Running head: DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 1

DIBELS Assessment Project

Emma Baugher

EDU 325
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 2

DIBELS Assessment Project

Audrey is a fifth-grade student from a rural area, who lives with her parents and her brother,

Alan, and sister, Paige. Audrey spends a majority of her day in the general education classroom and is

placed in special education to improve her reading skills. According to her Individualized Education

Plan (IEP), in March 2018 Audrey was assessed in math and reading using the STAR reading and math

scaled score assessments. The results of both assessments showed that Audrey scored a grade equivalent

of 3.7, which is well below grade level for fourth grade. Audrey is a strong, fluent reader, however, she

struggles with comprehension, vocabulary, and organization of thoughts. She also has strengths in math

when using fractions, and adding and subtracting concrete objects, but has difficulty recalling

multiplication facts, solving story problems, adding and subtracting with regrouping, and

communicating mathematical thinking. Due to these struggles, Audrey has adaptations in place that

include assignments and assessments being read orally, and extended time for completion. The academic

goal that Audrey and her parents presented for this school year is for her to improve her reading

comprehension skills.

Many of the academic tasks that Audrey finds difficult may be a result of underlying behavioral

needs. Although Audrey does not have a Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP), she often uses behaviors as

an excuse to escape completion of difficult assignments and tasks. She also frequently requires

redirection and reminders to focus on the task at hand. She may leave her seat in class to ask the teacher

if each answer is correct. This is a strategy she uses to avoid the difficult assignment. Audrey’s teacher

expressed that she does have suitable organizational skills, however she is impulsive in decision making.

Although she has not been legally diagnosed, these behaviors could be a result of Attention Deficient

Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The behavioral strengths that Audrey conveys could also, however, be

a result of potential ADHD. Audrey is very social and enjoys talking and interacting with her peers. She
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 3

is motivated by helping others and is eager to please through both academics and behaviors. Audrey is

proud of herself when she does well and responds best to constant reinforcement and verbal praise. The

behavioral goal that Audrey is working towards throughout the school year is to improve

communication and focused attention.

Procedures

After being assigned the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS)

assessment project, my professor contacted a special education teacher to ask if I could complete the

DIBELS with one of her students. I communicated with the teacher to organize a date and time that was

most convenient. When I asked the teacher about completing the student background interview before

arriving, she expressed that she would help me complete the paper using the IEP when I arrived on

testing day. Upon arriving at the school, Audrey met me in the office and escorted me to her classroom.

Before conducing the DIBELS, I spoke with the teacher and she provided information to complete the

student background assessment. She showed me Audrey’s IEP and explained where to find the

information from the IEP for the student background form. This allowed me to form a better

understanding of Audrey and her needs prior to assessing. After completing the background information

form, Audrey and I went to a different classroom to complete the DIBELS assessment. The initial

meeting was in the resource room and the DIBELS assessment took place in an additional special

education classroom. There was little noise and distractions in the room and Audrey and I sat side by

side at a table. While Audrey and I talked before giving the DIBELS, she expressed that she had

completed a similar assessment before and she was familiar with the procedures. I then explained to

Audrey the process and procedures of the assessment and we began the first probe.

The DIBELS assessment probes for fifth grade includes the DIBELS Oral Reading Fluency

(DORF) with Retell Fluency (RF) and the DIBELS Daze probes. Audrey began with the DORF and RF
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 4

sections of the assessment. I explained to Audrey that she would have one minute to read the passage

and after one minute she would retell the major details of the story. Throughout the assessment, I used

verbal praise to encourage and support her reading. After completing three DORF reading probes and

RF, Audrey had a short break while I organized the next section of the assessment. We conversed about

her favorite books and the hobbies she enjoys during the break. I then explained to Audrey that for the

Daze probe she would read the passage silently to herself and fill in the missing words by selecting one

of the three options in each sentence. I told her she had three minutes to complete as much of the

passage as she could, while still focusing on the context of the story to choose the correct words. This

was the last section of the fifth grade DIBELS and after completing I thanked Audrey for her help and

cooperation. Together we walked back to the resource room and spoke with the teacher before I thanked

them both and left the school.

After administering the DIBELS assessment, I scored the probes given using the DIBELS

scoring components. I compared the scores to the DIBELS benchmarks to determine if Audrey was

reading below, above, or at grade level. I used these results to select two targeted areas to improve

Audrey’s reading abilities. The assessment showed that Audrey struggles most prominently with reading

comprehension and vocabulary. After determining these targeted areas, I used textbooks and reputable

online sources to research strategies to improve these skills. Research supports that think-alouds are an

effective strategy to improve reading comprehension and word walls can be utilized to increase

knowledge of vocabulary.

Assessments Given

The DIBELS assessment contains several reading probes that measure various literacy skills.

Each grade level uses a combination of these many assessments to target the appropriate skills per grade.

In the fifth-grade classroom, the two main DIBELS probes used are the DORF with RF and the Daze
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 5

assessments. These two probes most effectively monitor the concepts in which fifth graders should be

proficient. The DORF assessment is one of the most prominent studied DIBELS probes and is studied

more than any other Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) assessment (Stoolmiller, Biancarosa, & Fien, 2013).

For this reason, many researchers have supported the reliability and validity of the DORF (Stoolmiller,

Biancarosa, & Fien, 2013). This is an important consideration when choosing an appropriate assessment

because it should be consistent in its results and measure what it intends to measure. The DORF

assessment consists of three, 1-minute timed reading passages, where students read aloud to the teacher

and for each word the student reads correctly, they receive one point. This assessment is used to

determine the number of words read correctly per minute (WCPM) by the student. It assesses the

literacy skills of phonics, fluency, and comprehension when paired with the RF probe. The DORF

assessment provides teachers with data to help determine where in reading students may be succeeding

or struggling. The teacher can observe while students are reading if they are having difficulties with

phonics, fluency, or reading comprehension. Educators can use this data to implement strategies for

improvement or reevaluate the curriculum.

Within the assessment of RF within the DORF, students are required to read the DORF passage

and after finishing, use comprehension strategies to orally retell to the teacher important details and

sequencing from the story. Students are given one minute to explain the story to the best of their

knowledge and memory. When scoring RF, the assessor tallies the number of words expressed that are

relevant to the passage. This number of words is then compared to the benchmarks to determine reading

comprehension levels. Within RF, the quality of the student response is also calculated from the amount

and quality of the details presented. The importance of this data is to determine not only if students

remember the sequence and details of the story, but to observe if the student can present the main ideas

from the text and list some supporting details. The RF probe is the main DIBELS assessment for fifth
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 6

grade that explicitly assesses comprehension abilities. Teachers can use this data in the classroom to

determine if more reading comprehension strategies should be taught to the class as a whole or if

individual students need more support in reading comprehension.

The DIBELS Daze probe consists of a lengthy reading passage, where approximately every

seventh word is replaced with a box of three-word choices. The student is required to use prior

knowledge, vocabulary skills, comprehension strategies, and word recognition to determine which of the

three words appropriately fit in the sentence (Kim, Vanderwood, & Lee, 2016). Three minutes are

provided for the student to read the passage and choose the words that complete the story. The probe is

scored by placing a slash on every word answered incorrectly and with these results an adjusted score is

calculated to balance possible guesses. This score is determined using the number of words chosen

correctly and the number of words chosen incorrectly (Kim, Vanderwood, & Lee, 2016). The Daze

assessment measures the literacy skills of reading comprehension and vocabulary, by observing

student’s ability to choose the words correctly using comprehension strategies and vocabulary

knowledge. It is important for educators to use these results to determine where students are struggling

and how best to assist them to improve their skills. Without understanding of reading comprehension,

students cannot effectively grasp any new material or concepts, therefore, if students are struggling with

this skill teachers need to provide support and implement strategies to increase reading comprehension.

The results from both the DORF with RF and the Daze assessments are important for academic

growth because they determine the level of the students and where they require additional assistance. In

order to become fluent readers, students must have the skills of phonemic awareness, phonics,

comprehension, and vocabulary knowledge. These are the literacy skills the DIBELS assessment

pinpoints. Using the DIBELS assessment, educators can target certain areas for improvement and

implement strategies that will support student learning and success. The reliability and validity that
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DIBELS provides is necessary to accurately and confidently determine these target areas for

improvement and can provide insight into the learning of each student.

Results and Analysis

The results of Audrey’s DIBELS assessments ranged from being above benchmark to below

benchmark, depending on the probe. The average WCPM in the DORF was 125 with the average errors

at 5. Compared to the national benchmarks for the beginning of the year, Audrey scored above

benchmark likely to need core classroom support. These results were not unexpected, as Audrey has

strong reading fluency skills and she tends to be a fast reader, therefore, she was able to read a majority

of the passage with few mistakes. Her DORF accuracy score, however, was at 96%, which falls below

benchmark for both the beginning and middle of the year for fifth grade and requires a need for

additional strategic support. For Audrey’s RF, she scored as expected due to prior knowledge of her

difficulties with reading comprehension. Her average RF score was 25, which is below benchmark for

the beginning of the year. Although she did score below benchmark in her RF, her retell quality was

averaged as a 2 meaning she is at or above benchmark in the quality and detail of her retelling.
Table 1 DORF

DORF Benchmark Total Words Read # of Errors Words Correct Benchmarks

Benchmark 1.1 139 5 134 Above Benchmark

Benchmark 1.2 134 9 125 Above Benchmark

Benchmark 1.3 122 5 117 At Benchmark

Table 2 RF

RF Benchmark Retell Total Benchmarks Quality of Response Benchmarks

Benchmark 1.1 25 Below Benchmark 2 At Benchmark

Benchmark 1.2 24 Below Benchmark 2 At Benchmark

DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 8

Benchmark 1.3 37 At Benchmark 3 Above Benchmark

Table 3 Daze

Words Correct 20

Words Incorrect 13

Adjusted Score 13

Benchmarks Below Benchmark

The second probe given during this assessment was the DIBELS Daze assessment. The number

of words read correctly was 20 and the incorrect responses scored at 13. The Daze adjusted score was

calculated by subtracting the number of incorrect responses divided by 2 from the number of correct

responses. Following this formula, Audrey had a rounded, adjusted score of 13, which is below

benchmark and requires strategic support. These results coincide with the two targeted areas of

improvement because the Daze assesses comprehension and vocabulary skills and Audrey scored below

the fifth-grade benchmarks in these areas.

It was observed throughout the assessment that Audrey is a fast reader, which appeared to be the

cause of several of her mistakes. In benchmark 1.1, Audrey read faster than the following two

benchmarks, shown in her total words read in table 1. This may have been from nervousness or a desire

to please and impress, which is one of Audrey’s prominent behavioral characteristics. After the first

benchmark, she began to read slower and focus more on the content at hand. In benchmark 1.2, Audrey

committed more mistakes than the other two benchmarks. These results occurred because Audrey

replaced the word “crow” with the word “cow” several times throughout the passage. This was also

reflected in the RF because she referred to the main character of the story as a cow instead of a crow. As

the DORF assessment progressed, it can be seen that Audrey’s mistakes were consistent, and her RF

scores increased. She began to read slower while reading the final benchmark passage 1.3, which is
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reflected in her total words read. However, as she decreased her reading speed, she increased her

comprehension of the story, both in the amount she recalled and the quality of her response. This is

noteworthy because it gives insight into how to assist Audrey in increasing her reading comprehension,

by teaching her to decrease her reading speed.

Areas Targeted for Improvement

Comprehension. Reading comprehension is the ability to understand the written material

presented. Comprehension involves the forming of new concepts by synthesizing what has been read

and connecting it to background knowledge (Sonmez & Sulak, 2018). Reading comprehension also

involves understanding the text structure and determining how supporting details inform the main idea

(Rosyida & Ghufron, 2018). Reading comprehension involves many strategies that form the mind to

accept and organize new information and make connections to prior knowledge. This area was targeted

for improvement because the results of the DIBELS assessment, specifically the RF and Daze, indicated

that Audrey is below benchmark for her grade level and requires additional support. In order to be

effective readers, students must not only have strong fluency, but they must understand and make

connections to the reading. Without reading comprehension, there would be no purpose to reading,

therefore, this skill is necessary to be a successful learner. There are many strategies to implement that

can increase reading comprehension skills. These strategies can include questioning, summarizing,

retelling, visualizing, and predicting, as well as many others. One strategy that research has shown to

support the learning of reading comprehension skills is the think-aloud.

In the think-aloud strategy, the teacher models to students how to read a story and verbally

express their thoughts and ideas about the story during the reading process, including forming the main

idea, making predictions, asking questions, and clarifying confusing situations in the story (Sonmez &

Sulak, 2018). This modeling can be helpful for students because they can begin thinking about the story
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 10

in a new way and use metacognition to become more aware of their own comprehension strategies to

become independent readers (Sonmez & Sulak, 2018). The think-aloud process involves the teacher

reading and expressing their thoughts on the story aloud in a teacher think-aloud then, the teacher can

prompt the students to use the same process while the teacher is reading and express their own insights

about the story in the student think-aloud. Teaching students to use this strategy can increase their own

awareness of how to begin the comprehension process, which can result in the ability to successfully

comprehend a story.

A recent study targeting the reading comprehension of 26 fourth graders in Turkey supports the

think aloud strategy. This study separated the class into an experimental group and a control group,

where they were given a reading comprehension pre-test that involved reading a selected passage and

answering questions provided. After the test was given, the experimental group was instructed in the

think aloud strategy to increase reading comprehension. The two groups were then assessed again with a

post-test, targeting the same skills as prior. The results of the study showed that there was a significant

difference in the scores of the pre-test and post-test of the experimental group, who were taught the think

aloud strategy, compared to no significant difference in the scores of the control group. The researchers

found that students who were taught the think-aloud strategy had increased social interaction, active

self-regulation skills, and stronger summarizing skills than those in the control group (Sonmez & Sulak,

2018). These results support the idea that instruction in the think-aloud strategy can increase student

reading comprehension skills.

Implementing the think-aloud strategy should involve the teacher modeling the process and

providing opportunities for students to practice the strategy individually. The teacher can assess student

knowledge and use of the think-aloud by having the students model the process for the teacher or their

peers. The teacher can observe how the students use the process as they read aloud. Students could also
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 11

be provided with a graphic organizer explaining the think aloud process that students could complete

while reading. This can also provide evidence to teachers if the students understand the process.

Monitoring the successfulness of the think aloud approach on reading comprehension skills could be

completed using a curriculum-based measure, similar to the DORF probe. Assessing students’ reading

comprehension frequently using a time-efficient assessment such as the DIBELS can provide

information on the progress of students and their skills.

Vocabulary.

Robust vocabulary instruction is a crucial aspect of reading abilities and academic success.

Effective teaching of vocabulary involves the explicit instruction of word meanings, as well as strategies

for word learning (Gallagher & Anderson, 2016). Another major aspect of vocabulary instruction is

learning words incidentally, using strategies such as wide reading (Gallagher & Anderson, 2016).

Students need to have a wide vocabulary in order to be able to read fluently and comprehend the main

ideas of stories. This area was targeted for improvement because the results of the DIBELS Daze

assessment express that Audrey struggles with vocabulary, which may also be impacting her reading

comprehension abilities. Explicitly teaching word meanings is necessary for successful vocabulary

instruction, however, it is also important to allow students to internalize the meanings of words through

pictures and activity prior knowledge by making connections with real world experiences.

One strategy that provides students with this opportunity to internalize vocabulary is through

graffiti and word walls. This strategy involves the use of images to introduce word meanings to students,

as well as, encouraging repeated review of words and allowing easy access to words learned. Both the

graffiti and word walls involve another strategy called the Frayer Model. In this model, students write

each word on a paper and use each corner to define the word, list an antonym, use the word in a

sentence, and create a drawing that represents that word (Gallagher & Anderson, 2016). The graffiti wall
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 12

involves using this model, except writing the word in the center of the paper in a graffiti style. Each

student presents their word and places it on the assigned wall. This wall can be used as a resource while

reading to define unfamiliar words and it will also encourage students to research unfamiliar words to

add to the wall rather than skipping them while reading. In a picture word wall, students use a similar

process, however, instead of using the Frayer Model, students discuss unfamiliar words as a class and

find images using technology to represent those words.

Recent research has shown the effectiveness of using interactive word and graffiti walls to

increase authentic vocabulary instruction. The targeted population was 44 seventh grade students in

south central Texas divided into two reading groups (Harmon, Wood, Hedrick, Vintinner, & Willeford,

2009). The experiential group self-selected vocabulary words and were taught through small group and

whole class instruction using word walls and other strategies as multiple exposures to word meanings

(Harmon, Wood, Hedrick, Vintinner, & Willeford, 2009). The control continued with the traditional

vocabulary curriculum and word lists. A pretest was provided for both groups to compare to final

research results. For six weeks, data was collected using interviews, artifacts, and written and recorded

notes (Harmon, Wood, Hedrick, Vintinner, & Willeford, 2009). After the six-week intervention, the

groups were given a post test that reflected the same format as the pre-test. The initial results of the

study showed there was no significant difference between the two groups of students, however, the

researchers assessed the students again two weeks following the intervention without prior warning to

the students. This delayed test revealed that the experiential group received higher scores than the

control group, due to the vocabulary intervention strategy of word walls (Harmon, Wood, Hedrick,

Vintinner, & Willeford, 2009).

The word and graffiti wall strategy can increase vocabulary knowledge by making vocabulary

instruction meaningful and connect words to real word situations. This method can be used as a
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 13

supplement to explicit vocabulary instruction, which is still necessary for student reading success.

Assessing student understanding of this method can include simply observing the students through their

discussion and how they make their cards for the wall. Traditional vocabulary assessments, as well as

student writing assignments and reading fluency and comprehension scores can provide inside on

student vocabulary knowledge and progress. CBMs can be used to assess vocabulary and monitor

progress, including reassessment of the DIBELS Daze.

Conclusion

Through administering the DIBELS to Audrey, I was able to determine that she succeeded in

reading fluency, while struggling with her reading comprehension and vocabulary. Analyzing the results

of the assessment provided more insight into the underlying causes of her difficulties, such as reading

too fast. The results of Audrey’s DIBELS confirmed my prior knowledge of her reading levels and I was

able to take this further knowledge to target the areas she needed to improve. Throughout this process, I

learned the practical use of implementing the DIBELS assessment in the classroom. The importance of

constant assessment is frequently discussed in my classes, however, administering the DIBELS helped

me to internalize this concept and think deeper about the practical implications of progress monitoring. I

now feel confident applying the DIBELS or a similar CBM into my future classroom. Another aspect of

CBM I have internalized through this process is using assessment to inform instruction. This is a similar

concept that has been significantly stressed as a crucial aspect of an effective classroom. Administering

the DIBELS and using those results to determine strategies for targeted areas showed me the importance

of using assessment results to choose instructional strategies that support student needs. This process has

shown me the practical use of implementing CBMs in the classroom and monitoring student progress, as

well as, the significance of using the results of these assessments to inform instruction in order to meet

the individual needs of all students.

DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 14

Bibliography

Gallegher, M.A., & Anderson, B.E. (2016). Get all “jazzed up” for vocabulary instruction: Strategies

that engage. The Reading Teacher, 70(3), 273-282.

Harmon, J.M., Wood, K. D., Hedrick, W. B., Vintinner, J., & Willeford, T. (2009). Interacting word

walls: More than just reading the writing on the walls. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy,

52(5), 398-408.

Kim, J. S., Vanderwood, M. L., & Lee, C. Y. (2016). Predictive validity of curriculum-based measures

for English learners at varying English proficiency levels. Educational Assessment, 21(1), 1-18.

Rosyida, F., & Ghufron, M. A. (2018). Herringbone and tri focus steve snyder technique: The

techniques for teaching reading comprehension viewed from students’ reading habit.

International Journal of Instruction, 11(3), 603-616.

Sonmez, Y., & Sulak, S. E. (2018). The effect of the think-aloud strategy on the reading comprehension

skills of 4th grade primary school students. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 6(1),

168-172.

Stoolmiller, M., Biancarosa, G., & Fien, H. (2013). Measurement properties of DIBELS Oral Reading

Fluency in grade 2: Implications for equating studies. Assessment for Effective Intervention,

38(2), 76-90.
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT
DIBELS Assessment Project Lesson Plan
Lesson Title: Think-alouds
Learning Target: When reading a novel, students will demonstrate each step of the think aloud process
with 80% accuracy 4 out of 5 times.
Grade Level Guide: Content Standards:
Content Curriculum Focal Points
NCTM Standard 3:
Students apply a wide range of
strategies to comprehend,
interpret, evaluate, and
appreciate texts. They draw on
their prior experience, their
interactions with other readers
and writers, their knowledge of
word meaning and of other texts,
their word identification
strategies, and their
understanding of textual features
(e.g., sound-letter
correspondence, sentence
structure, context, graphics).
Academic Language:
- think aloud
- reading comprehension
- graphic organizer
- questions
- predictions
- comments
- metacognition
Common Core State Standards
Ohio English Language Arts
Standard RL.5.10
By the end of the year, read
and comprehend literature,
including stories, dramas, and
poetry, at the high end of the
grades 4–5 text complexity
band independently and
proficiently. Activate prior
knowledge and draw on
previous experiences in order
to make text-to-self or text- to-
text connections and
comparisons.
Maryland English Language
Arts Standard RL10
By the end of the year, read
and comprehend literature,
including stories, dramas, and
poetry, at the high end of the
grades 4–5 text complexity
band independently and
proficiently.
15
Grade: 5th
Interdisciplinary Connections
The think aloud process can be
utilized in any subject matter or
content area. Teachers can use the
think aloud strategy even when
using text books to encourage
understanding. This is a skill that
can apply to all types of reading.
Almost every subject area
involves reading and
comprehending a text and
teaching the think aloud strategy
can aide in that comprehension
and learning. Teachers can work
together to encourage the use of
the think aloud strategy and
teachers in other subject areas can
teach students how to conduct a
think aloud with their content.
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 16

Students’ Needs:
Student Name Additional Support With:
Audrey - Staying focused and on
task
- Understanding the
process of the activity
- Remembering the steps
of the activity
- Comprehending a text
What the Teacher Will Do:
- I will stand near Audrey to
help keep her on task.
- I will provide the graphic
organizer for Audrey prior
to modeling the think aloud.
This assists Audrey in
understanding and
visualizing the process
while it is being taught.
- I could provide Audrey with
an explicit list of
steps/prompts to consider
during the think aloud
process.
- I will pair Audrey will an
advanced classmate during
the paired think alouds. I
will specifically pair her
with a peer that will help her
stay on track and can assist
her in the process if it is
needed.
- Audrey will work with the
paraeducator during the
independent think aloud to
assist with comprehension
and staying on task.

Materials:
Teacher Needs Student Needs
Chapter book (Ex. The Tale of Despereaux) Chapter book (Ex. The Tale of Despereaux)
Graphic organizers Pen/Pencil
Questions about passage Red/Yellow/Green Cards
Mini white boards
Dry erase markers
List of student pairs
Questions about think aloud

Language Function:
- Students will analyze a text using the think aloud strategy.
- Students will identify key points within a text while conducting a think aloud.
- Students will evaluate the think aloud process and apply the steps when reading a text.
- Students will describe and explain the important aspects to consider when reading a fantasy text.
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 17

Lesson Plan
Before: I will being the lesson by having students close their eyes and listen as I read a short passage
from the story The Tale of Despereaux. I will prompt the students to listen closely to the passage and
try to imagine the story playing out in their mind. I will also explain to students to be aware of the
thoughts and questions they may have while I am reading. I will proceed to read the passage,
including some comments and questions I had while reading. The students will open their eyes and I
will ask students to share any thoughts or questions they had while I read the passage. After students
share, I will explain that these thoughts and questions are part of a process called the think aloud. I
will lead the class in a discussion about the purpose of think aloud and why it is an important aspect of
reading comprehension. One skill I will mention to the class is metacognition or thinking and being
aware of your own thinking processes. I will explain that this is important to be an effective reader
because it helps with understanding what you are reading. During this part of the lesson, I will lead a
short review with students about reading a fantasy text, providing background information about the
book and reviewing important aspects to remember when reading the fantasy genre. This will help
students to be more engaged in the text and be able to comprehend the basic parts of the text, such as
the setting. Students will use white boards to answer some review questions about reading the fantasy
genre, as well as the introductory information about the think aloud method.

During: After introducing the think aloud process and reviewing the important aspects of the fantasy
genre, I will model for students how to conduct a think aloud using The Tale of Despereaux. During
this process, I will read the text aloud, while students follow along in their own copy of the text, and
provide comments, questions, predictions, and inferences while reading. Before reading, I will
encourage students to take notes in the margins of their texts, writing my think aloud comments. After
reading a few pages, I will challenge students to try to come up with their own questions and
comments. We will have a short discussion, where students can choose to share their think aloud notes
or ask questions about the think aloud process. I will conduct a formative assessment using
red/yellow/green cards to gauge student understanding of the process. I will ask students some basic
questions about the think aloud process and students will hold up the green card if it is true, the red
card if it is false, and the yellow card if they are unsure. If students still seem to be struggling to
understand, I will continue to model the process and provide more explanation.

After modeling the think aloud, I will explain to students that I am going to continue reading aloud,
however, during this time, the students as a class are going to provide all of the think aloud comments.
I will explain to students that as I read the passage they are to take notes in their book with their own
think aloud comments and questions. After reading the passage, I will call on students randomly using
popsicle sticks to share one or two of the comments they wrote throughout the passage. I will then
provide an opportunity for students to share if they were not called upon to answer. We will discuss if
the comments are appropriate for the passage and if they fit in the think aloud process. Students are
given several opportunities to respond during this time and I can use observation to assess where
students are understanding and who might be struggling.

Students will then be given instructions to work in pairs to take turns conducting think alouds. I will
assign the students into heterogeneous pairs, assigning an upper level or gifted student with a student
who may be struggling with the process. This allows the more advanced students to act as scaffolds
for those who may not understand the think aloud process as well. As the students are working in
pairs, I will walk throughout the classroom and observe the students’ thinking-aloud. I will be a
 DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 18

facilitator and intervene when students might be struggling, or answer questions students may have
about the process. During this time, I may assign some students to work with my paraeducator to
provide additional support or instruction to reinforce the process.

After: Before students conduct a think aloud independently, I will reassess student understanding
using similar questions from the during section to ensure the fully understand the think aloud process.
Students will be asked to stand in the center of the room and when given a statement they will go to
the right side of the room if they agree, the left side of the room if they do not agree, or stay in the
center if they do not know. This allows students to be moving around the room before working quietly
and independently. Also, it allows me to determine if the students are ready to move on to
independent work. After this assessment, I will pass out to students a graphic organizer that has the
basic aspects of a think aloud. Students will be asked to read independently in their chapter book and
use the prompts in the graphic organizer to write in the margins their think aloud questions,
comments, and predictions. As students work, I will circulate the room to ensure students are on task
and to answer questions, as well as provide feedback to students as I observe their process. After
reading and conducting the think aloud independently, students will answer a few questions about the
reading to determine if the think aloud process was effective in helping students with comprehension
of the text. These questions will be an exit slip for the students to hand in before leaving class.
Students will also be required to hand in their chapter books and I will read through their think aloud
notes in the margins. I will provide feedback to the students about their notes and we will begin the
next lesson discussing some misconceptions students had during their independent think aloud and I
will reteach any aspects students are struggling with as evidenced through their margin notes.

Assessment:
Type of Description of
assessment assessment
-White Board -Students will use white
Review: Formative boards to answer
questions regarding the
important aspects of a
-Color Cards: fantasy text and to show
Formative understanding of the
introductory material for
-Agree/Disagree: the think aloud.
Formative
-Students will use color
-Exit Slips: cards to express
Formative/Formal understanding by
answering true and false
-Margin Notes: questions about the think
Formative/Formal aloud process.
-Observation: -Students will stand in the
Formative/Informal center of the room and
when given a statement
regarding the think aloud,
Modifications or Evaluation Criteria
accommodations
-Audrey: During the -White Boards: For mastery,
individual think aloud, students must answer 8 out of
Audrey will work with 10 questions correctly.
the paraeducator to
conduct the think aloud -Color Cards: For mastery,
process orally together students must answer 8 out of
and answer the 10 questions correctly.
comprehension
questions as they read. -Agree/Disagree: For
Audrey could also fill mastery, students must
in the graphic organizer answer 8 out of 10 questions
for submission, rather correctly.
than writing her
thoughts in the -Exit Slips: Students must
margins. This would answer all questions with 3-5
provide a more sentences, including main
structured activity and ideas and supporting details.
objectives to help her
stay on task.
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 19

they will walk to the right -Margin Notes: Student

of the room if they agree, answers must fit within the
the left of the room if they aspects of a think aloud.
disagree, and stay in the
center if they do not -Observation: Students must
know. be focused on the task at
hand and be applying the
-Students will answer think aloud strategy.
comprehension questions
from a text to determine
understanding and
effectiveness of the think
aloud strategy and hand
them in before leaving the
classroom.

-Students will conduct a

think aloud independently
and write their thoughts in
the margins of their text.
They will hand in the text
at the end of class for
review by the teacher.

-The teacher will use

observation throughout
the lesson to gauge
student understanding of
the think aloud strategy.

Plan for Classroom Management: During this lesson, I will use discussion and collaboration to
support student learning. These two activities are used often in my classroom, and therefore students are
familiar with the procedures and rules surrounding them. I will remind students prior to the lesson to be
respectful of their classmates during class discussion by listening quietly while others are speaking and
raising your hand to contribute to the conversation. I will allow students to volunteer to answer
questions, but I will also use popsicle sticks with the student’s names written on them to call on students
randomly to answer. This is also a routine that students are familiar with, and students recognize they
should be listening and engaging to be prepared to answer. I will also remind students that classroom
participation is key to class discussions and that every answer has potential to teach something to the
class. I will use behavior specific praise and a whole class rewards system in my classroom to conduct
behavior. For each 90-minute reading block, the students have a chart of the side chalk board that
contains 20 boxes. The whole class will work together each day to fill in all 20 boxes by the end of the
period. The boxes can be filled in if the class is following directions, on task, participating, working
quietly when working independently, being kind to others, etc. If the students fill in all 20 boxes each
day for a week, on Friday the students will get an extra treat, such as 10 minutes extra time for personal
reading, reach student chooses a piece of candy, a homework pass, etc. If the students receive their 20
DIBELS ASSESSMENT PROJECT 20

boxes every day for a month, they get a special party. This is a way to motivate students to promote
good behavior and work as a class to achieve their goal.

Paraeducator Support: I will utilize a paraeducator in this lesson mainly to work with students during
the paired think aloud and the independent work. If students need more individualized reinforcement on
how to conduct the think aloud process, they will work with the paraeducator during the paired think
aloud. This allows the paraeducator to provide additional instruction or show the students an alternate
way to conduct the think aloud. Additionally, the paraeducator can work directly with Audrey during the
independent think aloud to help her stay on task and work through the think aloud orally, rather than
individually. Throughout the rest of the lesson, the paraeducator can assist the teacher in ensuring the
students are on task and following along in their text and taking notes. The paraeducator could assist the
teacher in handing out white boards and markers, as well as, the graphic organizers and exit slip
questions. While the paraeducator is passing out supplies, the teacher can continue teaching or prepare
for the next part of the lesson.