Most standardized, norm-referenced tests of language and reading are static, meaning they only provide information on what a child can currently do or what a child has learned up to the point of testing. While this can be helpful, it is not appropriate for identifying learning disabilities. Because language disorder and dyslexia are learning disabilities, the measurement of a child’s learning potential is critical. Tests that measure learning are dynamic assessments. Dynamic assessments reduce the influence of extraneous variables such as socioeconomic status, multilingualism, cultural diversity, and lack of experience or exposure to the test content or procedures. As a result, a dynamic assessment can more validly measure a child’s ability to learn, separating differences from disability.

The DYMOND is a dynamic assessment specifically designed to accurately identify language disorder and dyslexia. The results can also be used to document current skills and identify instructional targets. When examiners can easily and quickly gather information about both current skills and learning potential, they can ensure schools’ limited resources go to the children who truly need them and make sure every child, including those who are culturally and linguistically diverse, receive the support they need. With the DYMOND, decision-makers can make impactful, well-informed intervention choices that shape a child’s academic trajectory and life outcomes. Whether used to help identify a language or decoding learning disorder or specific instructional needs, the DYMOND empowers educators, clinicians, and families to help children achieve their full potential.

• Accurately identify language disorder and dyslexia for children in grades K-8.
  Analyses of the entire normative sample of almost 1500 children across 36 states indicate that the DYMOND accurately identifies language disorder and dyslexia with 95% sensitivity and 91% specificity.
• Reduces bias, accurately identifying language disorder and dyslexia in culturally and linguistically diverse children.
  Across culturally and linguistically diverse students (including Hispanic children, Native American children, and students from lower socio-economic backgrounds), the DYMOND yielded excellent sensitivity and specificity at or above 94%, indicating limited assessment bias and excellent predictive validity for accurately diagnosing language disorder and dyslexia among a diverse group of students.
• Identifies strengths, weaknesses, and instructional targets. 

  Results from the DYMOND allow for a precise analysis of individual strengths and weaknesses across different language and decoding skills, guiding targeted intervention. By comparing a child’s performance to age-matched peers, examiners can identify areas where the child is below expectations and needs focused intervention. The comparison to a diverse normative sample ensures that instructional targets are appropriate for children of all backgrounds, including those who are culturally and linguistically diverse.

• Incredibly efficient.
  It only takes 15-20 minutes to administer all four subtests of the DYMOND. For different testing purposes, not all subtests need to be administered. The Dynamic Assessment of Narrative Discourse (DAND) subtest that accurately identifies language disorder takes approximately 6-8 minutes to administer. The Dynamic Assessment of Decoding (DAD) subtest that accurately identifies dyslexia takes approximately 5-7 minutes to administer. However, the time required can vary; some children may complete the subtests more quickly, while others, particularly those with language or decoding difficulties, may take longer. 

Dynamic Assessment of Narrative Discourse (DAND)

Assessment Type: Dynamic Assessment
Purpose: Identify language learning disorder (e.g., DLD); Identify strengths, weaknesses, and instructional targets related to language.

The DAND subtest was designed to measure language learning potential of complex language that children are expected to understand and produce in most academic settings. The DAND focuses on narrative retelling, which authentically incorporates complex language at the discourse, sentence, and word levels. The stories used in the DAND are structured to include features such as complete and clear story grammar, subordinate clauses, and low-frequency, high-utility vocabulary. The DAND provides critical insights into a child’s ability to learn and use complex language, identifying areas that may benefit from targeted instruction. The sum of the scaled scores from Teaching Phase Step 2 and the Responsiveness (Behavior Scales and the Learning Scale) yields a Language Learning Index with standard scores and percentile ranks that help identify language learning disorder. Low Language Learning Index standard scores (and consequently low percentile rankings) indicate that there is a high probability that the child has a language learning disorder. 

Dynamic Assessment of Inferential Word Learning (DAIWL)

Assessment Type: Dynamic Assessment
Purpose: Identify strengths, weaknesses, and instructional targets related to a child’s ability to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words using linguistic context clues.

Most vocabulary acquisition relies on inferential word learning, in which children use the surrounding context to deduce the meanings of new words. The DAIWL helps identify difficulties in inferential word learning that are due to a language disorder. By assessing how effectively children can learn and apply inferencing strategies, this subtest provides valuable insights into vocabulary learning potential and highlights areas where targeted instruction may be needed.

Dynamic Assessment of Decoding (DAD)

Assessment Type: Dynamic Assessment
Purpose: Identify decoding learning disorder (e.g., dyslexia); Identify strengths, weaknesses, and instructional targets related to decoding.

The DAD subtest evaluates a child’s ability to decode nonsense words and their ability to learn decoding strategies during a brief instructional session. For grades K-1, the assessment focuses only on Closed Syllable words. For grades 2-8, there are six levels of decoding that the assessment ascertains, each getting more difficult: Closed Syllables, Vowel-Consonant-E, Vowel Teams, Vowel-R-Controlled, Advanced Word Forms, and Complex Vowels. The sum of the scaled scores from the Pretest, Teaching Phase, Posttest, and Responsiveness (Behavior Scales and Learning Scale) yields a Decoding Learning Index with standard scores and percentile ranks that help identify decoding learning disorder. Low Decoding Learning Index standard scores (and consequently low percentile rankings) indicate there is a high probability that the child has a decoding learning disorder.

Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN)

Assessment Type: Static/Processing Dependent Measure
Purpose: Identify strengths, weaknesses, and instructional targets related to phonological processing ability, which is strongly linked to decoding ability.

The RAN subtest measures a child’s phonological processing ability, a key factor in reading fluency. Research has consistently shown a strong link between phonological processing and decoding ability, particularly in children with dyslexia. Although the RAN is technically a static measure, it is less prone to bias than many traditional assessments because it evaluates processing efficiency rather than prior knowledge. By measuring the speed and accuracy of phonological retrieval, the RAN subtest helps determine whether slow processing may be contributing to reading difficulties.