Subject: English Language Learners
Grade Level(s): K – 6
Measures Growth: Yes
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IDEL is the Spanish-language version of DIBELS, the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. IDEL is not a direct translation of DIBELS; rather, it is a formative assessment of early literacy skills in Spanish based on the same evidence of how children learn to read in alphabetic languages. Like DIBELS, IDEL is designed as short (one minute) fluency measures used to regularly monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills, and takes into account the linguistic structure of the Spanish language. IDEL is appropriate for use with children learning to read exclusively in Spanish, as well as in conjunction with DIBELS for dual-language programs in English and Spanish and for bilingual and transitioning students.
Pros: Assesses a range of students, including those from far below to far above grade level • Takes students a reasonable amount of time to complete
Cons: Not aligned to the standards I teach • Does not assess higher-order thinking • Misses growth of some students, such as those far below and/or far above grade level
Pros: Results returned quickly
Cons: Is not helpful to my professional growth as a teacher
Authentic Spanish literacy is based on students making meaning. The IDEL only assesses students on words that do not make sense and how fast they read. There is no comprehension component that is aligned with the CCSS.
Submitted by Sharlee in Oregon on April 10, 2013
Pros: Takes students a reasonable amount of time to complete
Cons: Not aligned to the standards I teach • Does not assess higher-order thinking • Misses growth of some students, such as those far below and/or far above grade level
Pros: Easy to administer • Results returned quickly • Helps me track my students' learning gains over the course of the school year
Cons: It is hard to use the data • Is not helpful to my professional growth as a teacher
The DIBELS assessment does not align to the way that Spanish phonics and phonetics are learned. Though the test gives you results immediately, it lacks in its ability to give results on phonics and phonemic awareness. Also, the retell/comprehension portion does not involve any higher order thinking skills, it simply has students repeat what they read in the one minutes time. For students who struggle with decoding text but still have good comprehension capabilities, the test results are skewed.
Submitted by Margaret in Wisconsin on April 9, 2013
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