A New Screening Tool for the Early Identification of Risk Factors for the Development of Reading Problems in Kindergarten and First Grade Students

Early diagnosis of reading disorders is essential for intervention and later academic success. A tablet-based, group-administered screening measure, Risk Factor Screener for Reading (RiFS-R), identifies students at-risk for Phonics and/or Phonological Awareness difficulties. All students entering kindergarten should have already mastered the skills reflected in the RiFS-R. Students (n=657) in kindergarten or first grade completed the RiFs-R during the school day. Composite scores indicated that 42% of the 384 kindergarten students showed risk factors in Phonics, and 84% had risk factors in Phonological Awareness. Of the 273 1st graders screened, 32% showed risk factors for Phonics, and 70% showed risk factors for Phonological Awareness. Findings suggested that most students in kindergarten and 1st grade were already behind when they started the academic year, indicating that widespread screening would provide important information for early childhood curricula.