IBT 2023
A world-class, skills-based diagnostic assessment designed by a global expert to help improve learning in your school.
IBT is skill-based and does not follow any single national curriculum, allowing students from all countries to be compared fairly.
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High quality diagnostic testing for students in Grades 3–10
The IBT is not tied to a specific curriculum, allowing for fair comparisons between students across schools and around the world, and content is updated every year. How do your students compare?
The IBT solution
- Compare your students' performance to an international cohort
- Diagnostic testing designed to challenge students across a broad range of ability levels
- Assess deep conceptual understanding rather than simple recall of facts
- Recognise learning achievement, and monitor progress over time
IBT: improving learning in since 2005
global assessments
schools worldwide
IBT countries
- Australia
- Bahrain
- Egypt
- India
- Japan
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Kuwait
- Malaysia
- Myanmar
- Oman
- Philippines
- Qatar
- South Africa
- Swaziland
- Tanzania
- Turkey
- UAE
- Yemen
Australia
Bahrain
Egypt
India
Japan
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Kuwait
Malaysia
Myanmar
Oman
Philippines
Qatar
South Africa
Swaziland
Tanzania
Turkey
UAE
YemenIBT tests
The IBT is skill-based and does not follow any single national curriculum, allowing students from all countries to be compared fairly.
In English the skills assessed are: locating information, inferring, predicting, drawing conclusions and reasoning. Students are not asked merely to retrieve information from a passage; they are asked to make inferences, form judgements and reflect on the texts. Questions addressing higher-order thinking skills are used to ascertain whether a student can 'read between the lines' and understand subtlety and nuance in the English language.
Assessed English strands
- Reading Comprehension
- Spelling
- Punctuation
- Grammar
- Vocabulary
In Mathematics the skills assessed include interpreting data, inferring, predicting, drawing conclusions, reasoning and problem solving. For Mathematics questions, students are asked to make sense of mathematical concepts in everyday situations. IBT Mathematics is not about simply remembering rules and procedures; it requires students to use higher-order thinking skills to apply their mathematical skills to solve problems.
Assessed Mathematics strands
- Number
- Measurement
- Space
- Chance and Data
In Science the skills assessed include: observing and measuring, interpreting data, inferring, predicting, drawing conclusions, reasoning and problem solving. Students are asked to apply scientific principles to particular problems. IBT Science not only assesses students' knowledge of science, it assesses whether students are capable of applying this knowledge to given contexts. Many of the questions are based on scientific enquiry.
Assessed Science strands
- Earth Science
- Physical Science
- Life Science
In Reasoning, the skills assessed require students to think critically, make logical deductions, identify connections and spot patterns. The questions asked do not require any prior knowledge from any particular content area. Instead, students must demonstrate their abilities to think outside the box and use their higher-order thinks skills to solve non-routine problems. The content of these test papers is based on questions that have been successfully used to identify high-achieving students for scholarship placements. However, students who do not perform so well on ‘traditional’ academic tests may excel on IBT Reasoning as it is their general capabilities that are being assessed here.
Assessed Reasoning strands
- Abstract Reasoning
- Verbal Reasoning
- Numerical Reasoning
- Spatial Reasoning
- Kinetic Reasoning
The IBT Arabic Language tests are designed to assess proficiency in Arabic Reading, Grammar, Spelling and Vocabulary through multiple-choice questions in response to a variety of texts and situations. The tests offer students and schools the opportunity to participate in a standardised Arabic assessment which can provide comprehensive diagnostic feedback and benchmark performance against other schools in the region.
The tests are divided into two distinct categories to cater for both native and non-native speakers within the school community.
Arabic A Assessments: The assessments are offered at Grades 3 to 10 and are designed for native Arabic speakers who are following the Arabic A option based on the Arabic curriculum provided by the Ministry of Education. The Arabic A Tests are designed to provide a clear picture of the skill set of the students and the level they are at, giving them an opportunity to identify and improve on their weaknesses.
In 2022, ACER had developed a new suite of Arabic A2 assessments exclusively for English Private/International Schools for Grades 3 – 10, based on feedback from Arabic Teachers and experts from schools and key education stakeholders. This allows the tests to be better suited to student populations in Private English/International Schools and better targeted to assess learning and support teaching of the Arabic curriculum in English Private Schools as per the Ministry of Education Curriculum guidelines.
Arabic B Assessments: The Arabic B assessments are designed in Levels corresponding to the number of years the students have studied Arabic B and the recommended target Grade based on the numbers of years of Arabic B the student may have studied. The Arabic B assessments have also been updated based on feedback from various schools, Arabic HOD’s and Teachers.
In 2022, we had also added a new Pre-Level 1 assessment for Arabic B, with further guidelines on the Test Levels and the corresponding recommended cohort of students they could be applied to.
Please refer to the table below for guidelines for the administration of the Arabic B assessments (for non- native speakers). The new Pre-Level 1 assessment is designed for assessing students who are beginners in the language and have 1 to 2 years of exposure to learning the language.
| Level | Years of Arabic | Suggested grade | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level P | 1 - 2 years | Grade 2 - 4 | Students have only up to 2 years of Arabic - they are beginning Arabic and have very limited exposure and can identify most letters, some simple objects and actions |
| Level 1 | 3 - 4 years | Grade 5 - 7 | Students have only up to 4 years of Arabic. Students have limited proficiency and can join letters and make simple sentences, identify basic grammar, identify simple objects and understand actions by matching texts to pictures etc. |
| Level 2 | 5 - 6 years | Grade 6 - 8 | Students have only up to 6 years of Arabic. They can identify the appropriate responses and questions in a range of simple, personal conversational exchanges. Answer comprehension questions about short, simple descriptive texts, locate information in simple texts etc. |
| Level 3 | More than 6 years | Grade 8 - 10 | Students have more than 6 years of Arabic. They can identify correct grammar, match sentences to pictures, identify appropriate responses in a range of simple, personal conversational exchanges. Answer comprehension questions about short, simple descriptive texts and fables. Make inferences about information stated in a narrative text. |
The above guidelines are only a recommendation; however the final decision always rests with the Teacher to determine which Level would suit the students’ needs best.
The Tests offer students and schools the opportunity to participate in a standardized Arabic Assessment which would provide comprehensive diagnostic feedback and benchmark performance against other schools in the region. The assessment provides multiple sets of data in the form of electronic Student & School Reports based on Scale scores and Proficiency Statements that describe achievement levels in Arabic and help teachers and students in the following:
- Provide clear descriptions of levels of achievement that will help map the IBT Arabic Standards to your curriculum outcomes
- Provide clear indications of the skills being assessed hence improve the ability to monitor achievement and progress over time
- Give students a clear indication of the next level of achievement that they need to strive towards and help them set clear goals for themselves
- Enable teachers to use results to differentiate and target their teaching more effectively.
- Track students and monitor growth over time.
Reports include Individual Student Reports, School and Class Reports, Interactive Report, Benchmark Report and Described Proficiency Reports. Individual Student Certificates would also be provided.
School leaders and teachers worldwide use IBT to improve learning for every student.
IBT reporting
Detailed, insightful reporting for schools
The IBT provides many different reports on student performance to help teachers and schools better understand where their students are positioned on the learning continuum.
Easy-to-understand reports for students
Individual Student Report
Provides information on how the student performed in comparison to students in your country/region and internationally. It includes subject-specific feedback on every question and a summary of strengths and areas for improvement.
Certificate
Every student that sits the IBT is eligible to receive a Certificate of Achievement.
Certificate criteria
International comparisons
IBT reports allow teachers to compare the academic performance of students with other students in their school, their country and in schools around the globe.
International comparisons contained in IBT reports are based on a large sample of schools - predominantly international schools or national schools with an international focus, teaching at least 50 per cent of the curriculum in English - around the world.
Pricing
English, Mathematics, Science, and Reasoning Skills assessments
| Individual tests (1 subject) | AED 35/- |
|---|---|
| 2 subjects | AED 60/- |
| 3 subjects | AED 75/- |
| 4 subjects | AED 90/- |
Language assessments
| Arabic A, Arabic B | AED 35/- per student |
|---|
Middle East
The testing period for all subjects is 1 November 2023 to 30 November 2023 (online version).
Additional resources
Sample reports
