DIBELS

DIBELS 8th Edition 

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 third grade. They are designed to be short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills. DIBELS are comprised of seven measures to function as indicators of phonemic awareness, alphabetic principle, accuracy and fluency with connected text, reading comprehension, and vocabulary. 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. Every student in grades K -3 are required to take this assessment three times a year.

At Sonoran Foothills the DIBELS measures are used to:

• identify students who may be a risk for reading difficulties in grades K - 3

• monitor at-risk students while they receive additional, targeted instruction from the classroom teacher and school reading specialist

The Five Essential Skill Areas of Early Literacy
The DIBELS measures were developed to be indicators of the essential early literacy skills that a child must master to become a good reader.

• Phonemic Awareness:  Hearing and using sounds in spoken words.

• Alphabetic Principle and Phonics:   Knowing the sounds of the letters and sounding out written words.

• Accurate and Fluent Reading: Reading stories and other materials easily and quickly with few mistakes.

• Vocabulary: Understanding and correctly using a variety of words.

• Comprehension:  Understanding what is spoken or read.

For more about DIBELS, please visit https://dibels.uoregon.edu/about-dibels.