Developmental Dynamics of Phonemic Awareness and Reading Performance During the First Year of Primary School

Abstract

This study investigates prospective relationships between phonemic awareness and reading performance during the first year of Finnish primary school. Pedagogical interest lay in finding out whether systematic use of phonics in reading instruction supported children’s reading performance even if children can already decode. A total of 85 children were examined three times on phonemic awareness and four times on reading performance during the first school year. At the beginning of the school year, they were also tested on initial reading skills. The results showed that the development of phonemic awareness and reading performance was reciprocal. Reading performance predicted phonemic awareness in the beginning of the first year while the development of phonemic awareness during the first year predicted reading performance at the end of the first school year. The results suggested further pedagogical tools are necessary that consider the support phonemic awareness still offers, even when children have become literate.