The Decoding Reading Inventory (DRI) is a tool for placing students in the appropriate range of decodable text. The online assessment begins by evaluating students' knowledge of upper- and lower-case letter names and their corresponding sounds. Next, students read decodable words and/or high-frequency words in isolation, which places them in a controlled assessment text. The results provide educators with a starting point for phonics instruction and suggest suitable decodable books targeted at students' phonics knowledge.
Accessing the Decoding Reading Inventory
1. From your dashboard, click on Assessment and Data Center.
2. Click on Decoding Reading Inventory.
Using the Decoding Reading Inventory
The Decoding Reading Inventory (DRI) is made up of four parts: Letter Name and Letter Sound, Reading Words, Reading Passages, and Results. Each step will display instructions on the right side, which can be collapsed or expanded by clicking the "Instructions" heading. Have your student sit with you while you complete the DRI together.
To begin, click on Start Part One. Or, if your student has excellent letter knowledge, you can skip Part One and start with Part Two: Reading Words instead.
Part One: Letter Name and Letter Sound
In this section, students will be asked to recognize and name individual letters presented on the screen as well as the sound they spell. Teachers will document their responses, taking note of both accurate and incorrect responses using the up and down arrows, while navigating through the letters with the left and right arrows.
Once you have been through all the letters, you will proceed to Part Two.
Part Two: Reading Words
Students will demonstrate their ability to phonetically pronounce words shown on the screen. Teachers will monitor their performance, logging both correct pronunciations and any missteps using the up and down arrows, while navigating through the words with the left and right arrows.
Once you have been through all the words, you will proceed to Part Three.
Part Three: Reading Passages
In this segment, students will practice decoding simple words and sentences from brief reading passages. Teachers will record any words that prove challenging for the student using the down arrow, mark any self-corrections with the up arrow, and navigate between pages with the left and right arrows. Additional passages may be presented when one is completed with high accuracy. When the passages have been completed, you will be presented with the Results page.
Part Four: Results
Inventory results will be analyzed to provide customized phonics instruction and book recommendations. These recommendations will align with our Scope and Sequence, ensuring they support each student’s individual learning journey. You can download the Scope and Sequence from the Recommended Instruction box, and navigate to suggested decodable books for appropriate next instruction. Type the student's name in the Student Name box, then print the page for your records. You can usually select "Save to PDF" from your Print pop-up for a digital record.