Dyslexia
Handbook
Kansas leads the world in the success of each student.
Sep. 7, 2023
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Acknowledgments
To ensure that many Kansas voices were heard in the development of the original dyslexia handbook, the
Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) engaged a diverse group of individuals with expertise in reading
diculties and dyslexia to develop this document. We would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their
contributions to this work.
Barbara Bradley
Professor Elementary Education
The University of Kansas
Denise Brown
Kansas MTSS Consultant
Jaime Callaghan
Director of Student Services
Auburn-Washburn USD 437
Nicole Corn
Kindergarten Teacher
Lawrence USD 497
Crystal Davis
TASN Coordination
Amy Delarosa
Kansas MTSS Consultant
Deb Farr
School Psychologist
Auburn-Washburn USD 437
Lori Mann
Professor Elementary Education
Emporia State University
Christina Middleton
Parent Representative
Jeanine Phillips
Co-Founder, Executive Director
Fundamental Learning Center, Wichita
Heath Peine
Executive Director Student Support Services
Wichita USD 259
Jeri Powers
Reading Teacher
De Soto USD 232
Laurie Winter
Owner, Consultant
Language and Literacy Consulting Inc.
2023 Dyslexia Handbook Revision Team
Melissa Brunner
Director of Student Learning
Herrington USD 487
Amy Bybee
Assistant Superintendent/Curriculum Director
Ottawa USD 290
Sam Cool
First Grade Teacher, NBCT
Manhattan USD 383
Taylor Fegan
First Grade Teacher
Blue Valley USD 229
Deanna Frost
MTSS/At-Risk/ESOL Coordinator
Manhattan USD 383
Hailey Hawkinson
Second Grade Teacher
Dighton USD 482
Mary Larkin
Title Reading Teacher
Syracuse USD 494
Katie Orr
K-12 Academic Aairs Coach
Valley Center USD 262
Casey Peine
Director of Teaching and Learning
Clearwater USD 264
Jeri Powers
District Literacy Specialist (K-12)
DeSoto USD 232
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DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Contents
5 Introduction
6 Dyslexia Dened
6 Characteristics of Dyslexia
8 Characteristics by Grade Level
11 Screening
12 What is Screening?
12 Why Conduct a Screening?
12 Types of Assessment
13 Universal Screeners
13 Informal Diagnostics
13 Progress Monitoring
14 Criteria for Dyslexia Screening Tools
15 Common Screening Practices
15 Interpreting Screening Results
17 Considerations for English Language Learners
18 Kansas State Department of Education Screening Recommendations
19 K-8 Screening Flowchart
20 High School Screening Flowchart
21 Evidence-Based Reading Instruction
22 Theoretical Models of Reading
24 The Structured Literacy Framework
24 Structured Literacy Instruction
24 Principles
26 Elements
29 Reading Intervention Recommendations
30 Progress Monitoring
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DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
CONTENTS
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Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
32 Appendices
33 Appendix A
33 KSDE Dyslexia Screening Protocol K-12 (2023-2024)
35 Appendix B
35 Information for Families and Caregivers
36 Appendix C
36 Screening Information for Students with Reading Diculties/Flowcharts (Including Dyslexia)
38 K-8 Screening Flowchart
39 High School Screening Flowchart
40 Screening Protocol Checklist
42 Appendix D
42 Subtest Skills Dened
44 Appendix E
44 Sample Scope and Sequence of Phonogram Instruction
45 References
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Introduction
The Kansas State Department of Education’s (KSDE) Dyslexia Handbook was developed to provide guidance and
information to a broad spectrum of educators and stakeholders. Specically, this publication is a response to
the Kansas Legislative Task Force on Dyslexia and its recommendations. Many students in Kansas continue to
struggle with reading despite being provided the learning opportunities necessary to become successful readers.
Reading, writing or spelling diculties may be caused by dyslexia or characteristics of dyslexia. The vision of
Kansas education is to “lead the world in the success of each student.” With this vision in mind, this resource seeks
to foster an understanding of dyslexia and related challenges to reading. This handbook explains how to identify,
teach and support students with dyslexia and other reading diculties to assure all students have access to the
literacy skills and strategies needed to help them reach their full potential.
About 15-20% of
our population
have characteristics
of dyslexia, which
could include
inaccurate or slow
reading, poor
spelling, poor
writing or mixing
up words that are
similar.
- Shaywitz & Shaywitz, 2020.
The purpose of the KSDE Dyslexia Handbook is to provide information
and procedures to be used by school districts, administrators,
specialists, teachers, higher education faculty, students and
parents/guardians in early identication of, instruction for, and
accommodations for students who struggle to read. This handbook
will be used by school districts for developing written procedures,
instructional methodologies, evidence-based practices regarding
students with dyslexia. Kansas school districts have considerable
autonomy in making decisions about diagnostic tools and
instructional programs. KSDE anticipates this guidance document will
help educational leaders align diagnostic tools and programs with
what the evidence shows is benecial to all students and critical for
students who struggle in acquiring reading skills.
Children who struggle in learning to read are highly likely to benet
from systematic, explicit instruction in reading and writing. Dyslexia
occurs in people of all backgrounds and intellectual levels. People
with dyslexia can be very intelligent, and their diculties are often
surrounded by a sea of strengths, such as strong critical thinking
skills, problem-solving skills or creativity (Shaywitz & Shaywitz, 2020).
Also, research indicates that dyslexia is hereditary; parents with
dyslexia are very likely to have children with dyslexia.
1
Additional information for families and caregivers can be found in
Appendix B.
2
Kansas children may struggle in learning to read for many dierent reasons. Some reasons for this could include
weak oral language development in the early years, growing up in a family that has faced economic hardships,
weak skills in the English language, low general intellectual ability or lack of motivation and interest.
3
The good
news is that human brains are malleable, and with universal screening practices, evidence-based literacy
instruction and interventions as needed, combined with progress monitoring, reading improvement is possible.
1 Olson, Keenan, Byrne & Samuelson, 2014
2 See page 35.
3 Snow, Burns & Grin, 1998
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DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Dyslexia Dened
Dyslexia is a specic learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by
diculties with accurate and/or uent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding
abilities. These diculties typically result from a decit in the phonological component of
language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of
eective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading
comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary and
background knowledge.
- Adopted by the International Dyslexia Association Board of Directors, Nov. 12, 2002, and the Kansas State Board of
Education, November 2020.
Characteristics of Dyslexia
The problems displayed by individuals with characteristics of dyslexia appear on a continuum and involve
diculty acquiring and using written language. It is a myth that individuals with dyslexia see words backward.
However, characteristics that may be present include diculty with the following:
z Symbols for sounds.
z Decoding words.
4
Other problems experienced by people with dyslexia could include the following:
z Learning to speak.
z Retention of phonological and phonemic awareness tasks.
z Learning letters and their sounds. Reading words in isolation.
z Organizing written and spoken language. Decoding words.
z Memorizing number facts.
z Reading quickly enough to comprehend (reading with appropriate accuracy, rate and prosody).
z Persisting with and comprehending longer reading assignments.
z Spelling.
z Learning a foreign language.
5
Not all students who have diculties with these skills have dyslexia. Formal testing of reading, language and
writing skills is the only way to conrm a diagnosis of suspected dyslexia. A clinical diagnosis of dyslexia is usually
provided by a specially trained school psychologist, speech language pathologist or medical doctor. However,
all schools in Kansas are able to identify students at risk for dyslexia and have a process to provide specialized
instructional support for any student deemed to be at risk for reading diculty.
4 Francis, et al., 1996
5 International Dyslexia Association, 2020
6
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
DYSLEXIA DEFINED
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Students who have characteristics of dyslexia will benet from strong, evidence-based core (Tier 1) structured
literacy instruction and support provided by data-informed tiered interventions. This comprehensive model
guided by universal screening and progress monitoring can be very eective in delivering the additional support
students need. If it appears a student may be eligible for specialized instruction (Special Education), educators
should follow their school’s special education referral process. Information regarding special education
evaluation, including amendments to K.S.A. 2022 Supp. 72-3404 and 75-5399, can be found in the Kansas
Special Education Process Handbook and Eligibility Indicators.
6
Students identied as having dyslexia typically experience primary diculties in phonological awareness,
including phoneme manipulation, single-word reading, reading uency and spelling. Consequences may include
diculties in reading comprehension and/or written expression. These diculties in phonological awareness are
unexpected for the student’s age and educational level and are not primarily the result of language dierence
factors. Additionally, there is often a family history of similar diculties.
It is important to note that individuals demonstrate dierences in degree of impairment and may not exhibit
all the characteristics listed above. The reading/spelling characteristics are most often associated with the
following:
7
z Segmenting, blending and manipulating sounds in words (phonemic awareness).
z Learning the names of letters and their associated sounds.
z Holding information about sounds and words in memory (phonological memory).
z Rapidly recalling the names of familiar objects, colors or letters of the alphabet (rapid automatic naming).
Consequences of dyslexia may include the following:
z Variable diculty with aspects of reading comprehension.
z Variable diculty with aspects of written language.
z Limited vocabulary growth due to reduced reading experience.
6 https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Special-Education-and-Title-Services/Special_Education/Legal-Special-Education-Law/
Kansas-Special-Education-Process-Handbook
7 Kilpatrick, 2015
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DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
DYSLEXIA DEFINED
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Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Characteristics
by Grade Level
Individuals with dyslexia have
trouble with reading, writing,
spelling and/or math even though
they have the ability to learn and
have had many exposures to the
content.
The following characteristics
identify risk factors associated with
dyslexia at dierent grade levels
or stages of life. If the following
characteristics are unexpected
for an individual’s age, educational
level or cognitive abilities, they may
be at risk for dyslexia. A person
with dyslexia usually has several of
these characteristics that persist
over time. The list below was
compiled from resources from the
International Dyslexia Association:
Preschool
z Delays in learning to talk.
z
Diculty learning to pro-
nounce new vocabulary.
z Diculty following multistep
directions.
z Diculty retelling a familiar
story in order.
z Diculty with rhyming.
z Diculty pronouncing words.
z Poor auditory memory for
knowing rhymes or chants.
z Inability to recall the right
word when speaking.
z Trouble learning and/or
remembering the letters in
his/her name.
Kindergarten and
First Grade
Individuals could have problems
with many of the previously
described characteristics along
with the following:
z Diculty breaking words into
smaller parts or breaking
words into syllables (e.g.,
“sunower” can be broken into
three syllables “sun,” “ow” and
“er”).
z Diculty identifying and
manipulating sounds in one
syllable words (e.g., “bat” can
be broken into the sounds of
/b/ /a/ /t/).
z Diculty remembering
the names of letters of the
alphabet and recalling the
sounds associated with those
letters.
z Diculty reading single words.
z Diculty spelling words the
way they sound or recalling
letter sequences in very
common words often seen in
print (e.g., “the” “and”, etc.).
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
DYSLEXIA DEFINED
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Second and
Third Grade
Individuals could have problems
with many of the previously
described characteristics along
with the following:
z Diculty recognizing common
high-frequency words (e.g.,
“been” “said”).
z Diculty decoding single
words, including nonsense
words.
z Diculty organizing written
language.
z Diculty copying from
provided text.
z Diculty recalling the correct
sounds for the letters and
letter patterns in reading.
z Diculty connecting speech
sounds and appropriate letter
or letter combinations and
omitting letters in words for
spelling (e.g., “later” spelled
“lettr”).
z Diculty reading uently (e.g.,
reading slow, inaccurate, and/
or without expression).
z Reliance on picture clues, story
theme or guessing at words
while reading.
z Diculty with written
expression.
Fourth and
Fifth Grade
Individuals could have problems
with many of the previously
described characteristics along
with the following:
z Diculty reading aloud (e.g.,
fear of reading aloud in front of
peers).
z Avoidance of reading or
reading activities.
z Low levels of vocabulary
acquisition because of reduced
independent reading.
z Use of less complicated words
in writing and more reliance
on words that are easier to
spell (e.g., “pretty” instead of
“beautiful”).
z Reliance on listening
rather than reading for
comprehension.
Middle and
High School
Individuals could have problems
with many of the previously
described characteristics along
with the following:
z Diculty keeping pace with the
volume of reading and written
work assigned.
z Frustration with the amount of
time and energy required for
reading tasks.
z Diculty with written
assignments.
z Diculty in learning a foreign
language.
z Diculty with word retrieval.
z Diculty with note taking.
z Diculty remembering
sequences.
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DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
DYSLEXIA DEFINED
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Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Other Common Characteristics in Students
The following characteristics can often occur when an individual is showing several of the above characteristics of
dyslexia:
z Diculty naming colors or objects.
z Diculty naming letters in a sequence rapidly.
z Diculty remembering directions or facts.
z Need to see or hear concepts many times in order to learn them.
z Inconsistent school work.
z Diculty with proofreading.
z Letter and numeral reversals.
z Distracted by external visual or auditory stimuli.
Other Related Academic Diculties and Other Conditions
The characteristics in the previous sections represent common diculties that students with dyslexia may exhibit. In
addition, students with dyslexia may have problems in written expression, reading comprehension and mathematics,
as well as other conditions and/or behaviors. Some common co-occurring disorders with dyslexia are:
Dysgraphia (handwriting) – This can include poor handwriting, messy and unorganized papers, diculty copying,
poor ne motor skills and diculty remembering the movement needed to form letters.
Dyscalculia (mathematics) – This can include diculty counting with accuracy, misreading numbers frequently,
diculty retrieving math facts and repeated calculation errors.
Attention Decit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) – This can include inattention, distractibility, impulsivity and
hyperactivity.
Executive Functioning – This can include losing papers, poor time management, forgetfulness, unorganized
desk or materials, overwhelmed by too much input, and slow work production.
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Screening
Early identication and intervention
for individuals who struggle to read
and providing supports, will have a
signicant positive impact on their
future academic success. Screening
tools allow teachers to predict which
children are at risk of reading diculty
before they begin learning to read.
8
Research has shown birth to age 8 as a
critical period for literacy development.
9
According to Torgesen (1998), it is
imperative to “catch them before they
fail,” thus the importance of screening is
critical in the early years.
If the persistent achievement gap
between dyslexic and typical readers is
to be narrowed or even closed, reading
interventions must be implemented
early, when children are still developing
the basic foundation for reading
acquisition. The persistent achievement
gap poses serious consequences for
dyslexic readers, including lower rates
of high school graduation, higher levels
of unemployment and lower earnings
because of lowered college attainment.
Implementing eective reading
programs early, even in preschool and
kindergarten, oers the potential to
reduce and perhaps even close the
achievement gap between dyslexic
and typical readers and bring their
trajectories closer over time.
- Ferrer, et al., Achievement Gap in Reading Is
Present as Early as First Grade and Persists through
Adolescence, 2015
8 Susan Hall, 2004
9 Nevills & Wolfe, 2009
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DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
SCREENING
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Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
What is Screening?
Screening measures are usually brief assessments of skills that are highly predictive of a later outcome. A
universal screening tool does not diagnose dyslexia, its purpose is to identify risk. Screening should quickly
dierentiate students into groups - those who need targeted intervention and those who do not. A screening
measure needs to focus on specic skills of reading. Tools used for screening should have the following
characteristics:
z Quick and targeted assessment of discrete skills.
z Alternative equivalent forms (for administration more than one time per year).
z Standardized protocols for test administration and scoring.
z Reliability and validity.
Why Conduct a Screening?
Screening results should identify specic students who could be at risk for reading diculties. Research states
that early intervention for students with reading diculties is critical for intervention to be successful.
“Decits in phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, verbal working memory and letter knowledge
have been shown to be robust precursors of dyslexia in children as young as age three.”
10
In their book, “Straight
Talk About Reading,” Susan Hall and Louisa Moats (1999) state that,
“Inexpensive screening measures identify at-risk children in mid-kindergarten with 85 percent accuracy.”
11
Research continues to support the need for early identication and assessment.
12
Characteristics associated
with reading diculties are connected to spoken language. Diculties in young children can be assessed through
screenings of phonemic awareness and other phonological skills.
13
As students get older, screening continues to be benecial to assure core instruction is eective and students at
risk are identied and provided adequate support to be successful in core content classes.
Types of Assessment
Assessments have multiple purposes. Universal screening is conducted to determine a student’s risk for reading
diculty and the need for possible instructional intervention. Once the universal screening is complete, the
data is analyzed. If areas of weakness are identied, then an informal diagnostic may be administered so that a
data-based intervention plan can be created to address the identied weakness(es) in reading. If a student has
an intervention plan, then ongoing progress monitoring assessments (i.e., intervention assessments) should be
conducted to evaluate the impact of the instruction and the student’s achievement towards reading goals. For
additional information and guidance see the KSDE Screening Flowcharts in Appendix C.
14
10 Gabb, 2017
11 p. 279
12 Nevills & Wolfe, 2009
13 Sousa, 2005
14 See page 36.
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
SCREENING
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Universal Screeners
Universal screening tools are quick and targeted assessments of distinct skills that indicate whether students are
making adequate progress in reading achievement. Universal screeners are to be administered to all students
in kindergarten through eighth grade at a minimum of three times per year and serve as a progress monitoring
tool for all students. In the fall of ninth grade, all students are screened with a reliable and nationally normed
comprehension screener, and if certain metrics are met with no risk for reading diculty evident, students may
exit the universal screening process. (See screening protocol in Appendix A
15
). Since research has shown the
rapid growth of the brain and its response to reading instruction in the primary years,
16
the critical time for initial
universal screening would be when a student is in preschool or kindergarten. Additionally, Eden (2015) states
that when appropriate intervention is applied early, it is not only more eective in younger children, but also
increases the chances of sparing a child from negative secondary consequences associated with reading failure,
such as a decline in self-condence and depression. Universal screeners should have alternate equivalent forms
so that they can be administered at least three times per year with unique questions each time. There should be
standardized directions for administration and scoring of these assessments. Finally, universal screeners should
have established reliability and validity measures.
Informal Diagnostics
Upon completion of the universal screener, student data should be analyzed for areas of weakness as it relates to
the reading competencies. In order to isolate the areas of reading in need of intervention, an informal diagnostic
instrument may need to be utilized if the universal screener is not able to isolate the area in need of reading.
Informal diagnostic assessments should focus on measuring the language/reading skills that inuence reading
outcomes (i.e., phonemic awareness, phonics, uency, vocabulary and comprehension).
17
“Informal diagnostic
assessments take more time to administer and should only be given to students at risk.”
18
Based on results of the
informal diagnostic assessment, intervention plans should be developed by the teacher or a student intervention
team, utilizing evidence-based practices to inuence reading competency development. During the course of the
intervention, assessment data should be collected and examined.
Progress Monitoring
Intervention assessment data, gathered through the progress monitoring tools of your universal screener,
reveals how students have performed on skill progression. The intervention process is entirely driven by data,
characterized by increased intensity and individualization of instruction. Progress monitoring is a key component
of an intervention plan. Prior to delivering the intervention instruction, school teams should develop a
progressing monitoring plan that outlines the progress monitoring instructional tool, student goal, and frequency
of data collection and review. During delivery of the intervention, educators should collect and graph frequent
progress monitoring data. After sucient data is collected, it is evaluated against the student’s instructional goal
to determine whether the student is making satisfactory progress. If progress toward the student’s instructional
goal is evident, the teacher continues to implement the intervention. However, if the student’s progress is
unsatisfactory, the teacher should consult with team members to determine how to intensify or change the
instructional intervention.
15 See page 33.
16 Nevills & Wolfe, 2009
17 Torgesen, 2005
18 Moats & Tallman, 2019, p.72
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DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
SCREENING
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Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Criteria for Dyslexia Screening Tools
KSDE requires that all accredited school systems in Kansas provide dyslexia screening to all students in
kindergarten through 8th grade three times a year. In fall of ninth grade, all students should be screened and
if certain metrics are met, with no risk for reading diculty evident, students will exit the universal screening
process. If students continue to screen “at risk”, screening and progress monitoring may continue to be required
(See screening protocol in Appendix A
19
). It is important that the screening tool be accurate and comprehensive.
However, it should be noted that these screenings are not as extensive as a comprehensive evaluation. While
the school selected screening instrument will be expected to measure skills, it is important that individuals who
administer the screening instrument observe and take anecdotal notes on students’ behaviors (listed below)
during the administration of the screener. This is not an exhaustive list, but some key red ags that may require
more detailed diagnostic assessment are:
20
z Lack of automaticity.
z Diculty sounding out words left to right.
z Guessing.
z Inability to focus on the reading task.
z Avoidance behavior.
Screening is not a formal evaluation. The results of the screenings conducted in schools across Kansas should
be utilized to determine a student’s need for immediate and timely intervention as recommended by the Kansas
Multi-Tiered System of Supports. Students who score below benchmark on the screening tool may need to be
further assessed in the skills listed below (Gersten, et al., 2008):
z Phonological awareness
z Phonemic awareness
z Sound-Symbol recognition
z Fluent word recognition
z Nonsense Reading (pseudo word reading)
z Decoding skills
z Spelling
z Oral reading rate (second grade and above)
z Oral reading accuracy (second grade and above)
19 See page 33.
20 Modied from the Texas Department of Education Dyslexia Handbook, 2018, p.13
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
SCREENING
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Common Screening Practices
The use of screeners is a process for gathering additional information to determine if characteristics of dyslexia
are present. Schools should consider gathering additional information if a student performs below benchmark
expectations. This includes other progress monitoring data, work samples, formative literacy assessment data
and other assessment data which assess the skills listed above. The determination of existing characteristics of
dyslexia should be based on multiple sources of data. As schools determine the timing of the selected screener,
the following questions should be considered:
z Has the student had adequate time for instruction?
z How will the timing of the administration of the screener t in with the timing of other required assessments
in the school?
A school must ensure appropriately trained and qualied individuals administer and interpret the results of the
selected screening tool. Please note that an educational aide or a paraprofessional is not eligible to administer
the dyslexia screening tool unless the educational aide or paraprofessional has been trained to use the
assessment with delity or has a certication with the selected screener. Under no circumstances should an
educational aide or paraprofessional interpret the results of a universal screening tool. Individuals who interpret
the screening tool must be a classroom teacher who has a valid grade appropriate Kansas teaching license or
specialist training in reading assessment. It is considered best practice that the individual who administers the
screening tool be the student’s classroom teacher.
Interpreting Screening Results
Screening alone will never improve outcomes for students. The screening must lead to eective instruction
for it to be useful. Therefore, once the screening has been administered the next steps are to analyze results,
identify the level of risk for each student, and make informed decisions regarding continution of core instruction,
implementation of targeted interventions, and/or referral for evaluation.
There are several important factors to consider when interpreting screening results. First, it is important to
remember that there is no denitive test score that invariably identies dyslexia. Dyslexia is a neurobiological
disorder that exists along a continuum of severity. This makes the identication of dyslexia more challenging than
identifying other forms of disability.
As with any assessment tool, it is important that schools administer and interpret the screening tool with delity.
Screening tools use norm-referenced criteria to establish cut points derived by the publisher of the tool. Cut
points are used to group students into categories (e.g., at risk or not at risk) based on the results of the screening
tool. All accredited Kansas schools must adhere to the cut points established by the published screening
instrument.
In general, students scoring below the publisher-determined cut point are considered “at risk” for reading
diculties or dyslexia, while those who score above the cut point are considered “not at risk” for reading
diculties or dyslexia. However, it is important to realize that risk falls on a continuum and there will always be
false positives (students who screen at risk when they are not) and false negatives (students who screen not at
risk when they are). Consequently, continual progress monitoring and an ongoing review of data is important.
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DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
SCREENING
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Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Students falling well below the cut point have a much higher probability of being at risk for reading diculties or
dyslexia while students scoring well above the cut point have lower probability of reading diculties or being at
risk for dyslexia. The decision for what to do next is easiest for students whose scores fall at the extreme ends
of the continuum. Students falling well above the cut point can be considered at low risk for dyslexia and are
much less likely to need additional intervention or evaluation. Students scoring far below the cut point should be
considered at high risk for dyslexia.
For students who are identied as having reading diculties or at risk for dyslexia, the school should provide
targeted intervention provided by the appropriate sta as determined by the district. Individual districts
may use instructional aides or paraprofessionals in this role only if these instructors have received specic
professional development on the skill decit and intervention protocols. It is important to note that the use of a
tiered intervention process must not be used to delay or deny an evaluation for a suspected learning disability
especially when parent or teacher observations support this.
For students who score close to the cut point, more information may be needed to make an informed decision
regarding implementation of targeted interventions with progress monitoring or continuation of core instruction
only. Data gathering will provide this additional information.
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
SCREENING
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Considerations for English Language Learners
Another factor to consider when interpreting screening results is the student’s linguistic background. The nature
of the writing system of a language impacts the reading process. This impacts the identication of students with
dyslexia in languages other than English. Assessments for dyslexia in linguistically diverse populations must
dierentiate language disadvantages from reading diculties.
Transparent written language has a close letter/sound correspondence.
21
Since English is an opaque language,
one with a more complex phoneme (sound) grapheme (letter) correspondence, learning the English writing
system can be challenging for English Language Learners (EL).
22
Teachers must recognize the rst language
impact of their EL students when acquiring the English opaque language system.
Dyslexia in Transparent and Opaque Orthographies
OPAQUE (ENGLISH)
Early and marked diculty with word-level reading.
Fluency and comprehension often improve once
decoding is mastered.
TRANSPARENT
Less diculty with word-level reading.
More diculty with uency and comprehension.
Characteristics of Dyslexia in English vs. Spanish
ENGLISH
Phonological awareness weaknesses.
Rapid Automatic Naming.
Regular/irregular word decoding diculties.
Fluency often a key indicator.
Frequent spelling errors.
Reading comprehension may be a weakness in both
English and Spanish.
SPANISH
Phonological awareness weaknesses may be less
pronounced.
Rapid Automatic Naming
Decoding fewer irregular words in Spanish.
Fluency often a key indicator
Spelling may show fewer errors in English, but still
more than students that do not have dyslexia.
Reading comprehension may be a weakness in both
English and Spanish.
“Research shows that early reading measures administered in English can be used to screen English learners
for reading problems.”
23
Screening should begin for ELs as soon as they enter the school system rather than
following the common practice of screening ELs when they have reached a reasonable level of English prociency.
It has been consistently proven that foundational reading measures administered in English are an excellent
means for screening ELs.
24
Research supports guidance in the interpretation of phonological awareness test
scores.
25
Therefore, careful consideration should be given to assessments and intervention plans for students
who are culturally and linguistically diverse.
When determining phonological awareness decits, evaluation personnel should examine subtest scores,
including subtle phonological awareness skills, instead of limiting interpretation to composite scores since a
decit in even one skill will limit reading progress for EL students. When an EL student exhibits weakness in
reading and spelling, a determination should be made whether these diculties are unexpected in relation to the
student’s other abilities, sociocultural factors, and/or language dierence.
21 Joshi & Aaron, 2006
22 Spencer, 2000
23 Gersten, et al., 2007
24 Chiappe & Siegel, 1999; Chiappe, Siegel & Wade-Woolley, 2002; Lesaux & Siegel, 2003; Limbos & Geva, 2001
25
Gersten, et al., 2007
17
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
SCREENING
18
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Kansas State Department of Education Screening
Recommendations
All accredited schools in Kansas are required to administer screening for dyslexia to all students in grades
kindergarten through fall of ninth grade and continue screening students who show risk during secondary
school. The screener should be administered at least three times per year and aligned with national normed
benchmark outcomes. Additional details may be found in Appendix A
26
.
When schools/districts determine the appropriate screening tool to use for dyslexia screening, decisions should
be based on the following assessment criteria for the critical components of reading. The Kansas State Board of
Education approved the following assessments for dyslexia screening in January 2020. Refer to Appendix A
26
for
details.
z Letter Naming Fluency (LNF)
z Letter Word Sounds Fluency (LWSF)
z Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF)
z Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF)
z Oral Reading Fluency (ORF)
26 See page 33.
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
SCREENING
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
19
K-8 Screening Flowchart
YES
K-8 Screening Flowchart
Continue Tier 1
Instruction
Structured Literacy
(All students)
Verify Data
(Additional diagnostic
screening data needed)
Tier 2 and 3 interventions AND
progress monitoring provided based
upon all data, any additional
considerations or changes driven by
progress monitoring data and
decision-making rules.
Tier 1 Instruction and Universal Screening (fall, winter, spring)
Follow the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) - Approved screener; subskills assessed should
follow grade-level recommendations in the technical manual for the utilized screening instrument.
Is screening data/performance on target or at benchmark?
Yes risk.
No risk.
Additional Data Options
• Phonological awareness screening
(decoding): i.e., Zgonc, PAST.
• Phonics screening (decoding):
i.e., QPS, PSI, LETRS Phonics
Assessment.
• Spelling inventory/screener
(encoding): i.e., LETRS Spelling
Screener.
• Word reading: i.e., diagnostic decoding
surveys, oral reading fluency.
• Language screening: i.e., written
language sample, listening
comprehension, other.
• Language screening: i.e., core reading
screeners, screener for language and
literacy disorders, speech and language
screener - quick take-along.
Universal Classroom Instruction
(Structured Literacy Instructional
Principles):
• Explicit, Diagnostic, Systematic,
Cumulative
• Prompt Feedback
• Data Driven
• Highly Interactive
• Purposeful Choice of Instructional
Texts and Tasks
Adapted from The Structured Literacy
Infomap (2022). IDA
Continue Universal
Screening
(fall, winter, spring)
No risk.
No risk.
REQUIRED End of the Year Assessment (EOYA)
DATA: Spring Scores
• Kindergarten: Phoneme Segmentation
• First grade: Nonsense Word Fluency
• Second and third
grade: Oral Reading
Fluency (rate + accuracy)
• Eighth grade: Reading Comprehension
Yes risk.
Yes risk.
Yes risk.
Yes risk.
NO
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
SCREENING
20
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
High School Screening Flowchart
27 See page 37.
Additional Data Options
• Phonological awareness screening (decoding): i.e., PAST.
• Phonics screening (decoding):
i.e., QPS, PSI, LETRS Phonics Assessment.
• Spelling inventory/screener (encoding): i.e., LETRS Spelling
Screener.
• Word reading: i.e., diagnostic decoding surveys, oral reading
fluency.
• Language screening: i.e., written language sample, listening
comprehension, other.
• Language screening:
i.e., core reading screeners, screener
for language and literacy disorders, speech and language
screener - quick take-along.
YES
High School Screening Flowchart
Verify Data
PreACT Reading Score (16 or higher) OR
ACT Reading Score (17 or higher)
Verify Data
(Additional diagnostic
screening data needed)
Tier 2 and 3 interventions AND progress monitoring provided
based upon all data, any additional considerations or changes
driven by progress monitoring data and decision-making rules.
Tier 1 Instruction and Universal Screening
ALL ninth grade students MUST be screened fall semester, along with any students in grades 9-12
new to the district (within two weeks of their start date).
Is screening data/performance on target or at benchmark?
Yes risk.
No risk.
Universal Classroom Instruction
(Structured Literacy Instructional
Principles):
•
Explicit, Diagnostic, Systematic,
Cumulative
•
Prompt Feedback
• Data Driven
• Highly Interactive
•
Purposeful Choice of Instructional
Texts and Tasks
Adapted from The Structured Literacy
Infomap (2022). IDA
Continue Universal Screening
(fall, winter, spring)
Benchmark is reached and there are no longer
any concerns based on data.
No risk.
No risk.
Yes risk.
Yes risk.
Yes risk.
NO
Cross-reference with PreACT/ACT Reading Scores
Does data show there is NO reading risk
or intervention need?
Are there parent concerns?
NO NEED for FURTHER
UNIVERSAL SCREENING.
No risk.
Yes risk.
Access to the full document is available in Appendix B.
27
z MTSS Problem-Solving Decision Tree
https://drive.google.com/le/d/1bdzS0Cnbu4hvFZvzxbENwFkfebZV3jH8/view
z KSDE Child Find guidance
https://www.ksde.org/Portals/0/SES/PH/PH-Ch02.pdf?ver=2019-05-21-102539-847
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Evidence-Based Reading Instruction
There is evidence that
blending skills develop
sooner than analysis
skills, and that students
can have good
blending skills and
inadequate reading
development. Only
when both blending
and analysis skills are
mastered do we see
benets for reading
development.
- David Kilpatrick, Essentials
of Assessing, Preventing,
and Overcoming Reading
Diculties, 2015
Learning to read and write is not a natural process and requires mastery
of fundamental language skills. For the majority of students, explicit
instruction in reading, spelling, writing and language must be taught
on a continuum for reading to take place. Many students with dyslexia
or characteristics of dyslexia can be taught in the general education
classroom with skilled teaching. Successful classroom instruction
delivered by an informed educator, especially in the early grades, can
prevent or at least eectively address and limit the severity of reading
and writing problems. Possible reading problems can be identied as
early as preschool and kindergarten. Therefore, research evidence
shows that with appropriate, intensive instruction, all but the most
severe reading disabilities can be improved in the early grades and get
students on the road to academic achievement.
A series of studies have substantiated that eective teachers matter
much more than any particular program or materials.
28
Expertise
matters when it comes to eective reading instruction. Exemplary
teachers routinely provide reading instruction which is explicit,
systematic, multisensory and executed in a gradual release format. The
skilled teacher should deliver instruction to dyslexic students in such a
manner until skill automaticity is reached.
The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) denes what all teachers
of reading need to know and be able to do to teach all students to read
prociently in the IDA Knowledge and Practice Standards for Teachers
of Reading
29
and in this resource titled, Dyslexia in the Classroom:
What Every Teacher Needs to Know.
30
28 Allington & Johnston, 2002; Darling-Hammond, 1999; Pressley, et al, 2001; Taylor, Pearson, Clark & Walpole, 2000
29
https://app.box.com/s/21gdk2k1p3bnagdfz1xy0v98j5ytl1wk
30 https://structuredlit.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/DITC-Handbook.pdf
21
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
EVIDENCE-BASED READING INSTRUCTION
22
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
MANY
STRANDS
THAT
ARE
WOVEN
INTO
SKILLED
READING
LANGUAGE COMPREHENSION
BACKGROUND KNOWI.EOGE
(t.icts
.
concepts.
e1c >
VOCA6ULARY
(bteadlh.
p,OOsion.
lllnks,
etc }
LANGUAGE STRUCTURES
(syntax. sem~nbcs. etc )
1/ERBAl. REASONING
(IO!crcnoe.
metaphor.
etc)
LITERACY KNOWI.EOOE
(_pr
im
CO."'ICC
PtS,
gCf'Wets
, C!C.)
WORD RECOGNITION
PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS
(•ylobles.
phonemes.
c,c )
DECODING (o'phabelK:
p,,naple
.
7•
~pel
bng
-sound
cotrcspcndenc:cs)
SIGIIT RECOGNI
flON
(of
f3m.h(tr words}
SK
IL
LED READING:
F
lue
nt
execution
and
coord
i
nat
io
n of
word
Theoretical Models of Reading
“Teaching
reading
is rocket
science.”
- Louisa Moats
Teaching a student to read requires more than knowledge of what to teach.
According to Holly Lane of the University of Florida, “Eective teachers understand
how to identify their students’ instructional needs, select appropriate materials,
organize instruction to maximize learning, and dierentiate instruction to meet
individual needs.” (2014, p.25)
As teachers and reading specialists design literacy instruction to meet the needs
of students with dyslexia or characteristics of dyslexia, it will be important for key
implications documented by researchers to be recognized and woven into the
district or school level intervention plans. Structured literacy knowledge can assist
teachers in using evidence when evaluating programs and teacher training for
implementation.
The National Reading Panel (2000) emphasized that phonemic awareness and
phonics (decoding) should be included in all reading instruction that focuses on
language comprehension, such as vocabulary, uency, and reading and/or listening
comprehension, so that a complete reading program is created.
Gough and Tunmer, 1986, and Hoover and Gough, 1990, described reading as the
product of word recognition (decoding) and language comprehension. They add
that these components work together in an interdependent balance and that when
there is a disconnection between these components, reading failure can occur.
This model is referred to as the Simple View of Reading:
Decoding X Language Comprehension = Reading Comprehension
Hollis Scarborough, a leading researcher in literacy, expands the Simple View of
Reading and communicates that reading is a multifaceted skill that is gradually
acquired through years of instruction and practice (see image below).
Scarborough’s Reading Rope illustrates how the many skills that are required to
comprehend texts are intertwined and become more complex. The strands weave
together over many years and enable a student to become a skilled reader.
Image Source: Scarborough, 2001
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
EvidEncE-BasEd REading instRuction
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
23
Learning to read and write is a very complex process. There are many variables that can support or impede
the process. However, with high-quality instruction, tiered support and a willingness to problem solve when
challenges arise, most students will learn to read, spell and write. The following graphic provides insight into
some of the factors that can provide increased opportunities for all students.
(Graphic used with permission of Nancy Young)
Terms/references at
www.nancyyoung.ca
Art: Dean Stanton
© N. Young 2012/2023
A comprehensive
analytical
approach to
learning language
structure
likely essential
Faster pace &
increased implicit
learning
opportunities
likely valuable
E
nvironmental & within
-
student factors
,
Learning to read/spell/write proficiently
requires code
-
based & explicit instruction
(40
-
45%)
Learning to read/spell/write requires
code
-
based, explicit, intensive instruction
& frequent repetition (10
-
15%)
Learning to read is relatively easy with broad
instruction; some explicit instruction for
spelling/writing likely needed (35
-
40%)
Learning to read seems effortless; some
instruction for spelling/writing may be needed
(5
-
10%)
Extended
learning or
acceleration
likely essential
Differentiation: Systematically designed & data-informed
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
The Structured Literacy Framework
Structured Literacy Instruction
Principles
It is essential for students to receive evidence-based core reading
instruction by a skilled teacher using explicit, systematic and sequential
instruction. This will benet all students and be essential for students
with characteristics of dyslexia.
Some popularly used reading approaches, such as guided reading
or balanced literacy, are not sucient for students with dyslexia,
characteristics of dyslexia or struggling readers working to establish
foundational reading skills. These approaches do not provide sucient
or appropriate instruction in decoding and the essentials of the
structure of the English language. For more information, see Eective
Reading Instruction for Students with Dyslexia. (2020, March 31), from
https://dyslexiaida.org/eective-reading-instruction-for-students-
with-dyslexia.
Structured literacy is instruction that is:
z Explicit
z Systematic
z Cumulative
z Multisensory
z Highly Interactive
z Prompt Feedback
z Data Driven
This type of instruction emphasizes the structure of language, including
the speech sound system (phonology), sound/symbol association, the
writing system (orthography), the structure of sentences (syntax), the
meaningful parts of word (morphology), the relationships among words
(semantics), and the organization of spoken and written discourse.
Multisensory instructional strategies involve simultaneous use of visual,
auditory, tactile-kinesthetic sensory systems and/or articulatory motor
components while linking, listening, speaking, reading and writing.
For students with dyslexia, characteristics of dyslexia or for struggling
readers, instruction in structured literacy plays an essential role to
develop the skills needed to be a successful reader.
All students can
benet from evidence-
based core reading
instruction. When
all students receive
this evidence-based
reading instruction,
success in reading is
more likely. This type
of instruction, also
called multisensory
structured literacy,
when provided with
sucient corrective
feedback, will result
in the highest level of
reading achievement.
- Moats, 1994, 2004
24
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
THE STRUCTURED LITERACY FRAMEWORK
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Explicit Instruction
The skilled, eective reading teacher will deliver instruction in an explicit manner. Explicit instruction requires
that new skills are clearly modeled or demonstrated. New concepts should be presented with examples and non-
examples so there is no question as to what is being taught and what is to be learned. The process of modeling
the new skill is repeated until such time that the student(s) can apply the skill independently.
31
Systematic and Cumulative Instruction
Systematic and cumulative instruction requires that the sequence of instruction begin with the simplest concepts
(concepts that the student does not know) and progress to more dicult concepts. An example of a sequence
for instruction is shown in the Sample Scope and Sequence Chart in Appendix E of this handbook. A carefully
planned sequence for instruction is considered systematic. The goal of systematic instruction is to maximize
outcomes for students learning new material based on the students’ levels of background knowledge, level of
complexity, and should be designed prior to lessons being taught.
32
Multisensory/Interactive Instruction
When learning to read, a student will use many senses:
z Visual feedback to learn letters and words on a page.
z Auditory feedback to learn sounds of language (phonemes).
z Kinesthetic movement and tactile feedback to anchor learning in working memory.
z Speaking to feel the movements in the mouth as sounds are said.
Most multisensory lessons engage students in material in more than one way. As students learn, it is critical that
they are provided opportunities to be actively engaged in the instruction and receive feedback regarding their
learning.
Automaticity
Skilled teachers will instruct students until a new skill becomes automatic. Automaticity refers to the ability
to produce reading skills quickly and accurately usually due to repetition and practice. When a skill becomes
automatic (direct access without conscious awareness), it is performed quickly in an ecient manner.
33
In order
for teachers to determine if automaticity has been reached, diagnostic testing and continual monitoring of skill
mastery in various contexts is required.
31 Mather & Wendling, 2012
32 The New Jersey Dyslexia Handbook, 2017
33 Berninger & Wolf, 2009
25
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
THE STRUCTURED LITERACY FRAMEWORK
26
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Structured Literacy Instruction
Elements
Phonological Awareness
Phonological Awareness is the understanding of internal linguistic
structure of words (onset and rime, syllables, phonemes). An
important aspect of phonological awareness is the ability to segment
words into their component phonemes. A phoneme is the smallest
unit of sound in a given language that can be discriminated as being
distinct from other sounds. For example, in the word “ship,” the
sounds /sh/ /ĭ/ /p/ are the three phonemes that make up the written
word, “ship.” The importance of recognizing phonological awareness
as a foundation for decoding cannot be overemphasized. Students
who exhibit diculty in acquiring phonemic awareness skills typically
will experience diculty learning the alphabetic principle.
Sound-Symbol Association
Sound-Symbol Association is the ability to associate letter or letter
combinations with their sounds. In reading, students must read/say
the correct sound when they see the letter in which it is associated.
Additionally, students must be able to blend sounds into words
for reading. In spelling, students must spell/write the correct letter
for which they hear the sound. Next, students must segment the
sounds in words and write the associated letter(s) in order to spell
words. There are 44 (sounds) phonemes in the English language
represented by letters or combinations of letters (graphemes) of
the 26 letters of the English alphabet. The table below gives a few
examples of sound-symbol associations for consonants in English.
z Phoneme (sound): /b/, /g/, /m/, /k/, /ch/
z Grapheme (Letter representation): b, bb, g, gg, gh, m, mm, c,
cc, k, lk, q, ch, t
“The level of phonemic
awareness that children
possess when rst beginning
reading instruction and their
knowledge of letters are the
two best predictors of how
well they will learn to read
during the rst two years of
formal reading instruction.”
- National Reading Panel Report,
2000
“Weakness in phonemic
awareness characterizes
children with reading
problems across a span
of general verbal ability.
Their primary problem in
learning to read involves
learning to translate
between printed and oral
language.”
- Torgesen, 2002
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
THE STRUCTURED LITERACY FRAMEWORK
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Syllable instruction
Syllable instruction is breaking down words into parts (syllables) with a vowel sound or vowel pattern. There are
six syllable types in the English language as listed below:
SYLLABLE TYPE EXAMPLE
Closed (CVC) bat, trip, mash, crust, bend
Vowel-consonant-e (VCe) ripe, gate, stripe, mope
Open (VC) hi, be, no, she
Consonant-le table, circle, beetle, eagle
Vowel-r yard, germ, dirt, turn
Vowel digraphs/diphthongs trout, noise, joy, oil
Orthography
Orthography refers to the written spelling patterns and rules in a language. For example, the sound /j/
immediately following a short vowel in a one syllable word is spelled with -dge. Students must be taught the
regular and irregular orthographic patterns of language in an explicit and systematic manner. Orthography
instruction should be integrated with phonology, sound-symbol knowledge and morphology.
“Even the most obscure
and complicated
appearing words can be
broken down into more
manageable units and
deciphered if the reader is
aware of their derivation
or roots.”
- Shaywitz, 2006
Morphology
Morphology is the set of rules that govern how morphemes (base
words, prexes, roots, and suxes) can be combined to form
words. A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in a language.
Learning frequently used morphemes in a systematic manner to
automaticity not only helps spelling but also provides students
with strategies for decoding. Helping a student strengthen their
understanding of morphology will lead to increased vocabulary.
27
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
THE STRUCTURED LITERACY FRAMEWORK
28
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Syntax
Syntax is the set of rules that govern the sequence and function of words in a sentence in order to convey
meaning. Syntax is the proper order of words in a sentence or phrase and is a tool used in writing proper
grammatical sentences. Some examples of syntax or grammar, could be:
z Parts of speech.
z Rules for correct word order.
z Sentence length.
z Sentence types.
z Sentence constructions.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary is the knowledge of words and their meanings in oral language and in print. Vocabulary can
be receptive (understanding) and expressive (productive). Vocabulary knowledge plays a signicant role in
comprehension. Explicit vocabulary instruction is critical for struggling readers and students with dyslexia.
Reading uency
Reading uency “is the ability to read text with sucient speed and accuracy to support comprehension”
(Moats & Dakin, 2008, p.52). Fluency includes three elements: rate, accuracy and prosody, which is the pitch,
tone, volume, emphasis and rhythm in speech and oral reading. Reading prosody indicates that a student is
comprehending a text.
Reading comprehension
Reading comprehension is the process of extracting and constructing meaning through the interaction of the
reader with the text to be comprehended and the specic purpose for reading. The reader’s skill in reading
comprehension depends upon the development of accurate and uent word recognition, oral language
development, background knowledge, use of appropriate strategies and motivation.
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Reading Intervention
Recommendations
Even with the best core reading instruction, there are still some students, including those with the characteristics
of dyslexia, who will require additional support to learn to read prociently. In Kansas, maintaining a tiered
system of support is part of the accreditation process. In addition to receiving high-quality core instruction (Tier
1) that includes a structured literacy program, some students will need to be provided additional Tier 2 or even
Tier 3 intervention instruction. This additional intervention instruction occurs in small groups three to ve times
per week for 30-60 minutes per day, depending on the building schedule, age of the student, and intensity of
student need.
While teaching in an intervention setting, the instruction provided to the struggling reader should have the
following evidence-based practices for eectiveness:
z Fidelity to instructional protocols of programming.
z Explicit and direct instruction.
z Scaolded instruction which includes a gradual release of responsibility (I do, we do, you do).
z Frequent opportunities to respond with instructive feedback.
z Sucient questioning and checking for understanding.
z Frequent opportunities for skill practice.
Intervention instruction should match the individual student’s reading decits and additional informal diagnostic
tools may sometimes be used to determine where within the reading continuum the student continues to
struggle. These groups receive a carefully selected evidence-based curriculum designed to address the specic
skill decits, and progress is monitored to determine if and how the student is responding to the intervention.
Reading intervention at the secondary level begins with common instructional strategies across content areas
for ALL students. When an adolescent demonstrates below benchmark comprehension skills, the problem-
solving team administers an oral reading uency probe to determine if the student’s issues are at the word
reading level (inaccuracy and/or dysuency) or if the issue exists primarily in the areas of vocabulary and
comprehension. Secondary students who are struggling readers or at risk for dyslexia require instruction with a
focus on parallel tracks. They need explicit instruction to close the gap with their reading decits and scaolding
and dierentiation for access to their core content classes. It is important that they receive instruction in how to
navigate complex texts in order to learn independently beyond secondary school.
29
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
READING INTERVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS
30
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Progress Monitoring
All accredited schools in Kansas should continue to monitor
“Ninety percent of children
students for common risk factors of dyslexia. Screening three
with reading diculties
times per year provides that rst level of progress monitoring.
will achieve grade-level
However, students who are receiving Tier 2 or Tier 3 supports
reading if they receive
need to receive more frequent progress monitoring. Evidence
and research strongly suggest districts use the same
help by the rst grade.
assessment system to progress monitor as they use for
Seventy-ve percent of
screening.
children whose help is
Ongoing progress monitoring allows educators to assess
delayed to age 9 or later
student academic performance in order to evaluate student
continue to struggle
response to evidence-based instruction. Progress can be
throughout their school
monitored weekly, but no less than one time per month.
careers.”
Progress monitoring probes can be general outcome
measures, such as those used for universal screening or skills-
-Vellutino, et all, 1996
based measures that focus on a specic set of skills that will
be taught in the intervention setting.
KSDE recommends progress monitoring measures for grades kindergarten through 12th grade as referenced in
the table below. For additional guidance, see the technical manual for your approved screener.
Possible Progress Monitoring Measures
Kindergarten
z Phoneme Segmentation.
z Letter Sound Fluency.
Grade 1
z Letter Sound Fluency (real-word reading).
z Nonsense Word Fluency.
z Oral Reading Fluency (connected text).
Grades 2-12
z Oral Reading Fluency (connected text).
Once sucient data has been gathered, grade level teams should be able to evaluate whether the student is not
only making progress, but whether they are making enough progress to close the gap in achievement. Those
progress monitoring data points should be evaluated on a graph. Most assessment systems provide that graph
as progress monitoring data is entered and will begin to generate a projection or trend line. Generally, trend lines
fall into three categories: inconsistent data, making progress or not making progress.
If the data is wildly inconsistent, the team may want to consider the validity of the data, as well as giving the
intervention a little more time so a trend line can be established.
Students who are making good progress with an intervention are a cause for celebration! Closing the gap for a
student’s reading is a change in that child’s trajectory.
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
READING INTERVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Some general considerations when the trend line is showing good progress might be:
z How close is this student’s progress to the next benchmark goal?
z Should the intervention continue or should the student be moved to a group targeting the next skill need for
this student?
z Could this successful intervention be duplicated with other students showing similar needs?
z Could this student exit from intervention? How will we ensure the growth made is sustained?
Some students will show progress, but not enough to close the achievement gap with peers. Often a small
adjustment in the intervention instructional practices is enough to see the progress monitoring slope take a
more positive turn.
Some general considerations when the trend line is showing some, but not enough, progress might be:
z How is the student’s attendance? Have there been interruptions in this intervention? (Teacher absence,
intervention cancelled for other activities, etc.)
z How consistent has instruction been? Has the intervention curriculum been used as designed?
z Are we monitoring the correct skill? (Students with word-level reading diculties are often inaccurate readers
- progress monitoring should focus on increasing accuracy before increasing rate).
z Is the pace of instruction too slow? How many opportunities to respond is this student getting?
z How does this student’s performance compare to other members of the same intervention group?
For some students, we may see virtually no progress or response to the intervention, and their trend line
appears almost at and the achievement gap is widening with peers. These students require deeper problem-
solving and customization of the intervention.
Some general considerations for these students could include (in addition to those outlined above):
z Is the goal for this student appropriate?
z Have we given the intervention enough time to have an impact?
z What will it take to enable learning for this student?
z Does this student have some unique needs we have not considered?
Even with adjustments or customizations, there may still be students who are not responding to the
interventions provided. If regular progress monitoring reects a persistent diculty with uent word recognition,
accurate decoding and/or reading comprehension, it may be appropriate to evaluate for dyslexia. Educators
should be aware that a student may have reached middle school or high school without ever being screened,
evaluated or identied.
31
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
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Appendices
33 Appendix A
33 KSDE Dyslexia Screening Protocol K-12 (2023-2024)
35 Appendix B
35 Information for Families and Caregivers
36 Appendix C
36 Screening Information for Students with Reading Diculties/Flowcharts (Including Dyslexia)
38 K-8 Screening Flowchart
39 High School Screening Flowchart
40 Screening Protocol Checklist
42 Appendix D
42 Subtest Skills Dened
44 Appendix E
44 Sample Scope and Sequence of Phonogram Instruction
32
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APPENDICES
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
K-8
Appendix A
KSDE Dyslexia Screening Protocol K-12 (2023-2024)
All districts in Kansas will screen K-8 students three times a year with an approved tool that identies students
at risk for reading diculties. Students enrolled after the beginning of the school year should be screened within
two weeks of arrival.
Districts must ensure that the chosen screener is administered to meet the requirements of Kansas State
Department of Education (KSDE) reporting. Districts must follow the technical manual for the recommended
subtest administration schedule to allow valid data to be viewed and studied to determine further diagnostic
needs and direction for appropriate instruction and intervention.
Approved screeners are listed below:
z Acadience
z AimsWeb Plus
z DIBELS (Amplify)
z Early Reading/Star (Renaissance)
z EasyCBM
z FastBridge (Renaissance)
z iReady
z KSDE Alternative Screener (for students who qualify for the DLM)
All students will be screened three times per year with an approved screener that includes the subtests approved
by the Kansas State Board of Education (listed below). Districts must use the technical manual for their approved
screener to determine the recommended schedule/battery of appropriate subtests for each grade level.
z Letter naming uency.
z Letter word sound uency.
z Phoneme segmentation uency.
z Nonsense word uency.
z Oral reading uency.
z Comprehension measure (6-8), followed by ORF if risk is identied.
33
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Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Ninth grade
All students are assessed in the fall of their ninth-grade year using a valid, reliable, nationally normed
comprehension screener to obtain a building baseline and identify students who are identied at some or high
risk for reading diculty.
1. Any student scoring at the nationally normed benchmark (40th percentile) or above does not require any
continued screening unless there is parent or educator concern/request or district decision to continue.
Those students may exit the universal screening process.
2. Students who score at “some or high risk” (as identied by the assessment tool’s technical manual, typically
39th percentile or below) can have their score validated by a preACT: Reading (score of 16 or above) or ACT:
Reading (score of 18 or above). If one of those scores are met, universal screening can be discontinued.
3. Students who score at “some or high risk” (as identied by the assessment tool’s technical manual, typically
39th percentile or below) and do not have their score validated by their preACT or ACT score should be
given a CBM/Oral Reading Fluency assessment with follow-up comprehension questions and necessary
informal diagnostic assessments to identify appropriate interventions and support for Tier 1 instruction.
Those students should continue participation in screening three times per year until scoring at or above the
benchmark (as identied by the assessment tool’s technical manual, typically 40th percentile).
Grades 10-12
During the transition to the new secondary protocol, districts can use scores from the previous year to determine
the need for continued screening and intervention and/or the opportunity to exit students from screening who
are not determined to be at risk for reading diculty.
Students With a Most Signicant Cognitive Disability
Students with a most signicant cognitive disability are eligible to use the alternative dyslexia screener if they
qualify for the DLM. Please review this link: Kansas Alternative Screener for the alternative assessment and
additional details for required Kansas Individual Data on Students (KIDS) reporting for grades K-3 and 8. Students
in grades 4-12 with a most signicant cognitive disability will continue to participate in the fall and winter test
windows for the Dynamic Learning Maps (DLM) with no additional screening required.
Recently Arrived Students
A Recently Arrived student is dened as a student who is new to the United States and is English to Speakers of
Other Languages (ESOL) eligible. Recently Arrived students are exempt from screening for one year following
their initial enrollment date.
For questions regarding dyslexia screening:
(785) 296-2749
ELitDyslexia@ksde.org
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
APPENDICES
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Appendix B
Information for Families and Caregivers
If you suspect your child may have dyslexia, trust yourself. You know your child better than anyone.
1. Educate yourself using trustworthy references.
2. Early intervention - Dyslexia is not something your child will naturally outgrow. The earlier the interventions
are started, the more impact they will have.
3. Work closely with your child’s school - In the United States, schools have a legal obligation to create an action
plan to help children with dyslexia and other learning challenges.
4. Be an advocate for your child. Stay informed, ask questions, tap into resources and know your child’s rights.
5. Keep learning fun. Find ways to make reading enjoyable.
6. Be supportive and patient. Your child looks to you for comfort, love and encouragement.
7. Focus on the positive. People with dyslexia often have dyslexia within a “sea of strengths” (Shaywitz, 2020).
8. Seek support from other parents and caregivers.
9. Find other ways for your child to shine. Get your child engaged in art, music, sports or hobbies where your
child can develop condence.
Having a child who is struggling to learn to read can be confusing, and if a child is identied as having dyslexia,
it can feel overwhelming. Rest assured, you are not alone, and with the right instruction, almost all people with
dyslexia can learn to read. It doesn’t have to stop your child from reaching their full potential.
Resources
The resources listed below may provide parents and families with more information:
z The International Dyslexia Association has multiple Fact Sheets, many of which are translated into Spanish.
34
z “Why are Dyslexia Screeners Important?” From the Kansas Parent Information Resource Center
35
z Parents Guide to Dyslexia from Childmind.org
36
z The Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity
37
34 https://dyslexiaida.org/fact-sheets/
35 https://drive.google.com/le/d/1XG4LAZi7TkPYmEUF4acGRMl_V9dvLzGj/view
36 https://childmind.org/guide/parents-guide-to-dyslexia/
37 http://dyslexia.yale.edu/resources/parents/
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Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Appendix C
Screening Information for Students with Reading Diculties/
Flowcharts (Including Dyslexia)
The recommendations from the Kansas State Board of Education and the Dyslexia Task Force include the
universal screening of students for potential reading diculties including, but not limited to, characteristics of
dyslexia. These recommendations may leave a district with some questions. It is the intent of this quick reference
tool to provide further information and guidance around these new recommendations.
Why Screen?
Screeners have been used for years in the medical eld as a way to rapidly identify potential risk. When a doctor’s
oce takes blood pressure, temperature and weight, this information does not tell the physician WHAT is wrong,
but is a quick way to determine what potential health concerns MAY exist. None of us would want our caregivers
to administer long, detailed, and sometimes painful, assessments every time we walk through their door. Good
physicians administer just enough assessment to determine potential health concerns and the best course of
treatment to begin.
Likewise, universal screening of students for potential reading diculties including, but not limited to
characteristics of dyslexia, allows schools to identify these students early and intervene quickly. We know that
early intervention is our best response to characteristics of dyslexia, so identifying essential skills will allow
schools to quickly and eciently identify needs to respond instructionally.
What is the dierence between a Universal Screener and other assessments we give in
our district?
While state assessments and other achievement measures look at summative growth, screeners are designed to
be quick assessments that are easy to administer and formative in nature. In other words, they should provide a
teacher with practical information that allows for rapid response in the form of instructional adjustments.
A good universal screener should be available in multiple forms so progress monitoring can occur to determine
if those instructional adjustments are closing the gap for each student. A checklist outlining the components of
a strong universal screening protocol is available in a document on the KSDE website titled “Dyslexia Screening
Protocol Checklist” and follows in this appendix.
38
Does this mean that students who are identied by the screener are dyslexic and need
special education services?
The short answer is no. Just like high blood pressure signals potential for health concerns, a student who
the screener identies as below benchmark is potentially at risk for not developing as a procient reader. The
screening data allows a school to respond immediately with evidence-based interventions that address reading
decits, with or without an ocial diagnosis, and regardless of whether the student has been identied as an
exceptional learner.
38 See page 42.
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APPENDICES
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
We’ve given the screener to students. Now what?
The owchart on the following page gives a visual pathway for schools to use the universal screening data and
respond appropriately for each student based on the results of their screening assessment. Students who score
within the benchmark range are considered on track for continuing to develop as procient readers. Students
who score below benchmark, however, are demonstrating a need for some sort of skill-based intervention.
In some cases, additional informal diagnostics - for example, but not limited to, a CBMreading, Quick Phonics
Screener (QPS) or a Phonological Awareness Skills Test (PAST) - may be needed to determine what specialized
instruction a particular student may need. When assessment data is used to make instructional decisions, there
needs to be a high degree of reliability in the measurement. Teacher-created instruments do not qualify as an
informal assessment instrument that is valid and reliable.
Screeners are simply part of the general education intervention (GEI) process, and districts will want to identify
this when asked about their GEI system. As always, districts are tasked through Child Find to refer any student for
an evaluation should they suspect an exceptionality.
Where can I go for more information about selecting and/or using a screener eectively?
The Kansas Department of Education has released several documents that can be helpful. In addition, KSDE sta
members are just an email away. Districts should contact
Dr. Laurie Curtis
Early Literacy/Dyslexia Program Manager
Career, Standards and Assessment Services
(785) 296-2749
lcurtis@ksde.org
The Technical Assistance System Network (TASN) is another great resource for schools. Specic questions can be
posted by pushing the “Request Assistance” blue button found at https://www.ksdetasn.org.
The Kansas MTSS project can help your school build a framework to systematically respond to screening
data, provide evidence-based interventions and measure the eectiveness of all three tiers of support. More
information on this project and contact information can be found at https://www.ksdetasn.org/mtss.
37
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38
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
K-8 Screening Flowchart
YES
K-8 Screening Flowchart
Continue Tier 1
Instruction
Structured Literacy
(All students)
Verify Data
(Additional diagnostic
screening data needed)
Tier 2 and 3 interventions AND
progress monitoring provided based
upon all data, any additional
considerations or changes driven by
progress monitoring data and
decision-making rules.
Tier 1 Instruction and Universal Screening (fall, winter, spring)
Follow the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) - Approved screener; subskills assessed should
follow grade-level recommendations in the technical manual for the utilized screening instrument.
Is screening data/performance on target or at benchmark?
Yes risk.
No risk.
Additional Data Options
• Phonological awareness screening
(decoding): i.e., Zgonc, PAST.
• Phonics screening (decoding):
i.e., QPS, PSI, LETRS Phonics
Assessment.
• Spelling inventory/screener
(encoding): i.e., LETRS Spelling
Screener.
• Word reading: i.e., diagnostic decoding
surveys, oral reading fluency.
• Language screening: i.e., written
language sample, listening
comprehension, other.
• Language screening: i.e., core reading
screeners, screener for language and
literacy disorders, speech and language
screener - quick take-along.
Universal Classroom Instruction
(Structured Literacy Instructional
Principles):
• Explicit, Diagnostic, Systematic,
Cumulative
• Prompt Feedback
• Data Driven
• Highly Interactive
• Purposeful Choice of Instructional
Texts and Tasks
Adapted from The Structured Literacy
Infomap (2022). IDA
Continue Universal
Screening
(fall, winter, spring)
No risk.
No risk.
REQUIRED End of the Year Assessment (EOYA)
DATA: Spring Scores
• Kindergarten: Phoneme Segmentation
• First grade: Nonsense Word Fluency
• Second and third
grade: Oral Reading
Fluency (rate + accuracy)
• Eighth grade: Reading Comprehension
Yes risk.
Yes risk.
Yes risk.
Yes risk.
NO
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
APPENDICES
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
39
High School Screening Flowchart
Additional Data Options
• Phonological awareness screening (decoding): i.e., PAST.
• Phonics screening (decoding):
i.e., QPS, PSI, LETRS Phonics Assessment.
• Spelling inventory/screener (encoding): i.e., LETRS Spelling
Screener.
• Word reading: i.e., diagnostic decoding surveys, oral reading
fluency.
• Language screening: i.e., written language sample, listening
comprehension, other.
• Language screening:
i.e., core reading screeners, screener
for language and literacy disorders, speech and language
screener - quick take-along.
YES
High School Screening Flowchart
Verify Data
PreACT Reading Score (16 or higher) OR
ACT Reading Score (17 or higher)
Verify Data
(Additional diagnostic
screening data needed)
Tier 2 and 3 interventions AND progress monitoring provided
based upon all data, any additional considerations or changes
driven by progress monitoring data and decision-making rules.
Tier 1 Instruction and Universal Screening
ALL ninth grade students MUST be screened fall semester, along with any students in grades 9-12
new to the district (within two weeks of their start date).
Is screening data/performance on target or at benchmark?
Yes risk.
No risk.
Universal Classroom Instruction
(Structured Literacy Instructional
Principles):
• Explicit, Diagnostic, Systematic,
Cumulative
•
Prompt Feedback
• Data Driven
• Highly Interactive
•
Purposeful Choice of Instructional
Texts and Tasks
Adapted from The Structured Literacy
Infomap (2022). IDA
Continue Universal Screening
(fall, winter, spring)
Benchmark is reached and there are no longer
any concerns based on data.
No risk.
No risk.
Yes risk.
Yes risk.
Yes risk.
NO
Cross-reference with PreACT/ACT Reading Scores
Does data show there is NO reading risk
or intervention need?
Are there parent concerns?
NO NEED for FURTHER
UNIVERSAL SCREENING.
No risk.
Yes risk.
Resources:
z MTSS Problem-Solving Decision Tree
https://drive.google.com/le/d/1bdzS0Cnbu4hvFZvzxbENwFkfebZV3jH8/view
z KSDE Child Find guidance
https://www.ksde.org/Portals/0/SES/PH/PH-Ch02.pdf?ver=2019-05-21-102539-847
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
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40
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Screening Protocol Checklist
Overview
The path to leading the world in the success of each student depends on the ability to read at grade level. When
students enter kindergarten, teachers should be keenly aware of each child’s oral language ability and ability to
learn the written language of English.
Dyslexia is dened as “a specic learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by diculties
with accurate and/or uent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These diculties
typically result from a decit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to
other cognitive abilities and the provision of eective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include
problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede the growth of vocabulary
and background knowledge.”
39
In accordance with the Kansas State Board of Education vote in November 2019, all schools must screen students
for dyslexia or characteristics of dyslexia. Common early skills to access include:
z Segmenting, blending and manipulating sounds.
z Learning names of letters and their associated sounds.
z Holding information about sounds and words in memory.
z Rapidly recalling the names of letters of the alphabet.
All of these skills support a student’s ability to comprehend written text at grade level.
The early identication of individuals with characteristics of dyslexia will have a signicant impact on their future
academic success. Therefore, it is imperative that we catch them before they fail through the screening process.
KSDE has developed this checklist to help schools adhere to the recommendations set forth by the State Board
of Education. This completed checklist may be required as an accountability measure in Kansas Education
Systems Accreditation (KESA).
Screening tools must be reliable and valid to identify students at risk of reading diculties. Reliable screeners
refer to the consistency with which a tool classies from one administration to the next. A tool is considered
reliable if it produces the same results when administering the test under dierent conditions, at dierent times
or using dierent forms of the test. Validity is a measure of how well a given scale measures what it actually
intends to measure, leaving nothing out and including nothing extra. In the case of reading screeners, it is validity
that indicates how completely and accurately the assessment captures the reading performance of all students
who take it.
39 International Dyslexia Association, 2002.
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Screening Checklist
K-8 STUDENTS
Yes No Screener used is on the KSDE approved screener list (AimsWeb Plus, DIBELS, Early Reading
Star, EasyCBM, FastBridge, iReady, KSDE Alternative Screener).
Yes No Technical manual followed to guide administration of following subskill tests: letter naming
uency, letter word sound uency, phoneme segmentation uency, nonsense word uency,
oral reading uency, comprehension.
Yes No Students K-8 are screened three times during the school year. Students scoring at risk are
provided diagnostic assessment as needed and provided targeted intervention based on data.
Yes No Students K-8 receiving intervention are provided progress monitoring based on screening data.
Yes No All students are screened in fall of ninth grade on valid, reliable nationally normed
comprehension measure. Timed measure is recommended and will provide most accurate
results.
Yes No Students who scored at or above 40th percentile can be excused from future screening (district
decision).
Yes No Students who score at or below the 39th percentile can have score validated with a preACT
score of 16 (ELA) or ACT score of 18 (ELA). If ELA scores is 16 (preACT) or 18 (ACT), student can
be excused from future screening (district decision).
Yes No Students who score at or below 39th percent validated score are provided targeted
intervention instruction, progress monitoring and continue screening three times a year until
scoring at 40th percentile (or above) at which time they can be excused from future screening
(district decision).
SECONDARY STUDENTS
Yes No Recently arrived students, who are ESOL eligible, are screened after attending a U.S. school for
one year.
Yes No K-3 students who qualify for the DLM were screened using the Kansas Alternative Early Literacy
Screener. Eighth-grade students who qualify for the DLM will have eighth grade spring scores
from EE.RI.8.5 as screening
Yes No Spring data was uploaded to KIDS for the following:
z Kindergarten: Phoneme Segmentation
z First Grade: Nonsense Word Fluency
z Second Grade (Oral Reading Fluency, both rate and accuracy)
z Third Grade (Oral Reading Fluency, both rate and accuracy)
z Eighth Grade: Comprehension
ALL STUDENTS
41
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Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Appendix D
Subtest Skills Dened
LETTER NAMING FLUENCY (LNF)
A one-minute timed assessment to screen the student’s ability to name the letter on a page, both upper and
lower case, in random order. Letter naming uency identies a student at possible risk of reading diculties.
This measure is highly predictive of reading success through grade 1. The screener your school chooses must:
z Screen for the above skills.
z Use valid and reliable measures.
z Allow for intervention and progress monitoring of letter naming skill.
If the screener being used meets the above requirements, then it is considered approved for LNF.
LETTER WORD SOUNDS FLUENCY (LWSF)
A one-minute timed assessment to screen the student’s ability to make letter sounds, make the sounds of
two-letter combinations, and read aloud consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words. This task is similar to the
general developmental progression from letter-sound correspondence to oral word reading. Letter word
sounds uency can also measure the level of automaticity of the skills named above. The screener your school
chooses must:
z Screen for the above skills.
z Use valid and reliable measures.
z Allow for intervention and progress monitoring of letter word sound skills.
If the screener being used meets the above requirements, then it is considered approved for LWSF.
PHONEME SEGMENTATION FLUENCY (PSF)
A one-minute timed assessment that assesses the student’s ability to segment three-and four-phoneme
words into their individual phonemes uently. The PSF measure is an excellent predictor of later reading
achievement. The PSF task is administered by the examiner orally presenting words of three or four phonemes
and then the student verbally produces the individual phonemes in each word. For example, if the examiner
says “cat” and the student says “/k/ /a/ /t/”, he or she segmented the word correctly. The screener your school
chooses must:
z Screen for the above skills.
z Use valid and reliable measures.
z Allow for intervention and progress monitoring of phoneme segmentation skills.
If the screener being used meets the above requirements, then it is considered approved for PSF.
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
APPENDICES
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
NONSENSE WORD FLUENCY (NWF)
A one-minute timed assessment that assesses the student’s ability to utilize the alphabetic principle. The
alphabetic principle is the ability to associate sounds with letters and use these sounds to form words;
therefore, the alphabetic principle is a prerequisite to word identication. It has two parts: alphabetic
understanding and phonological blending. In alphabetic understanding, letters represent sounds in words. In
phonological blending, letter sounds can be blended together; and knowledge of the systematic relationships
between letters and phonemes can be used to read/decode words. The screener your school chooses must:
z Screen for the above skills.
z Use valid and reliable measures.
z Allow for intervention and progress monitoring of nonsense word uency.
If the screener being used meets the above requirements, then it is considered approved for NWF.
Please note: If the screener your system uses does not have a valid and reliable screening tool for
NWF in second grade, then follow this procedure. After giving the ORF, those students not
reaching benchmark with ORF (according to your testing system) should be given the NWF.
Systems would need to use the Spring rst grade NWF screener to those students needing
further screening.
ORAL READING FLUENCY (ORF)
A one-minute timed assessment that assesses accuracy and uency with connected text. The ability to
eortlessly translate letters to sounds and sounds to words is the hallmark of reading with automaticity. The
uent reader is one whose decoding processes are automatic, requiring no conscious attention to the details
of words in the text. Such capacity then enables readers to allocate their attention to the comprehension and
meaning of text. The screener your school chooses must:
z Screen for the above skills.
z Use valid and reliable measures.
z Allow for intervention and progress monitoring of oral reading uency.
If the screener being used meets the above requirements, then it is considered approved for ORF.
43
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Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
Appendix E
Sample Scope and Sequence of Phonogram Instruction
* Structured literacy instruction is systematic and cumulative. This is a sample document and should be
considered an illustration of possible skill sequence. This is not a comprehensive sample.
Beginning Level
z a /ặ/, b, c, f, h, i /ĭ/, j, k, m, p, t
z g, o /ŏ/, r, l, n, u /ŭ/, e /ĕ/, s, d, w, y (consonant), v, x, z, q, th, sh, ch, wh
z Ending Rimes -all, -ing, -ong, -ang, -ung, -ang, -ink, -ank, -onk, -unk
z Suxes -s /s/ /z/, -ed /d/ /t/ /ed/
z Floss Letters -, ll, ss, zz
z Concepts - blending, digraph, short and long vowel sounds, trigraph
z Vowel teams - ai, ay, ee, ea, oi, oy, oo, ow, ie, ou, y (vowel)
z Syllable types closed (one and two syllable words), open, and vowel-consonant-e
Middle Level
z r-controlled vowels - ar, or, ir, er, ur
z Suxes -es, -er, -est, -ly, -y, -ful, -less, -en, -ment
z Prexes un-, dis-, mis-, in-, non-, pre-, re-
z Concepts - diphthong, compound word, base word, tense (present, past), singular, plural, contraction
z Syllable types - r-controlled, vowel teams
z Intermediate Level
z Vowel teams - ea /ē/ and /ā/, oe, igh, ew, au, aw, ue, ou, eu, hard and soft c and g
z Suxes -able, -ive, -ion
z Prexes anti-, con-, de-, ex-, inter-, per-, pre-, pro-, semi-, sub-, super-
z Latin Roots - cept, dict, duct, fort, ject, port, rupt, sists, spect, vert, ex, c, n, gen, mit, pos, plic, scrib, vis
z Syllable types consonant -le
Advanced Level
z Vowel sounds - ei, eigh, ey, schwa
z Silent letters -wr (wreck), kn (knee), gn (gnat), mb (lamb), gh (ghost), stle (castle), ps, pn, alk, ough, augh
z Suxes - -lure, -ous, -al, -ic, -ure, -age, -an, -able, -ible, -ate, -ite, -ine, -ology
z Prexes - uni-, bi-, micro-, sy-, hyper, hydro-, tele-, phone-, auto-
DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
Kansas State Department of Education | www.ksde.org
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DYSLEXIA HANDBOOK
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MISSION
To prepare Kansas
students
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lifelong success t
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rigorous, qual
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VISI
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stude
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nsas high
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• Academic preparation,
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n,
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y education,
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attainme
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Michelle Dombrosky
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Betty
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qui
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Ge
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KSDE
,
La
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Stai
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Office
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in
g.
900
S.W
.J
ac
kson,
Suit
e
102,
Topekl,
KS
66612,
(785)
296-3201.
Kansas
leads
the
world
in
the
success
of
each
student.
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