Developmental Indicators

for the Assessment of Learning,

Fourth Edition (DIAL-4)
Carol Mardell, PhD
Dorothea S. Goldenberg, EdD
 As you champion the success and progress of young children, you
appreciate what each one does to build on their individual strengths
and talents. By teaching and discovering new ways to engage young
learners, you encourage them to participate in activities that bring out
the best in each of them.

A child’s first years are a time of amazing growth, and early childhood
professionals like you can have a tremendously positive impact on
each learner’s success—both in and out of school. Research indicates
that the earlier we intervene, the more impactful those interventions
will be, setting the child up for success throughout their life. Users and applications
DIAL-4 is used by preschool
Pearson’s developmental screening instruments are designed by
and kindergarten teachers,
early childhood experts like you, and include child-friendly materials.
early childhood specialists,
Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning, Fourth child development center
Edition (DIALTM-4) is a global screener for assessing large groups of personnel, Head Start
children quickly and efficiently. It provides standard deviation and programs, and program
percentile cutoff points by chronological age at two-month intervals administrators.
for total and area scores—Motor, Concepts, Language, Self-Help,
and Social Development. Percentile ranks and standard scores are
also provided.

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Content and administration
DIAL-4 is administered in a one-to-one setting. Use the tool by presenting stimuli one at a time using
manipulatives and other materials. The results are comprehensive and provide an overall picture for
all five early childhood areas.

Motor area
Gross Motor items include catching, jumping, hopping, and skipping.
Fine Motor items include building with blocks, cutting, copying shapes and
letters, writing, and a popular finger touching task.

Language area
Items include answering simple personal questions (name, age,
and sex), articulation, naming (expressive) or identifying (receptive)
objects and actions, plus phonemic awareness tasks such as rhyming
and “I Spy.”

Concepts area
Items include pointing to named body parts, naming or identifying
colors, rote counting, counting blocks, identifying concepts in a
triad of pictures, and sorting shapes. Includes an item that assesses
automatic naming of objects, a skill that is associated with potential
learning disabilities.

Self-help development
Looks at the child’s development of personal care skills related to
dressing, eating, and grooming.

Social development
Looks at the child’s development of social skills with other children and parents,
including rule compliance, sharing, self-control, and empathy.

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 Features and benefits
In partnership with the authors of DIAL, the fourth edition was designed with today’s technologically savvy
children and classroom needs in mind to help save time in administration and receipt of the results.
• New norms to support updated edition
• Lowered floor from 3:0 to 2:6
• New items to measure skills important for predicting academic success
• Reformatted Handbooks and Record Form for easier administration and scoring
• Simplified administration instructions and scoring rules to reduce errors
• Teacher Questionnaire allowing for information from multiple sources

Materials
• Manual
• Easy-to-follow Operator’s Handbooks SpeedDIAL-4
• Lightweight, one-piece dials Save time with a shortened
• Separate zippered bags for the area materials version of DIAL-4. Speed
• Easy-to-use carrying bag DIAL is appropriate for quick
screening in smaller settings
• Teacher Questionnaire—Offers the opportunity for teacher feedback
such as departments of
• P
 arent Questionnaire—Helps gather information about the public health, pediatric
child’s health history, background, and development of self-help and offices, health fairs, homes,
social skills and classrooms.
• R
 eport to Parents—Helps facilitate discussion with parents and
caregivers about their child’s progress
• O
 ptional Parent-Child Activity Form—Suggests activities parents can use
to help their child improve motor, language, concepts, self-help, and
social skills

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Scoring and reporting
Early intervention is key for students who may need more assistance, and having quick access to
the results of an assessment helps to inform a student’s academic plan. DIAL-4 provides scoring
and reporting options that best fit your environment. You can choose between manual paper-
and-pencil scoring or digital scoring using our web-based platform.

ID: 7654321
Score Report Jackson Sample

SCORE SUMMARY
The Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning™, Fourth Edition (DIAL™-4) is an individually administered
developmental screening test designed to identify young children who need further testing or who need help with
academic skills. The DIAL-4 tests a child’s motor skills (skipping, jumping, cutting, writing), conceptual skills (knowledge
of colors, counting), and language skills (knowledge of letters and words, ability to solve problems). In addition, the
Parent and Teacher Questionnaires measure a child’s self-help skills (dressing, feeding, bathing) and social-emotional
skills (getting along with others, staying on task).

The skills measured by the DIAL-4 are proven to help predict a child’s success in the classroom. The DIAL-4 screening
test can help parents and teachers decide if a child’s skills are appropriate for his/her age or if further testing or
interventions are needed. This information can help with planning the child’s education and, if necessary, can help
parents and teachers address any needs the child may have at home or in school. The DIAL-4 provides scores that
show how the child’s developmental skills compare with those of a national norm group—a group of typical children
from across the United States who are the same age as the child. The table below lists Jackson Sample’s scores.

Performance Decision Standard National Percentile

Intelligibility Percentile
Areas Cutoff Level OK/Potential Delay Score 10 25 50 75 99
Motor OK 105 OK 64
Concepts OK 96 OK 39
16%
Language OK 96 Poor 39
DIAL-4 Total OK 98 45
Beh. Obs.
7% Potential Delay
(Cutoff Level 7%)

Decision National Percentile

Questionnaires Standard Score Percentile
Cutoff Level OK/Potential Delay 10 25 50 75 99
Parent Questionnaire
Self-Help
OK 96 39
Development (PQ)
16%
Social-Emotional
OK 101 53
Development (PQ)
Teacher Questionnaire
Self-Help
Potential Delay 80 9
Development (TQ)
16%
Social-Emotional
OK 89 24
Development (TQ)

Sample Score Report (English)

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 ID: 7654321
Informe de puntuación de la DIAL-4 Jackson Sample

RESUMEN de PUNTUACIÓN
Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning™, Fourth Edition (DIAL™-4) (Indicadores del desarrollo para la
evaluación del aprendizaje-Cuarta edición) es una prueba, administrada de manera individual, que está diseñada para
evaluar el desarrollo e identificar a niños pequeños que necesiten de más evaluación o ayuda con sus destrezas
académicas. La DIAL-4 evalúa habilidades motoras (saltar, brincar, cortar, escribir), conceptuales (conocimiento de
colores, conteo) y lingüísticas (conocimiento de letras y palabras, habilidad para resolver problemas). Además, los
Cuestionarios para los padres y para maestros miden habilidades de autoayuda (vestirse, alimentarse, bañarse) y
socio-emocionales (llevarse bien con otros, mantenerse enfocado en una tarea) de un niño(a).

Se ha demostrado que las habilidades medidas por la DIAL-4 ayudan a predecir el éxito de un niño(a) en la escuela. La
prueba DIAL-4 puede ayudar a los padres y maestros a decidir si las habilidades de un niño(a) son apropiadas para su
edad o si se necesitan evaluaciones o intervenciones adicionales. Esta información puede ayudarles a planear la
educación del niño(a) y, si es necesario, atender cualquier necesidad que el niño(a) pudiera tener en casa o en la
escuela. La DIAL-4 provee puntuaciones que muestran cómo las habilidades del niño(a) se comparan con las de un
grupo normativo nacional-un grupo de niños típicos de todas partes de los Estados Unidos que tienen la misma edad
que el niño(a). La tabla que aparece a continuación presenta las puntuaciones de Jackson Sample.

Decisión Puntuación Percentil nacional

Areas de rendimiento Inteligibilidad Percentil
Nivel de Corte OK/Posible retraso Estándar 10 25 50 75 99
Motora OK 105 OK 64
Conceptos OK 96 OK 39
16%
Lenguaje OK 96 Malo 39
DIAL-4 prueba total OK 98 45
Observaciones de
7% Posible retraso
comportamiento

Decisión Percentil nacional

Cuestionarios Puntuación Estándar Percentil
Nivel de Corte OK/Posible retraso 10 25 50 75 99
Cuestionario para los padres
Desarrollo de
OK 96 39
autoayuda
16%
Desarrollo
OK 101 53
socio-emocional
Cuestionario para maestros
Desarrollo de
Posible retraso 80 9
autoayuda
16%
Desarrollo
OK 89 24
socio-emocional

Sample Score Report (Spanish)

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Alignments and accreditations
Early learning and development standards, also known as early learning guidelines, are the heart
of any effective early childhood development system. Based on scientific research, they provide
the guideposts of what children should know and be able to do at various age ranges. The early
milestones of newborns―from rolling over, holding their head up, and sitting up, to first steps,
words―are important and guidelines of what to expect and when are regularly discussed with
your child’s pediatrician. These milestones don’t stop, but continue to be observed through play
and learning.

Through extended research, DIAL-4 includes key developmental milestones of various ages,
based on nationally recognized accredited frameworks. DIAL-4 is accredited for its alignment to
the National Education Goals Panel (NEGP), the National Association for the Education of Young
Children (NAEYC), and Head Start Domains and Standards. These alignments with key panels and
associations are important to educators and highlight Pearson’s dedication to improving early
childhood education.

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 To learn more about what DIAL-4 offers
for early childhood professionals, visit
PearsonAssessments.com/DIAL4.

800.627.7271 | PearsonAssessments.com/DIAL4
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