Re: Dibels reading assess.

On 4/06/06, Nancy wrote:
> On 4/04/06, Margaret Turner wrote:
>> On 3/04/06, Kathy wrote:
>>> I am an administrator looking at better ways to diagnose reading
>>> difficulties for our special education children in the elementary
>>> grades. We currently use observation survy in the early grades and
>>> frankly, it is hit and miss for children thereafter relative to specific
>>> skills. This leaves the inclusion class teachers struggling to teach
>>> without a clear understanding of what needs to be supported, etc.
>>> Anything you can tell me would help inform our team - thanks!
>>>
>>>
>>> On 1/11/06, Kim wrote:
>>>> Maureen, We are also considering DIBELS as an assessment tool. I
>>>> would be very interested in reading your paper. Please e-mail it to
>>>> me.
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Kim
>>>>
>>>> On 12/08/05, Maureen wrote:
>>>>> On 7/14/05, Cheryle wrote:
>>>>>> On 7/14/05, A wrote:
>>>>>>> I am looking at DIBELS as a potential tool to use in my first
>>>>>>> grade classroom after attending a fluency PD this summer. The
>>>>>>> teacher leading the session, and several of the teachers in the
>>>>>>> session really liked this assessment, which is required for the
>>>>>>> Kentucky Reading First schools. (My school is not a Reading
>>>>>>> First school.) We are required to administer the DRA, and I
>>>>>>> think I will try DIBELS this year too. It is available free of
>>>>>>> charge from the DIBELS website.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I am interested in any feedback from folks who have used this
>>>>>>> assessment - pro and con. Please don't spare me your real
>>>>>>> opinion just because I am thinking of using it. I really want to
>>>>>>> know.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> This past year was the first that we used DIBELS in our district.
>>>>>> It has been mandated by the state. It can be time consuming,
>>>>>> especially in the grades K-2. Third grade only has the oral reading
>>>>>> fluency test. I used it to help me pinpoint areas where particular
>>>>>> children needed help. However, my co=workers and I found faults
>>>>>> with it as well. I would recommend going to the University of
>>>>>> Oregon website (Official DIBELS Homepage.
>>>>>> http://dibels.uoregon.edu/) and read the technical papers listed
>>>>>> there, especially Technical Report #10 by Good and Kaminsky.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> My curiosity was aroused when we found that students followed a
>>>>>> pattern of pass-fail-pass-fail and so on. TR #10 explains how the
>>>>>> creators of DIBELS leveled the passages. It makes no sense to me.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> For one of my Master's classes I wrote a paper on my findings in my
>>>>>> classroom. I would be glad to email it to you if you are interested
>>>>>> in reading it.
>>>>>
>>>>> I am studying for the National Boards. I would love to read the
>>>> paper
>>>>> you wrote on it. Thanks,
>>>>> Maureen
>>
>> Hi, I am Margaret Turner. I'm a reading coach in Florida. We've been
>> using the DIBELS Assessment for about 5 years now. We find it to be
>> invaluable in predicting success and failure in reading. What we had to
>> learn was that the dibels is assessing the reading process itself. The
>> reading process develops the way the dibels assesses; phonemic and
>> phonological awareness,the alphabetic principle, phonics, and finally oral
>> reading fluency. If we can help the children develop the skills in each
>> one of those categories, the goal of reading fluency will happen. From
>> there, our real goal, comprehension will occur. It's a process. The
>> children can't skip any or the processes and be successful readers. The
>> DIBELS allows us to see where they are in the process and address that
>> area of weakness. Usually, it works very well.
>> Sometimes we have students that can't seem to get it no matter what you do.
>> I'm looking for an assessment for those students.

Hi, I am a kindergarten teacher in Florida at a Title 1 school. I have found
the DIBELS assessment to be most helpful with all of my students. As Margaret
said DIBELS focuses on the process development. I was able to periodically
view all of my students compare strengths and weaknesses and then proceed to
teach and reteach those areas. It has been a wonderful addition to our data
collecting process for student placement in reading.