Indicadores Dinámicos del Éxito en la Lectura
Indicadores Dinámicos del Éxito en la Lectura (IDEL) is a research-based formative assessment series of measures designed to assess the basic early literacy skills of children learning to read in Spanish.
What is IDEL?
Indicadores Dinámicos del Éxito en la Lectura (IDEL) is a research-based formative assessment series of measures designed to assess the basic early literacy skills of children learning to read in Spanish.
All the IDEL measures are standardized, brief, individually administered, and can be used to regularly monitor the development of early Spanish literacy skills. Both benchmark and progress monitoring testing materials are available as a free download.
The IDEL measures are not a translation of the DIBELS measures. They take into account the linguistic structure of the Spanish language including the phonology, orthography, and syntax. Like DIBELS, the IDEL measures are based on the same theoretical and evidence-based principles of how children learn to read in alphabetic languages such as English and Spanish.
IDEL is a screening tool that includes instructional recommendations and benchmark goals. It provides teachers with information on student skills in the core components of beginning reading including: phonological awareness, the alphabetic principle, accuracy and fluency reading connected text, vocabulary and comprehension.
Benchmark Screening
Benchmark testing is the systematic process of screening all students on essential skills predictive of later reading performance. Benchmark testing is one part of a comprehensive assessment system that includes universal screening, progress monitoring, summative assessments and other formal and informal assessments all designed to get the critical information needed to make informed instructional decisions. It is a foundational link between assessment, instruction and goal setting.
The IDEL assessments have been researched and validated specifically for benchmark testing in Kindergarten through 3rd grade. We recommend screening all students three times per year with grade-level materials. Research indicates that early identification and early intervention are essential for helping students who are at risk for future reading difficulties, or are currently having reading difficulties. Screening all students, including those who met earlier benchmark goals, also provides a complete data set that is needed to determine if reading instruction is effective with all students at the school or district level. Benchmark data can help answer the following types of questions:
- Is our reading program effective with all students at all grade levels?
- Are there exemplar schools (or classes) in our district on which we can model successful reading instruction?
- What are the strengths of our reading program?
- What areas of our reading program need improvement?
- Did we meet our literacy goals this year?
The testing materials consist of grade-level booklets for each student and a set of display materials. Most testing is done one on one with each student and takes approximately 5-10 minutes per student. Student scores are used to determine how each student is doing in relation to a benchmark goal that is predictive of later reading success. The benchmark goals are criterion-referenced. Each measure has an empirically established goal (or benchmark) that changes across time to ensure students’ skills are developing in a manner predictive of continued progress. The goals are the same for all students learning to read in Spanish.
Progress Monitoring
Progress monitoring is a key component of providing differentiated and individualized reading instruction. Student performance and development of literacy skills should be monitored frequently for all students who are at risk of reading difficulty. The data gathered during progress monitoring can be used in the instructional decision making process.
Benchmark testing with IDEL can help determine which students are at risk for later reading difficulties. Students who receive supplemental instructional support should be progress monitored. The assessment used to monitor progress should align with the instructional priorities of the supplemental reading instruction. For example, if a student’s area of weakness is identified as fluency with connected text then monitoring with Fluidez en la Lectura Oral (FLO) is the best option since FLO measures fluency.
Progress monitoring materials consist of alternate forms of the Benchmark assessments. The only exception to this is Fluidez en Nombrar Letras (FNL). FNL should not be progress monitored. It is different from the other measures in that it is not aligned with one of the five major skill areas in beginning reading. It's used for benchmark screening because it is a good indicator of risk, but shouldn't be monitored beyond that.
The progress monitoring probes are all approximately at the same difficulty level within the grade they are used. For example, at each grade FLO passage #1 is the approximately the same reading level as FLO passage #20. The probes should be given in order since they are arranged in a specific way to account for small differences in difficulty. Progress monitoring probes should not be used for practice or as instructional materials.
Appropriate level of materials
Typically, the level of assessment used for monitoring should match the student’s instructional level. Progress monitoring can be done with grade-level or out-of-grade-level materials. Testing with the appropriate level of materials will provide the best feedback for planning instruction.
If the student’s benchmark score is in the Strategic Level of Support then grade-level materials are most likely the appropriate level at which to progress monitor. If the student’s benchmark score is in the Intensive Level of Support, you may want to administer a measure or FLO passage from one grade-level below. You can continue administering passages and moving down grade levels until you find a level that will allow you to measure growth.
Frequency and duration
For a student identified as Core (at benchmark/low risk), we recommend screening only during the three benchmark periods. For a student identified as Strategic (below benchmark/some risk) who receives additional instructional support, we recommend progress monitoring 1 to 2 times per month on the measure(s) assessing the skill(s) targeted in the intervention. For a student identified as Intensive (well below benchmark/at risk) who begins receiving additional, intensive instructional support, we recommend progress monitoring 2 to 4 times per month on the measure(s) assessing the skill(s) targeted in the intervention. When monitoring weekly or every other week with FLO, we recommend using one FLO passage. When monitoring once per month with FLO, we recommend using 3 passages and then recording the median score.
The duration that each student is progress monitored may vary. You can measure growth by plotting the scores on the front of the progress monitoring booklet and drawing an aimline from the student’s first data point to the target goal. Plot each score on the graph as the student is monitored. If you are using an online data system, it may have a report that does this for you. If a student is above the aimline but hasn't yet reached the end-of-year target goal, you may want to continue monitoring if the student is receiving additional instructional support. However, if the student is consistently scoring above the aimline (e.g., three times or more), you may review whether the student needs to continue to receive additional instructional support as well as progress monitoring.
Download Testing Materials
Testing materials are available as a FREE download.
The IDEL Measures
| Measure | Measurement Areas |
|---|---|
| Fluidez en Nombrar Letras (FNL) | Risk Indicator |
| Fluidez en la Segmentación de Fonemas (FSF) | Phonological Awareness |
| Fluidez en las Palabras sin Sentido (FPS) | Alphabetic Principle and Phonics |
| Fluidez en la Lectura Oral (FLO) |
Accuracy and Fluency Comprehension |
| Fluidez en el Relato Oral (FRO) | Comprehension |
| Fluidez en el Uso de las Palabras (FUP) | Expressive Vocabulary |
Administration Timeline
This timeline shows the administration periods for each of the required (green bars) and optional (gray bars) IDEL measures. Note that it is recommended that users administer all the measures that can be given for a specific administration period, but only the measures with green bars are required to calculate instructional recommendations.
Benchark Goals
Three Assessment Periods Per Year
Download a PDF version of the IDEL benchmark goals for grades K - 3.
Kindergarten
| IDEL Measure | Beginning of Year Months 1 - 3 |
Middle of Year Months 4 - 6 |
End of Year Months 7 - 10 |
|||
| Scores | Status | Scores | Status | Scores | Status | |
| FNL | 0 - 2 3 - 5 6 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
0 - 14 15 - 24 25 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
0 - 24 25 - 39 40 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
| FSF (FSF-TLP score) |
0 - 4 5 - 14 15 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
0 - 14 15 - 29 30 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
0 - 34 35 - 49 50 and above |
Deficit Emerging Established |
| FPS (FPS-TSL score) |
Not administered during this assessment period. |
0 - 9 10 - 19 20 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
0 - 24 25 - 34 35 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
|
| FUP | BENCHMARK GOALS FOR THIS MEASURE HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED.
Tentatively, students in the lowest 20 percent of a school district using local norms should be considered at risk for poor language and reading outcomes, and those between the 20th and percentile and 40th percentile should be considered at some risk. |
|||||
First Grade
| IDEL Measure | Beginning of Year Months 1 - 3 |
Middle of Year Months 4 - 6 |
End of Year Months 7 - 10 |
|||
| Scores | Status | Scores | Status | Scores | Status | |
| FNL | 0 - 19 20 - 34 35 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
Not administered during this assessment period. |
Not administered during this assessment period. |
||
| FSF (FSF-TLP score) |
0 - 34 35 - 49 50 and above |
Deficit Emerging Established |
0 - 34 35 - 49 50 and above |
Deficit Emerging Established |
0 - 34 35 - 49 50 and above |
Deficit Emerging Established |
| FPS (FPS-TSL score) |
0 - 24 25 - 34 35 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
0 - 39 40 - 69 70 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
0 - 69 70 - 89 90 and above |
Deficit Emerging Established |
| FLO | Not administered during this assessment period. |
0 - 9 10 - 19 20 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
0 - 24 25 - 39 40 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
|
| FRO | Not administered during this assessment period. |
BENCHMARK GOALS FOR THIS MEASURE HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED.
Preliminary evidence indicates that children's retell scores should typically be about 50% of their oral reading fluency score (FLO), and that it is unusual for children reading more than 40 words per minute to have a retell score 25% or less than their oral reading fluency score. A retell score of less than 25% of the oral reading fluency score may indicate a problem with comprehension. |
||||
| FUP | BENCHMARK GOALS FOR THIS MEASURE HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED.
Tentatively, students in the lowest 20 percent of a school district using local norms should be considered at risk for poor language and reading outcomes, and those between the 20th and percentile and 40th percentile should be considered at some risk. |
|||||
Second Grade
| IDEL Measure | Beginning of Year Months 1 - 3 |
Middle of Year Months 4 - 6 |
End of Year Months 7 - 10 |
|||
| Scores | Status | Scores | Status | Scores | Status | |
| FPS (FPS-TSL score) |
0 - 69 70 - 89 90 and above |
Deficit Emerging Established |
Not administered during this assessment period. |
Not administered during this assessment period. |
||
| FLO | 0 - 24 25 - 34 35 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
0 - 39 40 - 49 50 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
0 - 49 50 - 64 65 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
| FRO | BENCHMARK GOALS FOR THIS MEASURE HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED.
Preliminary evidence indicates that children's retell scores should typically be about 50% of their oral reading fluency score (FLO), and that it is unusual for children reading more than 40 words per minute to have a retell score 25% or less than their oral reading fluency score. A retell score of less than 25% of the oral reading fluency score may indicate a problem with comprehension. |
|||||
| FUP | BENCHMARK GOALS FOR THIS MEASURE HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED.
Tentatively, students in the lowest 20 percent of a school district using local norms should be considered at risk for poor language and reading outcomes, and those between the 20th and percentile and 40th percentile should be considered at some risk. |
|||||
Third Grade
| IDEL Measure | Beginning of Year Months 1 - 3 |
Middle of Year Months 4 - 6 |
End of Year Months 7 - 10 |
|||
| Scores | Status | Scores | Status | Scores | Status | |
| FLO | 0 - 49 50 - 59 60 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
0 - 59 60 - 69 70 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
0 - 64 65 - 84 85 and above |
At Risk Some Risk Low Risk |
| FRO | BENCHMARK GOALS FOR THIS MEASURE HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED.
Preliminary evidence indicates that children's retell scores should typically be about 50% of their oral reading fluency score (FLO), and that it is unusual for children reading more than 40 words per minute to have a retell score 25% or less than their oral reading fluency score. A retell score of less than 25% of the oral reading fluency score may indicate a problem with comprehension. |
|||||
| FUP | BENCHMARK GOALS FOR THIS MEASURE HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED.
Tentatively, students in the lowest 20 percent of a school district using local norms should be considered at risk for poor language and reading outcomes, and those between the 20th and percentile and 40th percentile should be considered at some risk. |
|||||
Data Management
The DIBELS Data System provides data entry and reporting service for schools and districts using the IDEL measures for kindergarten through third grade. Learn more about DDS Features.
Data System service for IDEL is availble as part of the DDS Standard Product. See our pricing page for details.