DIBELS Next Overview

Elementary Literacy Assessment Flowchart ALL students in TK-5/6 must have a literacy benchmark measure 3x/year. Els in TK-5 must take DIBELS Next SWD participating in the general Ed curriculum in TK-6 must take DIBELS Next (excepts those with a low incidence disability) The chart can be used to identify which literacy assessment is appropriate for all other students More information can be found in the forthcoming REF 6505 or REF 6507.1

Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills DIBELS Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills What are DIBELS?   The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) are a set of procedures and measures for assessing the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. DIBELS were designed for use in identifying children experiencing difficulty in acquisition of basic early literacy skills in order to provide support early and prevent the occurrence of later reading difficulties. They are designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills. These research-based measures are linked to one another and predictive of later reading proficiency. The measures are also consistent with many of the Common Core State Standards in Reading, especially the Foundational Skills. Combined, the measures form an assessment system of early literacy development that allows educators to readily and reliably determine student progress.

Correlation between the DIBELS measures and the CCSS. FS = Reading Foundational Skills

The National Reading Panel has identified 5 Big Ideas in Beginning Reading. The 5 Big Ideas are phonemic awareness, phonics (alphabetic principle), accuracy and fluency with connected text, reading comprehension, and vocabulary. The Big Ideas may also be referred to as Basic Early Literacy Skills. The National Reading Panel’s analysis also concluded that the best approach to reading instruction is one that incorporates explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, systematic phonics instruction, methods to improve fluency, and ways to enhance comprehension.

The model shows the relationships among the basic early literacy skills, the DIBELS Next measures, and the timeline for achieving benchmark goals for each measure. The basic early literacy skills (e.g. phonemic awareness, phonics) are represented by the rounded boxes at the top of the figure. The arrows connecting the rounded boxes show how the early literacy skills relate to one another and lead to reading comprehension. The arrows from the rounded boxes to boxes in the middle level show the linkage between the basic early literacy skills and the DIBELS Next measures. The lines between the DIBELS Next measures and the timeline at the bottom indicate the target time of the benchmark for that measure. In this model, automaticity with the code (i.e. accurate and fluency reading of connected text) in combination with vocabulary and language skills provide a necessary foundation for learning reading comprehension skills. If the student does not have adequate skills in either area, the development of reading comprehension skills is likely to be compromised. *Word Use Fluency is not assessed by LAUSD. *Letter Naming Fluency is not included because there is not a direct correlation between any of the early literacy skills and LNF. Letter Naming Fluency (LNF) is included for students in grades K and 1 as an indicator of risk. Unlike the other DIBELS measures, LNF does not measure a Basic Early Literacy Skill. Although letter names comprise a set of teachable skills, teaching letter names does not lead directly to improvements in student reading outcomes in the ways characterized by the foundational skills of early literacy. However, because the measure is highly predictive of later reading success, it is included as an indicator for students who may require additional instructional support on the Basic Early Literacy Skills.

Correlation between Basic Early Literacy Skills and the DIBELS measures. It is important to understand the connection between the DIBELS measures and the literacy skill being assessed. When a student is not reaching benchmark on a measure, instruction/intervention should focus on the literacy skill. For example, if a student is not reaching benchmark on the Phoneme Segmentation (PSF) measure, then instruction should focus on phonemic awareness – ensuring that the student is able to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds, or phonemes, in words.

The DIBELS assessment systems includes both Benchmark and Progress Monitoring testing: Benchmark testing is the systematic process of screening all students on essential skills predictive of later reading performance. Benchmark testing is one part of a comprehensive assessment system that includes universal screening, progress monitoring, summative assessments and other formal and informal assessments all designed to get the critical information needed to make informed instructional decisions. It is a foundational link between assessment, instruction and goal setting. The DIBELS assessments have been researched and validated specifically for benchmark testing in kindergarten through sixth grade. DIBELS assessments involve screening all students three times per year with grade-level materials. Research indicates that early identification and early intervention are essential for helping students who are at risk for future reading difficulties, or are currently having reading difficulties. Screening all students, including those who met earlier benchmark goals, also provides a complete data set that is needed to determine if reading instruction is effective. Progress Monitoring Progress monitoring is a key component of providing differentiated and individualized reading instruction. Student performance and development of literacy skills should be monitored frequently for all students who are at risk of reading difficulty. The data gathered during progress monitoring can be used in the instructional decision making process. Benchmark testing with DIBELS can help determine which students are at risk for later reading difficulties. Students who receive supplemental instructional support should be progress monitored. The assessment used to monitor progress should match the area of weakness and the area of instructional support. For example, if a student does not meet Benchmark on the FSF measure, then the student should receive additional support in phonemic awareness (specifically in isolation skills), and FSF should be used as the measure for progress monitoring.

What do the Benchmark Goals indicate? Green: Odds are 80-90% that student will achieve later reading outcomes with effective core instruction. Students above the benchmark goal have a strong likelihood of meeting end-of-year performance standards on an important outcome measures….as long as continued good teaching occurs! Students who score below the cut point have a strong likelihood of NOT meeting end-of-year performance standards on an important outcome measure…if intensive intervention is not provided! *Meeting the benchmark goal does not guarantee end-of-year proficiency! The goals of DIBELS is to quickly determine how well students are performing and identify students at-risk for reading difficulties or show need additional intervention. The data is only valuable if the information is used to change outcomes. The data must impact instruction.

Yearlong schedule of DIBELS measures and grade level assessed for benchmark testing. Progress monitoring is based on the needs of individual students. BOY = Beginning of Year (8/10/15 – 9/11/15) MOY= Middle of Year (1/11/16 – 1/29/16) EOY = End of Year (5/16/16 – 6/3/16) Measures FSF = First Sound Fluency LNF = Letter Naming Fluency PSF = Phoneme Segmentation Fluency NWF = Nonsense Word Fluency DORF = DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency DAZE = DIBELS Maze Assessment

The following slides provide a brief overview of each of the measures. There are 2 slides per measure: Slide 1 identify what the measure indicates. Slide 2 identifies the early literacy skills correlated to the measure; the time period that the measure is administered for Benchmark and Progress Monitoring testing; and materials needed.

Again, LNF does not correlate to any of the early literacy skills (refer to slide 6).

The timeline for “Administered” is based on the DIBELS assessment, not the requirements of LAUSD (refer to Ref-6507.1 for LAUSD specific requirements).

DAZE is the only DIBELS measure that is not 1 minute in length – it is a 3 minute timed assessment. It is also the only measure that can be given in a whole group setting, rather than individually.

The timeline for “Administered” is based on the DIBELS assessment, not the requirements of LAUSD (refer to Ref-6507.1 for LAUSD specific requirements).

RESOURCES Materials: dibels.org Training: amplify.com/lausd/resources Resources: achieve.lausd.net/Page/7311 Support: Becky Canham, Elementary Literacy Coordinator rebecca.canham@lausd.net Ph: (310)354-3471