Shark Challenge

Shark Challenge

What is the Shark Challenge?

The Shark Challenge is a placement test. Students take it when they first sign into Wordshark, even if you've set them work. In the test, students are asked to spell words. It normally takes just a few minutes to complete.

  1. The Shark Challenge decides where each student should be placed in Supershark. Supershark has built-in automatic progression and uses the Wordshark course word lists. 
  2. When a student has completed the Shark Challenge, on the blue area of their dashboard (see image below) they will see: 
    1. 'You are currently playing: Supershark'
    2. the unit they are in
    3. the name of the word list they are practising.
  3. Students should click on My Play Words to see the list of words they are about to learn. 
  4. Scroll down for a video of the student's journey when they first sign in.
Student's dashboard after taking the Shark Challenge

More about the Shark Challenge and Supershark

  1. The Shark Challenge starts with a very short pre-test. Depending on their performance, the student starts at the beginning of the main test or half way through. 
  2. At any point in the main test when the words become difficult, the program flattens out in difficulty.
  3. When a total of 3 errors have been made the student is placed in Supershark (the automatic progression course).
  4. If the student reaches the main part of the test but doesn’t complete it, the program will resume the test when the student next logs in.
  5. You can choose to:
    1. bypass the Shark Challenge completely
    2. repeat the Shark Challenge
    3. reset the level in Supershark.


Resetting the level in Supershark (automatic progression)

This can be done at any time.
1. Select Set Work from the top menu bar.
2. Choose Change Level – Supershark (see below).

3. Select a student by ticking the box to the right of their name.
4. ‘Wordshark course’ will appear on the right-hand panel; select Next step (bottom right).
5. The list of units is shown on the left-hand panel (to see the student's present position, scroll down until you see CURRENT). Select a new unit – later or earlier in the course.
6. The chosen unit will be highlighted in grey; the word lists in this unit are shown on the right-hand side.
7. Click Submit (bottom right).
8. When prompted to reset the starting point, click Yes.
9. The next screen will confirm, in green, Reset starting point for Supershark details updated successfully. You can now repeat this for other students or return to the main menu.

Bypassing the Shark Challenge (placement test) 

Ideally, you should do this BEFORE the student first logs on (but you can also do this if the student/s have already started the Shark Challenge but haven't completed it).

1.       Select Set Work from the top menu bar.
2.       Choose Change Level – Supershark (see below).
3.       Select a student by ticking in the box to the right of their name.
4.       ‘Wordshark course’ will appear on the right-hand panel; select Next Step (bottom right).
5.       Select any unit from the list on the left-hand panel (see the Wordshark course summary for details).
6.       Click Submit (bottom right).
7.       When prompted, click Yes to set the level in Supershark.
8.    You will be taken back to the starting point where you will see a message confirming the change.
  

9.    You can now repeat this for another student or return to the main menu.

Set or repeat the Shark Challenge (placement test)

  1. Select Set Work from the top menu bar.
  2. Choose Repeat Shark Challenge (even if the student/s have never taken the test).
  3. Select the required group/s from the left-hand panel; you can then select from the student names displayed on the right. 
  4. Click Submit (bottom right). 
  5. When prompted, click Yes to set/repeat the Shark Challenge. 
  6. You will be taken back to the starting point where you will see a message confirming the change; when the students sign in next, they will be set the Shark Challenge.

VIDEO of the student's journey


FAQ: Can I view placement test progress and data?

While it is possible to see where the student has been placed, it is not possible to see the errors made in the Shark Challenge test. Click here to read more.