Graduate Project Title

Kindergarten Diagnostic Toolkit

Document Type

Graduate Project

Date of Degree Completion

2012

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

Department

Education

Committee Chair

Lee Plourde

Second Committee Member

Terrance McCain

Third Committee Member

Steve Schmitz

Abstract

This project was used for multiple purposes. The first was the identification of supplemental intervention activities in attempt to treat reading difficulties. The second was the creation of a Kindergarten Diagnostic Toolkit (KDT) as a means for early detection of learning deficits. Upon completion of beginning of the year assessments and use of the KDT checklist, instructional suggestions for remediation were made with a focus on explicit/systematic alphabetic, phonemic, and decoding skills. The need for such specific diagnostic assessment of early reading skills is further required with such high stakes testing requirements. Strategies specific to early literacy skills are connected to Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) probes and Consortium on Reading Excellence (CORE) assessment areas, as a means for instruction. Teachers and Intervention Specialists may use this toolkit to help form and modify small group instructional decisions. Research supporting the need for early reading intervention was utilized to supply instructional suggestions.

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