Embedded Files
All students at our school are screened for reading difficulties three times a year using the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELs). This is one assessment that helps us identify students who may need extra help in learning the skills needed to become a strong reader. DIBELs is made up of short, individual assessments called subtests. Each subtest focuses on a different skill and takes 1 minute to do.
In Kindergarten and First Grade, the DIBELs assessment is comprised of these areas:
Letter Naming Fluency (LNF) – On the LNF assessment, your child is shown a page of random upper and lowercase letters and asked to name the letters. The number of letters your child names correctly in 1 minute is counted.
Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF) – Understanding that spoken words can be broken down into individual sounds and then blended back together to form a word is an important skill in learning how to read and write. On the PSF assessment, your child is given a spoken word and asked to say each sound in the word (“Tell me the sounds in the word ‘mop?’” Child: “/m/ /o/ /p/”).
Nonsense Word Fluency (NSF) – Children with strong phonics skills know the sounds of letters and are able to blend them together to form words. On the NSF assessment, your child is shown a “nonsense word” containing 2 or 3 letters (ex: bim, ob) and asked to read the word. Your child is given credit for each correct sound and added credit if he/she reads the word without saying each individual sound. Nonsense words are used so the teacher knows your child is connecting the sound to the letter rather than recognizing the word by sight.
Kindergarten DIBELS Next Benchmarks
Phoneme Segmentation
September-Not Tested
January- 20
May-40
Nonsense Word Fluency (Sounds/Whole Words)
September -Not Tested
January-17 sounds/0 whole words
May-28 sounds/0 whole words
First Grade DIBELs Next Benchmarks
Nonsense Word Fluency
September 27 sounds/1 word
January 43 sounds/8 words
May 58 sounds/13 words
Oral Reading Fluency
September Not Tested
January 23 words per minute
May 47 words per minute
What can I do at home to help my child?
- Practice identifying upper and lowercase letters (out of order)
- Go over the sounds that each letter makes. Especially short vowels and consonant sounds that are easily confused (g/j, b/d, y/u/w)
- Ask your child to tell you the sounds they hear in some words
Example: “Tell me the sounds in rat? /r/ /a/ /t/”
“Tell me the sounds in head? /h/ ea/ /d/”
“Tell me the sounds in pot? /p/ /o/ /t/”
“Tell me the sounds in mouth? /m/ /ou/ /th/”
- Read to your child. Read with your child. Have your child read to you.
- Practice Nonsense Words and CVC words (consonant-vowel-consonant) short vowel words, such as- map, hog, pit, met, and hug.
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