A new resource is now available for Descubriendo la Lectura (DLL) educators: Administración y desarrollo del Instrumento de observación de los logros de la lecto-escritura inicial en Descubriendo la Lectura. The book includes the first comprehensive revision of the original 1996 Instrumento de observación, incorporating the substantial developments and enhancements found in the 2019 edition of Marie Clay’s An Observation Survey of Early Literacy Achievement. For decades, DLL teachers, teacher leaders, and trainers have used the Instrumento de observación in their work with children and, through that experience, have contributed thoughtful suggestions for refinements and improvements.

The book was developed to support DLL educators working with Spanish-speaking learners. In addition to the revised Instrumento de observación, it provides updated administration protocols along with a summary of relevant research and considerations related to bilingual education. Together, these components provide an opportunity to consider both the administration of the assessment and the research that informs its use in DLL.

Several changes to the Instrumento de observación are designed to streamline task administration and make the assessment directions easier to navigate. The administration directions now focus exclusively on the Spanish prompts, with English translations removed. Assessment prompts are presented in bold blue text to create a clear visual distinction from the general directions and to signal what teachers should say aloud. The resource also includes updated, relevant examples while retaining effective content from the original text—supporting both usability and assessment fidelity.

This publication reflects the extensive work of Marisa Morales, a teacher leader in Pasco, Washington, and doctoral student at Texas Woman’s University. Marisa developed the book under the guidance of Dr. Annette Torres Elías and Dr. Betsy Kaye. The publication was made possible through the support of the Marie Clay Literacy Trust, which published the text and granted permission for this adaptation. Copies of the book are distributed free of charge through the Literacy Council of North America (LCNA). DLL educators can access a copy through the Members Only section of the LCNA website.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth “Betsy” Kaye is the Dr. Billie J. Askew Endowed Chair and Director of the Reading Recovery/ Descubriendo la Lectura training center at Texas Woman’s University. Her research interests include early reading and writing, assessment, and literacy intervention. Betsy is the US representative of the IRRTO Board.