú agus Diagnóisic Litearthachta don Iarbhunscoil – Gaeilge
Post-Primary Assessment and Diagnosis – English (PPAD-E)
The Post-Primary Assessment and Diagnosis – English (PPAD-E) is a standardised test of literacy for use in post-primary schools as a screening and diagnostic tool for assessing literacy skills.
Benefits of the PPAD-E
The PPAD-E assessment has been developed by the Department of Education and Skills, through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) in collaboration with the Educational Research Centre (ERC).
The test is designed to be:
- culturally appropriate and tailored to the Irish context
- helpful for screening for difficulties (particularly at first year intake)
- can help identify if further assessment might be needed (e.g. speech & language)
- helpful in contributing to the processes for RACE/ DARE/ Exemption from Irish
- designed for use by teachers
- useful in establishing and reviewing literacy standards
- useful in diagnostic assessment, monitoring and evaluating progress
Design of the PPAD-E
The PPAD-E was designed as a cost-effective, easy-to-administer tool for diverse literacy assessment needs. A standardisation study involving a representative sample of over 1,700 first year students was carried out in 2024 and the test is now available for administration to first and third year students, accompanied by autumn norms. It consists of five subtests:
- Word Reading
- Spelling
- Reading Speed
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing Samples
Online Scoring and Reporting Tool
A key feature of the PPAD-E is its secure online scoring and reporting tool. This system:
- Converts raw scores into standard scores
- Generates individual and group reports
- Provides a range of suggestions outlining evidence based SET interventions and research-backed classroom strategies based on student score profiles
The suggested interventions and in-class approaches are based on the 2019 edition of the NEPS publication, Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers, a freely available on-line resource designed for Irish schools.
Access to the tool is purchased annually and a data processing agreement (DPA) must be signed.
Teacher Training
PPAD-E training is available via online video modules and step-by-step printed manuals, eliminating the need for in-person training. Schools purchasing the assessment receive ongoing NEPS support and can access an email-based query service at ppade@education.gov.ie.
Data Security and GDPR Compliance
Schools must sign a Data Processor Agreement (DPA) when ordering PPAD-E materials. The DPA ensures:
- Student data is never used for school comparisons
- Data is securely stored on an encrypted server in Ireland
- Personally identifiable information is encrypted
- Only anonymised student data is transferred to the ERC for test development and resource planning
- Access to the encrypted database is strictly limited to authorised project and IT staff
For further information how the ERC uses data, please see our data protection page here.
Measúnú agus Diagnóisic Litearthachta don Iarbhunscoil – Gaeilge
MDLI-G a thabhairt isteach / Introducing the MDLI-G
Is triail nua caighdeánach litearthachta sa Ghaeilge í an Mheasúnú agus Diagnóisic Litearthachta don iar-bhunscoil – Gaeilge. Úsáidtear í sna hiar-bhunscoileanna mar uirlis scagthástála agus dhiagnóiseach chun scileanna litearthachta a mheas. Is í seo an chéad triail den tsórt seo in Éirinn le haghaidh gaelcholáístí.
The Measúnú agus Diagnóisic Litearthachta don Iarbhunscoil – Gaeilge is a new standardised test of literacy in Irish for use in post-primary schools as a screening and diagnostic tool for assessing literacy skills. It is the first test of its kind in Ireland for gaelcholaisti.
Tairbhí MDLI-G / Benefits of the MDLI-G
Rinne an Roinn Oideachais an fhorbairt ar an mheasúnú MDLI-G, tríd an tSeirbhís Náisiúnta Siceolaíochta Oideachais (NEPS) agus i bpáirt leis an bhForas Taighde ar Oideachas (FTO).
Deartar an triail:
- Ionas go mbeidh sé oiriúnach ó thaobh cultúir de agus saincheaptha chuig chomhthéacs na hÉireann.
- helpful for screening for difficulties (particularly at first year intake)
- Chun cabhair a thabhairt le scagthástáil a dhéanamh ar dheacrachtaí (go háirithe orthu siúd a glacadh isteach sa chéad bhliain).
- Chun a bheith úsáideach ó thaobh measúnú diagnóiseach agus úsáideach maidir le monatóireacht agus measúnú ar aon dul chun cinn.
- Chun a bheith cabhrach le tabhairt le fios an bhfuil aon mheasúnú sa bhreis de dhíth (m/sh, caint agus teanga).
- Chun a bheith úsáideach maidir le bunú agus athbhreithniú ar chaigdeán litearthachta.
The MDLI-G assessment has been developed by the Department of Education and Skills, through the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) in collaboration with the Educational Research Centre (ERC).
The test is designed to be:
- culturally appropriate and tailored to the Irish context
- designed for use by teachers
- helpful for screening for difficulties (particularly at first year intake)
- useful in establishing and reviewing literacy standards
- useful in diagnostic assessment, monitoring and evaluating progress
- can help identify if further assessment might be needed (e.g. speech & language)
Dearadh MDLI-G / Design of the MDLI-G
Dearadh an MDLI-G mar uirlis atá éifeachtúil ó thaobh costas de, atá éasca le riaradh le haghaidh riachtanais litearthachta éagsúla. Rinneadh staidéar chaighdeánach, ar 1,700 scoláire, sa bhliain 2024 agus tá an triail ar fáil le haghaidh riaradh ar dhaltaí na chéad bhliana agus na tríú bliana, in éineacht le caighdéain an fhómhair. Tá cúig fo-thriail i gceist:
- Léitheoireacht focail
- Litríocht
- Luas na léitheoireachta
- Léamhthuisceana
- Samplaí scríbhneoireachta
The MDLI-G was designed as a cost-effective, easy-to-administer tool for diverse literacy assessment needs. A standardisation study involving a sample of over 1,700 students was carried out in 2024 and the test is now available for administration to first- and third-year students, accompanied by autumn norms.
It consists of five subtests:
- Word Reading
- Spelling
- Reading Speed
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing Samples
Uirlis Scórála agus Tuairisceoireachta / Online Scoring and Reporting Tool
Ceann de na gnéithe is tábhachtaí a bhaineann le MDLI-G ná an t-uirlis scórála agus tuairisceoireachta.
- Tiontaíonn an chóras na hamhscóir go dtí scóir chaighdeánaithe.
- Gineann sé tuairiscí aonaracha agus tuairiscí an ghrúpa.
- Cuireann sé raon moltaí ar fáil. Léiríonn na moltaí seo idirghabhálaithe SET, bunaithe ar fhianaise, agus straitéisí ranga, tacaithe le taighde, atá bunaithe ar phróifíl scór an dalta.
Tá na hidirghabhálaithe agus cur chuige ranga bunaithe ar an eagrán 2019 den bhfoilseachán NEPS, Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers, acmhainn atá ar fáil saor in aisce, agus deartha le haghaidh scoileanna Gaeilge.
Tá rochtain ar an uirlis ar fáil tré í a cheannach gach bliain agus caifear DPA a shíniú.
A key feature of the MDLI-G is its secure online scoring and reporting tool. This system:
- Converts raw scores into standard scores
- Generates individual and group reports
- Provides a range of suggestions outlining evidence based SET interventions and research-backed classroom strategies based on student score profiles
The suggested interventions and in-class approaches are based on the 2019 edition of the NEPS publication, Effective Interventions for Struggling Readers, a freely available on-line resource designed for Irish schools.
Access to the tool is purchased annually and a data processing agreement (DPA) must be signed.
Traenáil Múinteoireachta / Teacher Training
Tá traenáil MDLI-G ar fáil ar mhodúil fhíseán ar líne agus i leabhráin clóite, céim ar chéim. De bharr na hacmhainní seo atá ar fáil, ní bhíonn gá le haghaidh traenáil aghaidh ar aghaidh. Tugann NEPS tacaíocht leanúnach do scoileanna a cheanaíonn an mheasúnú.
MDLI-G training is available via online video modules and step-by-step printed manuals, eliminating the need for in-person training. Schools purchasing the assessment receive ongoing support from NEPS.
Slándáil sonraí agus Comhlíonadh GDPR / Data Security and GDPR Compliance
Caithfidh scoileanna Comhaontú Próiseálaí Sonraí a shíniú nuair a ordaíonn siad ábhair MDLI-G.
Cinntíonn an comhaontú seo:
- Nach n-úsáidtear sonraí na ndaltaí le haghaidh comparáidí scoile.
- Go stóráiltear sonraí ar fheastalaí criptithe in Éirinn.
- Go bhfuil eolas pearsanta inaitheanta criptithe.
- Nach n-aistrítear ach sonraí daltaí anaithnid chuig an FTO le haghaidh forbairt na dtrialach agus pleanáil na n-acmhainní.
- Go bhfuil an rochtain ar an mbunachar sonrai teoranta go docht ar thionscadail údaraithe agus ar fhoireann theicneolaíocht na faisnéise.
Déan cliceáil ar ár leathanach cosaint sonraí anseo le haghaidh breis eolais ar chonas a úsáideann an FTO sonraí.
Schools must sign a Data Processor Agreement (DPA) when ordering MDLI-G materials. The DPA ensures:
- Student data is never used for school comparisons
- Data is securely stored on an encrypted server in Ireland
- Personally identifiable information is encrypted
- Only anonymised student data is transferred to the ERC for test development and resource planning
- Access to the encrypted database is strictly limited to authorised project and IT staff
For further information how the ERC uses data, please see our data protection page here.