Sopris Learning Announces the Release of DIBELS Deep: In-Depth Diagnostic Assessment of Literacy Skills

LONGMONT, Colo., May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sopris Learning, a provider of research-based assessments, supplemental and intervention materials, positive behavior interventions and supports, and professional development offerings, announces the release of DIBELS®Deep: In-Depth Diagnostic Assessment of Literacy Skills. The author team includes world-renowned researchers and authors of DIBELS Next, Drs. Kelly Powell-Smith, Ruth Kaminski, and Roland Good.

DIBELS Deep provides the practical bridge between data and instruction. These brief measures are individually administered, untimed diagnostic assessments of critical reading skills for students in grades K–5, and for older learners with very low skills. The precise information from these assessments helps educators make informed decisions and provides critical information to more effectively target instruction for students who are struggling in their reading development. The rigorously researched DIBELS Deep materials are:

• Focused on Phonemic Awareness and Word Reading and Decoding
• Aligned with the Common Core State Standards
• Time-efficient (approximately10 minutes each) and cost-effective
• Highly rated in terms of usefulness of data and ease of use, based on data collected during developmental research

This initial release of DIBELS Deep includes measures designed for diagnostic assessment of phonemic awareness and phonics:

• DIBELS Deep Phonemic Awareness (PA): A range of phonemic awareness skills are assessed with DIBELS Deep PA, generally beginning with easier skills and becoming more difficult as the student progresses through the measure. DIBELS Deep PA assesses the following skills: blending word parts in compound words; blending syllables; blending two- and three-phoneme words; segmenting compound words; segmenting syllables; identifying initial sounds; identifying final sounds; and segmenting two-,
  three-, and four-phoneme words.
• DIBELS Deep Word Reading and Decoding (WRD): Six different assessment components are included in DIBELS Deep WRD. In general, the skills measured by WRD are representative of those skills taught in grades K–3, beginning with letter-sound correspondence and reading basic vowel-consonant [VC] words and progressing through reading multisyllabic words, words with multiple affixes, and words with low-frequency sound patterns.

Although Deep is correlated to DIBELS Next and DIBELS Next Survey, it can be used for students who are not reaching benchmark on any screener, or in any situation where a teacher needs more information about a student's reading skills.

For more information, samples, correlations to the Common Core State Standards, and a recorded webinar overview from the lead author, please visit the DIBELS Deep website.

About Sopris Learning
Sopris Learning is committed to bringing learning to life for students and making professional growth meaningful for educators. We are proud to represent the life's work of world-renowned researchers and education leaders. For 35 years, Sopris Learning has supported teachers and students with a range of proven assessments, academic interventions, literacy and math supplements, positive behavior supports, and professional development. With a firm commitment to translating research into practice, we have helped schools and districts boost student participation, improve test scores, and increase graduation rates. Sopris Learning is a business unit of Cambium Learning®Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: ABCD) based in Dallas, Texas. For more information, please visit www.soprislearning.com.

Media Contact:
Shannan Overbeck
Cambium Learning Group, Inc.
214.932.9476
[email protected]

Investor Contact:
Chris Cleveland
Cambium Learning Group, Inc.
214.932.9474
[email protected] 

SOURCE Sopris Learning; Cambium Learning Group, Inc.