The right measures at the right time
With mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition, you’ll assess students based on grade-specific curriculum and instructional standards, in accordance with International Dyslexia Association (IDA) guidelines.
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition offers one-minute, easy-to-administer measures of processing speed, phonological awareness, alphabetic principle, and word reading.
DIBELS® 8th Edition subtest alignment with IDA Guidelines | ||||||
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Dyslexia Screening Area | mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition Measure | Grade K | Grade 1 | Grade 2 | Grade 3 | Grade 4–6 |
Rapid naming ability | Letter Naming Fluency (LNF) | |||||
Phonological awareness | Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF) | |||||
Alphabetic principle | Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF) | |||||
Word reading | Word Reading Fluency (WRF) | |||||
Word reading | Oral Reading Fluency (ORF) | |||||
Comprehension | Maze |
Validated as a universal screener and a dyslexia screener
Strong reliability and validity evidence shows that DIBELS 8th Edition can effectively assess students in key skills linked to both dyslexia and broader reading difficulty. The research supporting DIBELS 8th Edition, conducted by the University of Oregon, is rigorous, meets high technical standards, and empowers educators to make well-informed decisions.
Read the DIBELS 8th Edition Dyslexia White Paper.
A complete system for data-based decision making
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition provides rich data that helps you make informed instructional decisions and seek out further dyslexia screening evaluation if needed:
- Assess skills: mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and optional dyslexia screenings in Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN), Spelling, Vocabulary, and Oral Language accurately assess students’ abilities.
- Identify risk: The DIBELS 8 composite score shows each student’s risk level, with ‘Well Below Benchmark’ indicating a need for intensive support. Students who are also ‘Well Below Benchmark’ in RAN and/or Spelling have an additional Risk Indicator icon next to their name.
- Provide instruction: The mCLASS Instruction feature analyzes student error patterns to key dyslexia-related subtests, then recommends small groups and explicit, multi-sensory activities for reinforcing skills.
- Progress monitor: mCLASS includes progress-monitoring measures to track student growth in letter sounds, alphabetic principle, word reading, oral reading fluency, and comprehension, so that informed instructional decisions can be made.
- Adapt instruction: mCLASS displays indicators based on progress monitoring performance that indicate when a change in instruction may be needed. It also updates instruction recommendations using the latest data.
Differentiated literacy instruction
mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition lays the groundwork for a strong Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS).
In addition to identifying students with symptoms of dyslexia, mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition data recommends early intervention, personalized instruction, and core instruction within Amplify’s early literacy suite. Based on the Science of Reading, Amplify’s early literacy suite programs follow an explicit and systematic structure, build knowledge, and instruct on all of the foundational skills essential to literacy development.
- Intervene with mCLASS Intervention and Amplify Tutoring: Staff-led Tier 2 and 3 intervention for intensive support.
- Practice with Boost Reading: Personalized learning program to extend and reinforce core instruction.
- Instruct with Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts (CKLA): Core curriculum to build foundational skills and knowledge.
Bilingual dyslexia screening
By assessing with mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and its Spanish counterpart, mCLASS Lectura, you’ll know with confidence whether a student truly shows signs of dyslexia or is experiencing difficulties learning a new language.
When used together, mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura feature a Dual Language Report that analyzes dyslexia screening results in both languages. The report also details how each student can leverage their strengths from one language to support growth in the other.
Optional screening measures at no extra cost
Your mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition program includes optional measures in vocabulary, spelling, RAN, and language comprehension that can be added flexibly to meet your specific instructional goals or requirements for dyslexia screening. These measures are available in English and Spanish and offered at no additional cost.
English Measure | Spanish Measure | Description | Grade Level |
Vocabulary | Vocabulario | Measures knowledge of grade-specific words and deriving meaning from texts. | K–3 |
Encoding (Spelling) | Ortografía | Measures spelling skills for grade-specific words. | K–3 |
RAN (Numbers) | – | Measures how quickly students can name numeric symbols aloud. | K–3 |
Oral language | Lenguaje oral | Students are asked to repeat sentences verbatim while the assessor notes errors. | K–2 |
Dyslexia resources for families
Families play a crucial role in helping children overcome reading challenges. mCLASS DIBELS 8th Edition and mCLASS Lectura provide a Home Connect letter after each dyslexia screening to explain the results in family-friendly language, recommend activities, and direct families to a free website for additional at-home support.
Developmentally appropriate
Computer-based assessments that require students to complete tasks silently or independently may over-identify students for intervention services, especially young learners who are still developing focus and attention abilities.
mCLASS requires students to actively demonstrate their proficiency in producing letter sounds, forming words, and reading texts. This approach to assessment aligns with IDA guidelines for effective screening of reading challenges. By choosing mCLASS for dyslexia screening, you’ll gain accurate information about a student’s risk for dyslexia, and gain the capability to monitor every student’s path to reading proficiency.
Additional resources
- 4 tools to help teachers better understand dyslexia
- Science of Reading: The Podcast, Season 7, Episode 7: Debunking the “gift” of dyslexia in children, with Dr. Tim Odegard
- Science of Reading: The Podcast, Season 1, Episode 6: The facts and myths of dyslexia, with Emily Lutrick
- Dyslexia Fact vs. Fiction
- mCLASS Dyslexia Toolkit