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Admission Exams Timetable
The
Nature of the Entrance Exams
The format of entrance exams
differ according to grade
level. For the children
applying for enrollment in
grade one or below, they are
called interviews, rather
than exams. The period of
the interview will include
several types of activities,
some individual, some with a
group with a teacher and
some when the child is
simply playing with others.
Several aspects of readiness
will be taken into
consideration such as
ability to follow
instructions, coordination
between hand and eye,
muscular growth in general,
the ability to converse and
build relations with others,
concentration, and other
matters. Although it is
important that the child
speaks Arabic and knows the
Arabic alphabet and numbers
before he enters first
grade, other developmental
aspects are also important.
Of course, the readiness
level expected of the child
varies according to his age
and grade level.
As for the entrance exams
for admission to grades 2 –
10, they include Arabic,
English, and math. A
personal interview with
either the General Director
or Principal and Student
Counselor will also be
required for students of
grades 7-10 who have passed
the entrance exams. The
exams are designed on the
basis of the goals included
in the formal curriculum as
applied at DAS.
The general aim is that the
student may be accepted at
DAS if he has achieved a
level of knowledge in the
three subjects that will
enable him to succeed in the
targeted class. DAS takes
into consideration that
students coming to a new
setting with new teachers
and new methods and exams
may not achieve as well as
those who are accustomed to
the setting. We take this
into account when
determining the minimum
acceptable grade.
The purpose of scheduling
an orientation day before
the exams is to make
students feel comfortable.
When the children applying
to enter pre-school or grade
1 come for the orientation
day, they will spend time
with stories, free play and
some activities similar to
the kind that will be used
when they come for the
official interview. When
students of the second grade
and above come the first
time, they will be
introduced to the place
where they will take the
exams and some of the people
who might be there and will
also take worksheets to work
on at home. The exam will
take place on their second
visit. Therefore, it is
important for parents to be
sure to make arrangements
for the student to attend
the orientation – to get to
know the place and the
people he will meet on the
day of the exam or the
interview – in order to give
them the best possible
preparation for success.
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