The Diagnostic Assessment of Numeracy Skills (DANS) is a set of multi-sensory, diagnostic tests for Key Stage One and Key Stage Two students who are struggling with maths. It enables teachers to determine the essential number concepts that their students have fully grasped and those concepts that they have only partly understood. The tests are largely activity based, using games and concrete resources rather than just pen and paper exercises. This allows the teacher to gain insights into the students’ knowledge, thinking, language and underlying skills, and starts their journey to a more positive view of maths.
The assessment will provide teachers with a clear map of their students’ knowledge and highlight areas that need to be reinforced in future lessons, thus enabling planning and focused support.
DANS is available from SEN Books