DIBELS/Justin

The Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) are a set of procedures and measures designed to assess the acquisition of early literacy skills from kindergarten through sixth grade. As emphasized by Kaminski, Cummings, Powell-Smith, and Good (2008), DIBELS is a generic indicator and represents a broader sequence of skills to be taught. I approached family friends about using DIBELS to test their younger son, Justin, a sixth grade student. Justin is a high achiever with very good grades and a positive attitude about school. His best subject is math. His parents have been worried about Justin's reading skills. Although he was tutored in reading at Sylvan Learning Center, Justin's parents still do not believe he has attained the proficiency of which they believe he is capable. I hoped DIBELS would demonstrate Justin's reading strengths and weaknesses.

In talking with Justin, I discovered he has a more extensive...
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