The main objective of the DiToM project was to develop, validate and make available a coherent set of formative diagnostic tools in mathematics that support teachers in identifying learning difficulties at critical transition points in compulsory education. The project aimed to provide instruments that focus on essential inner-mathematical competencies in arithmetic and algebra, rather than on national curricula, and that can be applied directly in everyday classroom practice. A further objective was to ensure that the diagnostic tools are preventive in nature, enabling early identification of potential learning difficulties before they become persistent. To achieve this, DiToM sought to involve teachers throughout the development, testing and refinement phases, ensuring usability, clarity and pedagogical relevance. The project also aimed to address inclusion and learning diversity by integrating specifications for learners with different educational needs and by providing accompanying teacher manuals and evaluation guides. Finally, DiToM aimed to create open-access, multilingual resources that can be used across European contexts and sustained beyond the project duration through a shared digital platform.
The DiToM project was initiated in response to a widely recognised need across European education systems for practical and reliable diagnostic tools in mathematics that support teachers in identifying learning difficulties at an early stage. In many countries, existing assessments are predominantly summative, curriculum-bound or designed for research purposes, and therefore offer limited support for everyday classroom practice and timely pedagogical intervention. Teachers often lack accessible instruments that help them identify critical inner-mathematical prerequisites at key transition points in compulsory education, particularly in arithmetic and algebra. This gap is especially relevant in inclusive classrooms, where learning diversity requires diagnostic approaches that go beyond standardised testing and deficit-oriented classifications. DiToM addressed this need by developing formative and preventive diagnostic tools focused on essential mathematical competencies rather than national curricula. By involving teachers throughout development and piloting, the project responded to a shared European need for classroom-oriented, evidence-based diagnostic tools.