Registration and publication of an innovation in the Catalogue of Innovations in Education and Training
Pursuant to the Expert Review for Inclusion in the Catalogue of Innovations in Education and Training, dated 7 April 2026, the innovation entitled DIFER – A Diagnostic System for Assessing the Current Developmental Level of Children Aged 4–8 has been included in the Catalogue of Innovations and simultaneously published on the official website of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic.
The Catalogue of Innovations serves as a professional repository of inspiration for schools, kindergartens, and other educational institutions. Its purpose is to support the development and qualitative enhancement of educational processes in accordance with the specific needs of individual institutions. The catalogue includes verified outcomes of experimental validation, innovations already established in pedagogical practice at both national and international levels, as well as new concepts and ideas with the potential for further validation. Its structure is designed to facilitate efficient navigation and the selection of innovations appropriate to particular educational contexts. Each entry includes a professional description, methodological guidance for implementation, and, where available, empirical findings from practical application. At the same time, the catalogue reflects the fact that pedagogical innovation is inherently context-dependent: an approach that constitutes standard practice in one institution may represent a significant innovation in another. In this sense, the catalogue functions not only as a source of new ideas, but also as a platform for the exchange of experience and the dissemination of effective solutions developed by experts and institutions with extensive professional practice.
The innovation proposal was submitted under Area No. 3 – Innovative Forms and Methods of Assessing Children and Pupils and was developed by the Department of Preschool and Elementary Pedagogy. It represents the outcome of a three-year programme of scientific research. Between 2021 and 2023, the Faculty of Education at J. Selye University carried out the adaptation and standardization of the DIFER diagnostic instrument within the framework of a KEGA project. As a result of this process, the instrument was methodologically and empirically validated and prepared for evidence-based use in pedagogical and research practice in the Slovak Republic. More than 100 Hungarian-language kindergartens and primary schools throughout Slovakia participated in the adaptation and standardization process, and more than 2,000 children underwent diagnostic assessment. Following the completion of the project, implementation of the instrument continued in kindergartens and primary schools, thereby supporting its gradual integration into pedagogical practice.
Who can implement the innovation? The innovation may be introduced and implemented in practice by kindergarten teachers, primary school teachers at the first stage of primary education, school special education teachers, and school psychologists working in Hungarian-language kindergartens and primary schools. The involvement of the school support team is recommended. Implementers are required to possess the pedagogical or professional qualifications appropriate to their position, as well as the ability to work with diagnostic tools, interpret the results, and plan subsequent support measures.
The implementation of the DIFER innovation is fully compatible with the applicable legal framework and with the requirements of the State Educational Programme, and it does not require any modification of the school educational programme. It may be introduced within the framework of standard pedagogical diagnostics and school-based support measures.
What does the innovation encompass? The DIFER diagnostic system comprises a set of tests designed to identify the developmental level and foundational skills of children aged 4–8. It broadens the possibilities for objective assessment and intervention planning at the pre-primary and primary levels of education in Hungarian-language kindergartens and primary schools. Through standardized tasks, it assesses key prerequisites for learning, such as graphomotor skills, phonemic awareness, and social skills. It contributes to the early identification of school-readiness difficulties, helps detect risks of school failure, and supports the individualization of the educational process.
Who is the target group? The target group of the innovation consists of preschool children and pupils at the initial stage of primary education (aged 4–8), particularly those at increased risk of learning difficulties or those displaying uneven developmental profiles. The innovation is intended for Hungarian-language kindergartens and primary schools (first stage, especially Year 1). Its users include kindergarten teachers, primary school teachers, school special education teachers, school psychologists, and members of school support teams who conduct diagnostic assessment, interpret the results, and plan individualized or group-based support on this basis. The innovation may also be used in counselling and prevention centres as a professional basis for recommendations and intervention planning.
The innovation is consistent with the principles and objectives of education set out in Sections 3 and 4 of Act No. 245/2008 Coll. (the Education Act). In particular, it is grounded in the principles of inclusive education; educational counselling pursuant to Section 130; the continuous improvement of educational processes on the basis of advances in science, research, and development; quality assurance and evaluation of education and the educational system; and the balanced development of all aspects of the child’s and pupil’s personality within formal education.
The innovation is available on the official website of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic: https://www.minedu.sk/katalog-inovacii-vo-vychove-a-vzdelavani/
The professional guarantor of the method, as well as the institution responsible for its adaptation and methodological supervision, is the Faculty of Education of J. Selye University, Department of Preschool and Elementary Pedagogy. Contact persons: PaedDr. Diana Borbélyová, PhD. (), Prof. Krisztián Józsa, DSc. ().