Getting off to a better start in reading and spelling: The effects of phonemic awareness instruction within a whole language program.

Abstract

In the present study the effect of providing phonemic awareness instruction, at school entry, on the reading and spelling progress of 5-year-old children was examined within a whole language program. In Experiment 1, which focused on spelling acquisition, 15 children received phonemic awareness training twice weekly, each time for 20 min, over a 10-week period, while another group of 15 children was involved in «process writing.» In Experiment 2, which focused on reading acquisition, 17 children received phonemic awareness training while a 2nd matched group of 17 children participated in other language and reading activities that did not involve phonemic instruction, and a 3rd matched group of 17 children received no extra instruction at all