Reading Screening Intruments

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

I have been speaking with my child’s principal about setting up a program where we screen all first graders mid-year to try to identify children who are already behind in phonemic awareness and anything else that might signal a reading disorder. They use a strong phonics program already, but we want to identify the potential future dylexics earlier than usual and give some interventions. The principal, LD teacher and I are all going to a Phono-Graphix workshop in April with the idea of using PG for tutoring as our first intervention. This spring we may just use the PG tests, but we are also interested in using standardized instruments to assess word-attack and sight word knowledge. I have heard that teh TOWRE is good and easy to administer, but I’m not sure if that is enough.

Just wondering if anyone has any advice about what to use?

Janis

Submitted by Anonymous on Fri, 01/25/2002 - 10:32 PM

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I know that the K & 1st grade teachers at our school use a screening instrument called DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills). You can check it out at: http://dibels.uoregon.edu/

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 01/26/2002 - 3:43 AM

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I just investigated the website mentioned above — really useful.
http://dibels.uoregon.edu/

Good real research backing, tests the actual skills you want to have and know about, quick and easy to administer ( literallly a few minutes per child), and meaningful results that correlate with school success. I’ m saving this website as a keeper. If I were in a school I’d be looking to make it official.

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 01/26/2002 - 4:14 AM

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I agree this looks really great!!! Does anyone know when the fluency section might be complete? It seems like it has been “coming soon” for months.

Submitted by Anonymous on Sat, 01/26/2002 - 3:49 PM

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Yes, Jennifer, this is exactly what we are looking for! I spent some time on the site last night. It appears that they just provide the test on the site free! That is pretty unbelievable these days.

Thanks!
Janis

Submitted by Anonymous on Sun, 01/27/2002 - 11:25 PM

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Hi Janis,

I couldn’t agree more with what you are trying to do, and the testing you’re looking for will pick up on weaknesses in auditory processing skills, etc.

In my experience, however, a fair number of kids have trouble learning to read because their binocular near-vision skills have not developed sufficiently for them to easily track print. I also believe that some of the reading methods which advocate jumping all over the page for “cues” (whether picture cues or phonemic cues at the end or middle of the words) will tend to prevent the normal development of visual skills. Add to that the tendency to ignore handwriting (which develops visual perception skills) and a lot of the poor readers in today’s schools have under-developed visual systems.

Check the website www.covd.org for a list of behavioral optometrists in the country and find one near you to talk to about your intentions. I think you will find it well worth your time.

Hope this helps…..Rod

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 01/28/2002 - 12:04 AM

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Thanks, Rod. I certainly agree that we should be aware that some children have visual problems. I guess I am less aware of how to identify those children. I’ll definitely check out the site. Thanks again!

Janis

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