1. Nonsense Word Fluency mCLASS DIBELS Next Refresher & Reliability Check
Cynthia McGurl, Ph.D.
HILL for Literacy & CK3LI

2. Correct Letter Sounds (CLS): the number of letter sounds produced correctly in 1 minute. EXAMPLES - Word: dif Student Reads: “/d/ /i/ /f/” CLS = 3 Word: dif Student Reads: “dif” CLS = 3 Word: dif Student Reads: “/di/ /f/, dif” CLS = 3 Whole Words Read (WWR): the number of make-believe words read correctly as a whole word without first being sounded out. Word: dif Student Reads: “/d/ /i/ /f/” CLS = 3 WWR = 0 Word: dif Student Reads: “dif” CLS = 3 WWR = 1 Word: dif Student Reads: “/di/ /f/, dif” CLS = 3 WWR = 0 .
Two scores are calculated for NWF LCICK
The first score is Correct Letter Sounds or CLS. Students receive 1 CLS point for each letter sound read correctly in isolation or as part of a nonsense word. . For example, if the student reads dif as /d/ /i/ /f/ the score for Correct Letter Sounds is 3. If the student reads dif as /di/ /f/ or “dif,” the score is also 3.CLICK
The second score is Whole Words Read or WWR. Students receive 1 WWR point for each whole word read correctly without first being sounded out. A point is given for whole words read only when the student reads the word as a word, correctly, the first time, and only reads it once. For example, if the student reads dif as “dif,” the score is 3 points for CLS and 1 point for WWR, but if the student reads dif as “/d/ /i/ /f/ dif,” the score is 3 points for CLS but 0 points for WWR.Sounding out and then recoding the sounds into a word would earn points for correct letter sounds, but not for a whole word read. Although this pattern is an appropriate scaffold toward the end goal, the ultimate goal of decoding instruction is for students to read words as whole words. We will look at examples of each of these scores. CLICK

3. Scoring Rules
Underline each letter sound the student says correctly, either in isolation or blended together with other sounds in the word.
Tap each letter sound read incorrectly.
Insertions
When the student is reading sound-by-sound, leave blank any inserted letter sounds.
When the student is reading word-by-word, slash the underline (box to the right) to indicate an inserted letter sounds. This does NOT count as a WWR.
There are 4 scoring rules for NWF: CLICK
1. For correct responses, underline each letter sound the student says correctly, either in isolation or blended together with other sounds in the word. The final answer is scored. CLICK
2. Put a slash over each incorrect letter sound. CLICK
Leave blank any omitted or inserted letter sounds or words. When a student is reading sound-by-sound, leave blank any inserted letter sounds. When the student is reading word-by-word, slash the underline to indicate any inserted letter sounds. CLICK
4. If the student self corrects within 3 seconds, write sc above the previously slashed letter and count that letter-sound or word as correct. Credit is only given for WWR when the student reads the whole word completely and correctly the first time, and only reads the word once. CLICK
5. Draw a line through any row the student skips. Do not count the row when scoring.

4. Scoring Rules
Re-Tap any letter sound(s) that was self-corrected within 3 seconds. Count that(those) letter sound(s) as correct.
Credit is only given for WWR when the student reads the whole word completely and correctly the FIRST TIME, and only reads the word ONCE.
Tap the “X’ next to any row the student skips. This will not be counted in scoring.
There are 4 scoring rules for NWF: CLICK
1. For correct responses, underline each letter sound the student says correctly, either in isolation or blended together with other sounds in the word. The final answer is scored. CLICK
2. Put a slash over each incorrect letter sound. CLICK
Leave blank any omitted or inserted letter sounds or words. When a student is reading sound-by-sound, leave blank any inserted letter sounds. When the student is reading word-by-word, slash the underline to indicate any inserted letter sounds. CLICK
4. If the student self corrects within 3 seconds, write sc above the previously slashed letter and count that letter-sound or word as correct. Credit is only given for WWR when the student reads the whole word completely and correctly the first time, and only reads the word once. CLICK
5. Draw a line through any row the student skips. Do not count the row when scoring.

5. Scoring Rules Credit is only given for WWR when the student:
reads the whole word correctly…the FIRST TIME
reads the whole word completely…the FIRST TIME
reads the whole word without sounding out first
reads the whole word only once!
There are 4 scoring rules for NWF: CLICK
1. For correct responses, underline each letter sound the student says correctly, either in isolation or blended together with other sounds in the word. The final answer is scored. CLICK
2. Put a slash over each incorrect letter sound. CLICK
Leave blank any omitted or inserted letter sounds or words. When a student is reading sound-by-sound, leave blank any inserted letter sounds. When the student is reading word-by-word, slash the underline to indicate any inserted letter sounds. CLICK
4. If the student self corrects within 3 seconds, write sc above the previously slashed letter and count that letter-sound or word as correct. Credit is only given for WWR when the student reads the whole word completely and correctly the first time, and only reads the word once. CLICK
5. Draw a line through any row the student skips. Do not count the row when scoring.

6. NWF Reminders
If the student does not read from left to right, then sweep your finger across the row saying Go this way. This can be used once. If the student says the letter names tell the student to Say the sounds not the letter names. This can be used once.
See DIBELS Cheat Sheets as a Reference

7. NWF Reminders
If the student reads the word first, then says the letter sounds, tell the student to Just read the word. This can be used once. If the student says all the correct letter sounds in the first row, but does not make any attempt to blend or recode, tell the student to Try to read the words as whole words. This can be used once.
See DIBELS Cheat Sheets as a Reference

8. NWF Reminders
If the student stops (and it is not a hesitation on a specific item), tell the student to Keep Going. This can be used as often as needed. If the student looses his or her place, prompt the student to continue by pointing. This can be used as often as needed.
See DIBELS Cheat Sheets as a Reference

9. Game Show
Partner up
You will and your partner(s) will be provided with tricky questions regarding DIBELS administration and scoring.
No gotchas, rather this is an opportunity to have good conversation.
TWO Rules:
EVERYONE PARTICIPATES
HAVE FUN!

10. Question I Multiple Choice
Timing on NWF begins when:
After the student reads the first word
After you say begin
This is an untimed test

11. tob Question II Score This 2 ____ CLS ____ WWR
If the stimulus word is tob and the student response is “/t/ /u/ /b/” how would you score this?
tob
It is important to arrange assessment environments to minimize the need to repeat words, i.e., sit close enough to the child, make sure you have his/her attention, and speak clearly. If the child asks, repeat the word. If it occurs one time it is not a big deal. If this happens often, be sure to make a note. 2
____ CLS
____ WWR

12. Question III True/False
If the stimulus word is tob. Student A says: “/t/ /o/ /b/” Student B says: “tob” Student B would get more points than Student A because he/she read the whole word. 3
____ CLS ____ WWR 3 1
____ CLS ____ WWR
True & False
Yes and No. Both students would earn 3 CLS but the first student would earn 1 WWR whereas the latter would not earn any points toward WWR.

13. tob Question IV Score This 3 ____ CLS ____ WWR
If the stimulus word is tob and the student response is “/t/ /o/ /b/… tob” how would you score this?
tob
Even though the student eventually read the whole word, he or she required the self-scaffolding of first sounding out the word first. The WWR requires mastery and automaticity of recognizing VC and CVC words/syllables such that when students view these they cannot inhibit a response. 3
____ CLS
____ WWR

14. bot Question V Score This 3 ____ CLS ____ WWR
If the stimulus word is bot and the student response is “bot… bot” how would you score this?
bot
Even though students read the whole word they read it twice. Standardized scoring rules clearly state that the student can only read the word ONCE. 3
____ CLS
____ WWR

15. tiz Question VI Score This 1 ____ CLS ____ WWR
If the stimulus word is tiz and the student response is “/t/ /i/ /z/… zit” how would you score this?
tiz
Standardized scoring rules for CLS state that you score the student’s final response. In this case only /i/ or “i” is correct. On WWR you would score the student’s first and ONLY response. 1
____ CLS
____ WWR

16. Question VII True/False
Every time a student is tested with NWF they will be presented with the two sample stimulus words sog and mip.
True
During benchmarking sog and mip will be administered to all students. However, during progress monitoring, particularly when students are monitored frequently, this practice page may no longer be necessary. Once students are able to predict and essentially tell you the directions, this practice page can be faded

17. Question VII Score This
If the stimulus word is fut and the student reads “flut” how would you mark and score this.
fut / 3
____ CLS
____ WWR

18. ig Question IX Score This 2 ____ CLS ____ WWR
If the stimulus word is ig and the student reads “fig, NO I mean ig” how would you mark and score this. ig /
Self-corrects are allowed within 3 seconds on CLS but not on WWR. Here students are provided with credit for their first and only response. 2
____ CLS
____ WWR

19. False Question X True/False
If the student sounds out an then blends all of the words in the first row you may use a one-time prompt: Try to use the words as whole words.
False
This is one of the most common mistakes that examiners make. This prompt is intended for students that do not make any attempt to recode words in the first row. However, in spite of the directions that students are to read words as whole words, if they can, may students often misunderstand and do both. There are many things administrators and teachers can do to pre-correct for this error. First, teachers should explain to students the purpose of testing prior to benchmarking ever occurs in addition to explaining to students expectations around performance. For instance, outside of standardization it can be clearly stated if kids can read the words as whole words they should. However, once test administration has begun, administrators CANNOT veer from administration. In the event in spite of precorrection students still do not perform the way teachers think a student should have, nothing prevents a teacher from following up at a later date with a progress monitoring probe and clearly telling students they expect them to read the words as whole words, again, prior to standardized administration.

20. Interpretation Bonus Open Response
Mrs. Smith has just finished a bunch of lessons concentrated on getting her students to blend VC and CVC words. Many students have become automatic but she is also noticed that there are a bunch of students whose WWR has not improved and their CLS has dipped. She has decided that her lessons did not work and she should abandon them. Would you agree? NO
Don’t panic. An asset of NWF is that it can masterfully capture a continuum of development from letter sound correspondence all the way to automatic identification of VC and CVC words. Often once students develop automatic recognition of letter/sound correspondences, students will then begin to blend these sounds together to form whole words. During this blending stage, students often will provide the individual sounds orally and then will blend them together. This will take more time than just providing the individual sounds, yet even though they are recoding these words they are not yet at a point where they will improve their WWR score. Consequently, sometimes it will appear on the basis of CLS that students may be moving backwards when in actuality they are making progress. In Mrs. Smith’s case, she would need to return to the scoring booklets or mCLASS to figure out which students are in fact making progress, and those who may be stuck.

21. Student Have 2nd strongest assessor play the student
Student Have 2nd strongest assessor play the student. Assessor Have strongest DIBELer be the assessor first. Have that person administer the measure completely. Observer Keep notes on Assessment Reliability checklist and score along. Have the observer read back the feedback to both assessor and student. Discuss fine points. If necessary, look up rule in training materials to make problem area is well understood. Repeat process with each individual playing all the roles.