DIBELS® Assess the Basic Early Literacy Skills

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What is Phonemic Awareness?

• The awareness and understanding of the sound structure of our language

• Understanding that spoken words are made up of sequences of individual speech sounds:

“cat” is composed of the sounds

/k/ /a/ /t/

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What is First Sound Fluency?

• First Sound Fluency (FSF) assesses a student’s fluency in identifying the initial sound(s) within spoken words. It is an indicator of early phonemic awareness skills.

• What’s New for Next?

– FSF replaces Initial Sound Fluency (ISF) from DIBELS® 6th Edition

– Does not use pictures

– Timing is continuous for 1 minute

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What Are Initial Sounds?

• Initial sounds include the first group of sounds in the word (i.e., onsets)

• NOT necessarily individual phonemes in the beginning of Kindergarten

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For example: Initial sound in “crab” may be identified as /kr/ or /k/

Why Assess Initial Sounds?

Why assess initial sounds (onsets)?

• Developmentally it is easier for children to hear the onset, i.e., initial group of sounds in the word, than to isolate the initial phoneme.

• For example, it is easier to hear /str/ at the beginning of “street” than /s/

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First Sound Fluency (FSF)

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DIBELS® First Sound Fluency (FSF)

Assessor says a series of words one at a time to the student and asks the student to say the first sound in the word.

Score: Number of points for correct responses in one minute.

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FSF Scores

The student receives 2 points for saying the correct initial phoneme in isolation.

/s/ in “street”

/s/ in “sun”

The student receives 1 point for saying the correct initial sounds (consonant blend, consonant plus vowel, or consonant blend plus vowel).

/st/ in “street” /su/ in “sun”

/str/ in “street” /stree/ in “street”

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Administration Directions

• Place the booklet on the clipboard positioned so that the student cannot see what you record.

• Follow these directions exactly each time with each student. Say the words in bold italic type verbatim.

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Practice Item #1

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Practice Item #2

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Practice Item #3

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During the Testing

• Say the first word from the list in the scoring booklet and start the timer.

• Present the words to the student one at a time by reading down the column of words.

• Score the student’s responses according to the scoring rules.

• As soon as the student finishes saying the initial sound/sounds in the word, say the next word promptly and clearly.

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During the Testing cont’d.

• Continue to say the words one at a time and score the student’s response for 1 minute.

• At the end of 1 minute, stop presenting the words. Do not score any student responses after 1 minute.

• If the student completes the assessment before 1 minute, assessment stops and he/she receives the score obtained. Scores are not pro-rated.

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Scoring Rules

1. Circle the corresponding listed sound or sounds that a student says for a word.

2. Put a slash ( / ) through the zero on the scoring page for an incorrect response or no response within 3 seconds.

3. Write “sc” over the slash and circle the corresponding sounds or group of sounds in the student’s response if the student self-corrects an error within 3 seconds.

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Scoring Rule 1: Circle Correct Responses

Circle the corresponding listed sound or sounds that a studentsays for a word. A response is scored as correct as long as the student provides any of the correct first sound responses listed forthe word.

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Scoring Rule 1: Circle Correct Responses

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Scoring Rule 1: Circle Correct Responses

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Scoring Rule 1: Circle Correct Responses

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Practice Scoring Rule 1

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Scoring Rule 2: Slash Zero

Put a slash through the zero if the student says an incorrect sound, says a letter name, or repeats the word.

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Scoring Rule 2: Slash Zero

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Scoring Rule 3: Self Corrections

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Write “sc” over the slashed zero if the student self-corrects. Circle the appropriate score for the student’s response.

Practice Scoring Rules 2 & 3

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Discontinue Rule: First Five Words

Discontinue administering FSF if the student has not said any correct initial sounds in the first five words. Record a zero for the total

number of correct initial sounds on the Total line of the FSF scoring page, and on the cover page of the scoring booklet.

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Wait Rule: 3 Seconds

• Wait 3 seconds for the student to respond.

• If the student does not respond within 3 seconds on any word, put a slash over the zero and tell the student the next word.

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Reminders

If the student appears to have forgotten the task say,

Remember to tell me the first sound you hear in the word. Examiner then reads the next word on this list.

• This reminder may be given as often as needed.

If the student says the name of the letter say,

Remember to tell me the first sound in the word, not the letter name. Examiner then reads the next word on the list.

• This reminder may be given only once.

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Notes

1. Schwa sounds (/u/) added to consonants are not counted as errors.

2. Students are not penalized for imperfect pronunciation due to dialect, articulation delays or impairments, or for pronunciations due to speaking a first language other than English.

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Immediately After Testing

• Reset the stopwatch for the next measure.

• Make a note about any patterns in student responses that were not captured by the marking procedures.

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At a Later Time, Compute the Final Score

• Multiply the number of responses from the 2-point column by two and record that number in the space provided.

• Add the total number of correct responses in each column of the score sheet (2-

point and 1-point responses).

• Add the number of points from both columns to arrive at the final score.

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12 3 156

Final Score: Practice

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19147

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Practice calculating the final score.

Final Score: Cover Page

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Transfer total number of correct first sound points per minute from scoring page to front of testing booklet.

Pronunciation Guide

• There is a Pronunciation Guide in the Assessment Manual.

• The sounds listed in this guide are shown in the initial, medial, and final position in words when possible.

• Multiple spellings (or the most common spellings) for each sound are shown.

• Different regions of the country use different dialects of American English. Any regional or dialectal pronunciation of the sound is acceptable. 34

FSF Review• How do I record a correct response?

Circle the correct 2- or 1-point response.

• How do I record an incorrect response?

Put a slash ( / ) over the 0.

• What do I do when the child hesitates for 3 seconds?

Put a slash ( / ) over the 0 and give the next word.

• When do I discontinue FSF?

Discontinue if the child does not provide a correct response in the

first five words.

• How do I score an improperly pronounced response that is due to articulation or dialect?

Do not penalize the student. This is a professional judgment and should be based on the student’s responses and any prior knowledge of his/her speech patterns. 35

FSF Practice #1

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FSF Practice #2

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1020 7 27

FSF Summary

Wait Rule: If a child hesitates for 3 seconds, score as incorrect and give next word.

Discontinue Rule: No correct responses in the first five words.

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Incorrect

(Zero Points)

Correct First Sound

(Two Points)

Correct First Consonant Blends, First Consonant Blend and Vowel or

Consonant and Vowel

(One Point)

Says the correct initial phoneme in isolation

Says the correct initial consonant blend in a word

Says the first consonant/consonant blend and vowel in the word

Makes a response other than one listed