Phonological Awareness Instruction Research Articles

Preschool and Kindergarten Teachers’ Self-Reported Phonological Awareness Strategies and Challenges in Teaching English Learners

This study investigates the phonological awareness strategies and challenges of preschool and kindergarten teachers in teaching English learners (ELs). Using a mix method survey design, we analyzed 57 responses. Quantitatively, we examined teachers’ use of best practices established in the literature. Qualitatively, we explored the specific strategies, challenges, and tools teachers used in the classroom. The results showed that 80% of teachers reported providing direct phonological awareness instruction daily or almost every day. However, some preschool teachers used implicit phonological awareness and rarely incorporated blending and segmenting practices. Teachers encountered challenges including language and cultural barriers, the need for developmentally appropriate and engaging materials, and support from districts and parents. Teachers desired explicit lessons, culturally relevant materials, and comprehensive toolkits. The findings underscore the needs for tailored training and resources for early childhood educators and their ELs, aiming to bridge the gap between evidence-based literacy practices and classroom implementation.

A better start to literacy for bilingual children in New Zealand: findings from an exploratory case study in te reo Māori and English

ABSTRACT This article details findings from an exploratory case study that examined the efficacy of a phonological awareness and vocabulary programme with children educated in a bilingual immersion context of English and te reo Māori (Māori language) in Aotearoa New Zealand. The current paper discusses changes in the development of early literacy skills in English and te reo Māori in two groups of children aged from 5 years 0 months to 7 years 5 months. Twenty-six children from two bilingual classrooms in a rural school participated in a programme implemented by teachers over 15 weeks. The programme included explicit instruction in phonological awareness and vocabulary. One classroom was from Level 1 te reo Māori immersion, and one was from Level 3 te reo Māori/English. Results were analysed at cohort and class levels. Analyses indicated that both groups of children significantly improved in phonological awareness skills, non-word reading, and expressive vocabulary. Correlational analyses indicated that growth in te reo Māori skills was positively associated with growth in English skills. These findings suggest that further investigation into how the explicit teaching of te reo Māori can benefit the development of phonological awareness and print-related skills in English.

Associations among Variables in Technology-Enhanced Phonological Awareness Programmes Based on a Meta-Analysis

This article presents a quantitative approach of a systematic literature review, namely a meta-analysis, using 19 technology-based phonological awareness interventions carried out over the last decade, aiming at technology-mediated reading acquisition and focusing specifically on the capabilities of phonological awareness. The study showed consistent positive effects when compared with non-technological intervention programmes in preschoolers. The selected interventions fall into quasi-experimental designs with post-intervention measurements, and experimental and control groups. Aspects related to the participants, intervention or programme, methodology, and external factors to the research itself were coded and controlled. Associations found for the moderating variables were the type of technology used, the age of the participant, and the duration of the programme. We conclude by recognising the usefulness of a meta-analysis as an appropriate method that is capable of distinguishing among the various studies on the presence of effective factors in the development of phonological awareness instruction.

Instruction influences cross-language transfer of reading skills: evidence from a longitudinal randomized controlled trial

AbstractLongitudinal data from the Early Grade Reading Study (EGRS I) in South Africa (N = 4538) were used to examine the role of instructional contexts in the relations of literacy skills between children’s home language (L1 Setswana) and a second language (L2 English). All children received literacy instruction in Setswana in Grades 1 to 3. However, children in the treatment condition were provided with explicit and systematic Setswana language instruction in phonological awareness and phonics (n = 1964), whereas those in comparison condition received business-as-usual instruction (n = 2574). Children’s literacy skills were assessed four times: Time 1 in the beginning of Grade 1, Time 2 at the end of Grade 1, Time 3 at the end of Grade 2, and Time 4 at the end of Grade 4. Literacy data in Setswana were collected in all four time points, whereas data in English were collected in Times 3 and 4. Results from confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling showed that L1 Setswana literacy skill strongly predicted concurrent L2 English reading skill across instructional contexts. However, the longitudinal relation from Grade 2 Setswana literacy skill to Grade 4 English reading skill was found only for those in the treatment condition, but not for those in the comparison condition, after accounting for concurrent relations between Setswana and English. These results suggest that instructional contexts in L1 have implications for the nature relations between L1 and L2 literacy skills.

SIPPS Impact on English Language Learners Reading Success

This mixed-methodology study explores the impact of the Systematic Instruction in Phonological Awareness, Phonics, and Sight Words (SIPPS) program on the reading success of English Language Learners (ELL) at a Title 1 public school in the Southeastern United States. The literature review emphasizes the importance of educator training and professional development, understanding the foundational reading skills needed for ELL students, and the positive impacts of small group instruction on reading success. The paper concludes that early literacy experiences are critical for language development in children and that the ability to read can provide a multitude of opportunities for ELL students.

Assisting Struggling Early ESL Readers. What Can English Teachers Do?: A Review Paper

The teaching and learning of reading to struggling readers have become a distinguished area to be researched recently. Past studies discovered the effectiveness of the teaching and learning process involving early struggling readers in foreign countries. However, in Malaysia, the study of intervention in the teaching of reading to ESL readers is scarce. Hence, this paper reviews interventions and the findings of the effectiveness of the interventions in teaching reading to struggling ESL readers to provide the framework for Malaysian researchers and English educators dealing with struggling early ESL readers. This paper addresses issues that will help the struggling reader succeed. Several themes have emerged from research on identifying teaching strategies that support struggling readers in the classroom. Increased student engagement occurs when pairwork, reading with a reading specialist and playing reading games took place during the reading interventions to assist struggling readers. Moreover, explicit instruction in phonological awareness and ample opportunities to practise reading, both at home and at school, improve reading skills.

Examining the effect of phonological awareness instruction on EFL learners’ pronunciation and motivation

ELT teachers in Indonesia mostly apply an integrative language teaching approach to cover the linguistic elements of language skills. However, the pronunciation in speaking exposure is required to be accurate through the intervention of phonological awareness. Thus, this study examines the effect of phonological awareness on students’ English pronunciation and how it provokes students’ motivation in speaking English. This study used a pretest-posttest control group design. The experimental group which consisted of 36 participants was given a phonological awareness intervention and the control group which consisted of 36 participants was given without any intervention. The instruments of the study were a text reading-aloud task and a questionnaire. Data were then analyzed using Pearson correlation and independent sample t-test. The findings revealed that phonological awareness instruction positively impacted participants’ pronunciation performance with better phonemes articulation, more appropriate stress determination, and more adequate intonation that directly provoked their speaking motivation. Therefore, EFL teachers should determine the phonological awareness approach for the potential English competence and performance integrated into the learning syllabus more intensively.

Phonological Awareness in Arabic among Early Grade Teachers

Early-grade teachers’ ability to incorporate high-quality explicit phonological awareness (PA) instruction into the classroom helps children succeed in early reading endeavors and significantly reduces reading difficulties among children at risk for reading problems. Teachers’ deep knowledge of teaching PA is expected to affect their reading instructional practices inside the classrooms. This study aims to gain perspective on early grade teachers’ perceptions, knowledge, and practices related to teaching PA skills in the Arabic language. To this end, a modified survey instrument was completed by 109 Arabic language teachers at kindergarten and primary grade levels. Results reveal that although teachers recognize the significance of PA for reading development, many show poor knowledge of certain PA fundamentals and do not formally assess PA or provide adequate and explicit PA instruction in their classrooms. Furthermore, results show that teachers with more teaching experience provide their students with more chances to complete PA activities in the classroom. These findings suggest a need to provide Arabic language teachers with adequate knowledge and training as well as assessment and teaching materials to enable them to provide the required PA skills, as a crucial reading skill, in the classroom..

A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Phonological Awareness and/or Phonics Instruction on Word and Pseudo Word Reading of English as an L2

Despite considerable efforts made to understand the impact that instructional interventions have upon L2 reading development, we still lack a clear picture of the influence that PA and phonics instruction has upon reading in English as an L2. A search of the research literature published from 1990 to 2019 yielded 45 articles with 46 studies containing 3,841 participants in total. Effect sizes were recorded for the effect of various PA and/or phonics instructional interventions on word and pseudo word reading. Results demonstrated that L2 PA and phonics instruction has a moderate effect on L2 word reading ( g = 0.53) and a large effect on pseudo word reading ( g = 1.51). Moderator analyses revealed effects of a number of moderators including testing method, type of PA/phonics intervention, and context where the intervention occurred. Based upon these conclusions, policymakers and educators can provide beginning learners of English as an L2 with PA and phonics instruction that will enable them to read, understand and enjoy English better. Future research should also strive to adhere to more stringent standards of excellence in educational research.

Effects of an Early Literacy Intervention for Linguistically Diverse Children: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Phonological awareness and letter-sound knowledge underpin children’s early literacy acquisition. Promoting these foundational skills in kindergarten should therefore lead to a better response to formal literacy instruction once started. The present study evaluated a 12-week early literacy intervention for linguistically diverse children who are learning to read in German. The study was set in Luxembourg where kindergarten education is in Luxembourgish and children learn to read in German in Grade 1 of primary school. One hundred and eighty-nine children (mean age = 5;8 years) were assigned to an early literacy intervention in Luxembourgish or to a business as usual control group. Trained teachers delivered the intervention to entire classes, four times a week, during the last year of kindergarten. The early literacy program included direct instruction in phonological awareness and letter-knowledge, while promoting print and book awareness and literacy engagement. Children were assessed pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention and at a 9 months delayed follow-up using measures in Luxembourgish and in German. At the end of the intervention, children in the intervention group performed significantly better than the control group on phonological awareness and letter-knowledge measures in Luxembourgish and the gains in phonological awareness were maintained at 9 months follow-up. The effects generalized to measures of phonological awareness, word-level reading comprehension and spelling in German (effect sizes d > 0.25), but not to German single word/pseudoword reading, at delayed follow-up. Intervention programs designed to support foundational literacy skills can be successfully implemented by regular teachers in a play-based kindergarten context. The findings suggest that early literacy intervention before school entry can produce educationally meaningful effects in linguistically diverse learners.

Elementary school teachers’ perception of phonological awareness instruction

Elementary school teachers’ perception of phonological awareness instruction

Phonological awareness and speech perception: Skills of Grade 1 English second language learners

Background: Literacy achievement of learners is a concern in many developing countries, particularly for English second language (EL2) learners with inadequate language development. It is important to investigate foundational phonological awareness (PA), as well as speech perception skills to guide the development of effective intervention for EL2 learners to facilitate optimal literacy acquisition. Objectives: The study aimed to describe the PA and speech perception in noise skills of South African Grade 1, EL2 participants, learning in an English first language (EL1) context, to inform evidence-based support during literacy acquisition for EL2 learners. Method: A cross-sectional, descriptive design was employed. Twenty-five EL1 participants provided normative results for the Phonological Awareness Test – 2 and South African English Digits-in-Noise Test , enabling between-group comparisons with 25 matched EL2 participants for quantitative data analysis. Demographic and background information was obtained using parental questionnaires. Results: The EL2 learners presented with PA skills below those of EL1 learners in all subtests. Though the speech perception in noise skills of EL2 learners were within the normative range for their age, their skills are also lower in comparison to EL1 learners. Conclusion: The findings support the inclusion of explicit PA instruction for rhyming, segmentation, isolation, deletion, substitution, and blending for EL2 literacy acquisition. Developing speech perception in noise skills is necessary to facilitate PA and phoneme-grapheme knowledge. This can enable decoding for early EL2 literacy acquisition.

At-scale, state-sponsored language and literacy professional development: Impacts on early childhood classroom practices and children’s outcomes.

Professional development (PD) is a potentially important mechanism for enhancing classroom practices and children’s learning. In this large-scale randomized controlled trial, we examined the effectiveness of language and literacy PD, with and without coaching, offered at scale to early childhood educators (n = 546) across 1 state. Relative to the comparison condition, PD with coaching showed a small impact on the quantity of phonological awareness instruction, and PD with and without coaching impacted the quality of phonological awareness and writing instruction. PD did not impact children’s (n = 1,953, Mage = 4.53) emergent literacy skills, as measured by the research team, or kindergarten readiness, as measured by the state’s kindergarten readiness assessment which exclusively focused on language and literacy skills. Although we can only speculate as to why this at-scale, state-sponsored PD did not realize intended impacts, these findings, as coupled with those from the literature, raise critical questions concerning current understandings of PD and the ability to achieve desired effects when implemented at scale. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)

Teaching Phonological Awareness to Children With Hearing Loss Who Use Spoken Language: Six Big Ideas

PurposeBecause children with hearing loss experience difficulty in developing word decoding and spelling skills, effective phonological awareness instruction for this population is vital. Children with hearing loss are often delayed in their development of phonological awareness compared to peers with normal hearing; however, the developmental progression appears to be the same for both groups of children. Some modifications to typical phonological awareness instruction are warranted for this population.ConclusionThis article synthesizes recent research on phonological awareness instruction for children with hearing loss from several research groups into 6 big ideas that have led to impressive gains in phonological awareness skills for this population.

A Systematic Review of Phonological Awareness Interventions for Latino Children in Early and Primary Grades

This article summarizes the findings of a systematic review of 15 group and two single-subject experimental design studies that evaluated the effectiveness of phonological awareness interventions for dual language learners (DLL) in preschool through second grade. Studies were evaluated using a Consumer Reports-like rating system. Each study was rated on quality indicators for design characteristics, measurement and reliability, evaluation of treatment effects, and external validity. The effects of phonological awareness interventions for Latino children who are DLL in the early and primary grades are promising, although the studies’ results are tempered by conceptual limitations. Most studies demonstrated acceptable design characteristics and implementation fidelity. Few studies included measures of social validity and consumer satisfaction. Although the review did not identify a single treatment approach to be superior, preliminary evidence suggests that children can benefit from phonological awareness instruction that is explicit and allows for multiple response opportunities. The results of this review also indicate that children who are DLL benefit from bilingual phonological awareness instruction without detracting them from acquiring English phonological awareness skills.

Teachers' Perspectives Towards Equipping Pupils with Phonological Awareness to Improve English Proficiency

The implementation of LINUS 2.0 LBI (Linus Bahasa Inggeris) programme saw the rise of phonological awareness in the Malaysian education system. Many researchers are of the view that phonological awareness helps young pupils to improve their English proficiency. However, there are also educators who do not adhere to this belief. Therefore, this article aims to discover teachers’ perspectives towards equipping young pupils with phonological awareness to improve their English performance. It focuses on teachers’ readiness to teach phonological awareness and conducting the LINUS 2.0 LBI programme, the effect of phonological awareness on pupils’ English proficiency, the challenges that are encountered by teaachers while implementing phonological awareness and conducting the LINUS 2.0 LBI programme, and the views of English Language teachers towards phonological awareness skills. In order to collect the data, a mixed method research design was used. 38 teachers answered an online questionnaire in order to discover their readiness to teach phonological awareness. The official LINUS 2.0 LBI results from the year 2015 until 2017 of one of the schools in Johor Bahru area were also collected in order to gauge the effectiveness of phonological awareness instruction while interviews were conducted with one foreign and seven local teachers in order to discover their views regarding phonological awareness and the challenges while implementing it in class. The findings revealed that the teachers were fully prepared to teach the skill and were able to produce positive outcomes despite the challenges they faced when implementing it.

Explicit Versus Implicit Modes of EFL Reading Literacy Instruction: Using Phonological Awareness With Adult Arab Learners

There is a strong belief among language teachers that intensive exposure to language alone can lead to acquisition. The present study is a qualitative- quantitative research design that used a quasi-experimental design to compare between the effectiveness of intensive exposure to language versus phonological awareness explicit instruction on adult Arab EFL learners’ EFL reading literacy in a Saudi university context. The study is also concerned with Saudi adult learners’ attitudes towards phonological awareness instruction. Participants (N=89) were all male students enrolled in an intensive EFL undergraduate program, where they were required to pass an intensive EFL course. Sample were randomly divided into a treatment group (N=47), who received phonological awareness treatment, and a control group (N=42) who were exposed to language intensively. Posttest findings confirmed the significant effect of phonological awareness instruction on the sample’s EFL literacy. Moreover, positive attitudes towards the program were detected in the interviews held at the end of treatment. Therefore, the study recommended introducing phonological awareness instruction to develop Arab learners’ EFL literacy.

Examining the effectiveness of a supplemental reading intervention on the early literacy skills of English language learners

ABSTRACTWhile the research on effective early reading interventions for English language learners is expanding, the majority of the research focuses on students whose native language is Spanish. This study investigated the effects of a supplemental reading program that builds phoneme awareness skills and emphasizes explicit instruction in the alphabetic code for five first grade ELLs whose native language was not Spanish. Each of the five participants spoke a different language, including Somali, French, Arabic, Burmese, and Chinese. A single-case design study was conducted to examine students’ response to the intervention, as measured by weekly progress monitoring probes in areas of phoneme segmentation, phonetically regular real word reading skills, and pseudoword reading skills. The study also investigated pretest and posttest measures of phoneme blending, phoneme segmenting, and real word reading. All students showed improvement on the phoneme segmentation and nonsense word reading probes, and four out of five improved on the phonetically regular word reading probes. Additionally, all students showed growth from pretest to posttest on phoneme segmentation and real word reading, and four of the five students improved their blending skills. The data from this study indicate that explicit and systematic phonological awareness and phonics-based instruction shown to be effective with native English speakers can be effective with non-Spanish-speaking ELLs.

The effectiveness of a classroom-based phonological awareness program for 4–5-year-olds

Purpose: Numerous studies have reported a robust relationship between early phonological awareness (PA) and subsequent reading achievement, in addition to the critical role of the alphabetic principle in predicting and supporting later reading and spelling development. Given this association, there has been an increasing push to teach these skills to young children prior to word level reading and spelling instruction. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the Cracking the Code (CtC) program with students aged 3;8–5;4. CtC is a teacher-implemented program, designed to explicitly target PA skills and alphabet knowledge.Method: A pre-test post-test group design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Four schools in metropolitan Western Australia were randomly assigned to either the control or experimental condition within a parallel groups design. The control group participated in an alternative program matched for duration and frequency, targeting semantics and grammar.Result: The children in the experimental condition improved significantly more in PA, alphabet knowledge and non-word reading, and spelling after intervention than the control group.Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that classroom-based, teacher-delivered PA and alphabet knowledge instruction can be effective for 3;8–5;4 year-olds.

Challenges and Opportunities in Reading Instruction for Children with Limited Speech.

AbstractThe ability to read has implications for communication development for individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. Access to print for generative language provides a flexible system in which an individual can create novel messages and interact with his or her family, friends, and peers. Several challenges in reading instruction inherently exist for individuals who have limitations in speech ability. Reading instruction is becoming increasingly more accessible with current advances in technology; however, several challenges remain regarding the creation of accessible learning environments, assessment tools, and reading intervention strategies for children with limited speech. The current article provides an overview of the role of the speech-language pathologist in reading instruction and particularly addresses children's need for more experience with instruction in phonological awareness and decoding, an area that has presented the greatest challenge in access to reading instruction for individuals who use AAC. Several considerations are presented to increase access to instruction with directions for future research highlighted.