Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine
Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance
Faculty of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences
Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust
Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine
Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History
Luxembourg Centre for European Law
Luxembourg Centre for Socio-Environmental Systems
About Diagnostics portfolio
The Diagnostics Portfolio focuses on the development of innovative tools for the screening and diagnosis of (developmental) disorders in a linguistically diverse school population. In Luxembourg, where multilingualism is the norm, few diagnostic instruments are currently tailored to the needs of multilingual learners. Our research addresses this critical gap by designing and validating assessment tools that are specifically adapted to linguistic diversity.
Projects within this portfolio integrate multiple languages into assessment frameworks and incorporate language-independent tasks, depending on the specific diagnostic aims of each tool. Tailor-made screening and assessment instruments are developed in close collaboration with national competency centres specializing in diagnostics and assessment. Together, these efforts aim to ensure fair, accurate, and accessible diagnostics for all children, regardless of their linguistic background.
Screeners
Screener for functional vision impairments
Functional vision impairments – defined as limitations in the effective use of binocular vision in everyday tasks – often remain undetected. When left unidentified, these difficulties can negatively affect children’s learning and academic progress. Therefore, early assessment of children’s visual perception is crucial to ensure timely and appropriate support.
In the context of this project, we have developed a large-scale screening tool for functional vision that is administered at the start of formal schooling (Grade 1). All children attending Grade 1 in Luxembourgish public schools complete the screener as part of the national school monitoring programme – .
The project is conducted in close collaboration between LUCET and the , the national competency centre responsible for diagnosing visual impairments and providing targeted support. By enabling early identification of visual perception difficulties, the project aims to provide children with functional visual impairments with appropriate support from the very beginning of their school careers.
RELATED PUBLICATIONS:
Diagnostic tests
Luxembourg’s multilingual school environment poses a challenge for the diagnostic process of potential learning or speech disorders Distinguishing between difficulties stemming from limited exposure to the language of instruction and those arising from an underlying disorder is particularly complex. Moreover, the majority of the existing cognitive test batteries or (neuro-psychological) diagnostic tools are language-based meaning that proficiency in the test language can substantially influence performance. This is especially true for the assessment of scholastic skills such as reading/writing, mathematics, and language.
To address these challenges, projects aimed at developing diagnostic tests tailored to Luxembourg’s unique and linguistically diverse school population are carried out in close collaboration with national competence centres. Our first such collaboration with resulted in the publication of assessment tools for reading and writing, mathematics, and cognitive skills. These instruments were specifically developed for and normed using data from the country’s multilingual third-grade population (see the section Developed and published test batteries for further details).
We are currently working on the development of a novel test battery assessing preschool children’s Luxembourgish language skills, as this is the main language of instruction in public preschools. This represents the first assessment tool of its kind developed in Luxembourg.
In close collaboration with our partners at the , we have pre-tested a comprehensive test battery that targets the key competencies relevant for the assessment of developmental language disorder (DLD). DLD is characterised by persistent difficulties learning, understanding and using a language. Although the test battery evaluates children’s Luxembourgish language skills, any resulting diagnosis of DLD would also be valid across a child’s other native language(s), as the disorder affects all languages spoken by the child.
Early identification is crucial, as it enables timely and targeted support, which, in turn, helps maximise children’s educational attainment and overall wellbeing. The validation study of the newly developed materials is planned for spring 2027, with the final test battery scheduled for release in 2028.
Developed and published test batteries
In close collaboration with the , we have developed three new diagnostic test batteries specifically adapted to Luxembourg’s multilingual and multicultural school population. These tools cover crucial developmental domains for learning: cognition, mathematics, and reading and writing.
The test batteries were officially launched in April 2025 at a dedicated event attended by key stakeholders, field professionals, and representatives of the Ministry of Education. This initiative aims to strengthen the diagnostic process for specific learning and attentional disorders in Luxembourg and to ensure that each child receives support that is truly aligned with their individual needs.
FLUX is a multidimensional cognitive test battery specifically tailored for use in multicultural and multilingual educational settings. With the help of child-friendly instructional videos and non-verbal test materials, FLUX enables a fair and inclusive assessment of the cognitive abilities in Grade 3 students, regardless of their cultural and linguistic background.
The psychometric quality of FLUX has been empirically validated. The comrehensive test battery covers four cognitive domains: figural reasoning, quantitative reasoning, visual processing and short-term memory. Children’s results are summarised in an individual performance profile spanning the four cognitive domains.
LuxLeseTest assesses children’s German reading and writing skills in an individual setting. The test was developed for children in Grade 3 (Cycle 3.1) of primary school. The test battery comprises subtests on reading and writing (core battery) as well as additional optional subtests including the assessment of phonological skills. The test contents are based on cognitive models of reading and writing and are in line with the Luxembourgish curriculum and third-year primary school textbooks.
The test battery is specifically adapted to the country’s multilingual student population. To ensure fair and accurate interpretation of results, four reference groups are used, based on the languages most frequently spoken at home: Luxembourgish/German, French, Portuguese, and other languages. This approach allows for a more precise evaluation of children’s performance and supports the creation of an individual performance profile.
While German is the test language, instructions can be delivered in another language when needed. Standardised procedures guide test administrators on when to switch back to German, ensuring consistency across administrations. Additionally, non-words are used in some subtests to reduce the influence of German language proficiency on task performance. Taken together, these adaptations allow for a more fair assessment in a multilingual setting.
LuxMatheTest assesses children’s basic numerical and arithmetic skills in an individual setting. The test was developed for children in Grade 3 (Cycle 3.1) of primary school and comprises a core battery of tests as well as additional optional subtests. The test battery also provides an assessment of working speed and understanding of mathematical language. The test contents are based on neuropsychological models and are in line with the Luxembourgish curriculum and third-year primary school textbooks.
The test battery is specifically adapted to the country’s multilingual student population. To ensure fair and accurate interpretation of results, four reference groups are used, based on the languages most frequently spoken at home: Luxembourgish/German, French, Portuguese, and other languages. This approach allows for a more precise evaluation of children’s performance and supports the creation of an individual performance profile.
While German is the test language, instructions can be delivered in another language when needed. Standardised procedures guide test administrators on when to switch back to German, ensuring consistency across administrations. Taken together, these adaptations allow for a more fair assessment in a multilingual setting.
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