Although research has identified oral language, print knowledge, and phonological sensitivity as important emergent literacy skills for the development of reading, few studies have examined the relations between these aspects of emergent literacy or between these skills during preschool and during later reading. This study examined the joint and unique predictive significance of emergent literacy skills for both later emergent literacy skills and reading in two samples of preschoolers. Ninety-six children (mean age = 41 months, SD = 9.41) were followed from early to late preschool, and 97 children (mean age = 60 months, SD = 5.41) were followed from late preschool to kindergarten or first grade. Structural equation modeling revealed significant developmental continuity of these skills, particularly for letter knowledge and phonological sensitivity from late preschool to early grade school, both of which were the only unique predictors of decoding.

Phonological awareness is critical for learning to read in alphabetic languages like English. This report summarizes normal development of phonological awareness as it has been revealed through recent multidisciplinary and cross-cultural research. We argue that a consensus on the definition of phonological awareness has emerged, that research has identified a general sequence of phonological awareness development that is universal across languages, and that certain characteristics of spoken and written languages influence the rate of normal development and levels of phonological awareness that are normally achieved.

This study examined phonological sensitivity in 238 children from middle-to upper-income families and 118 children from lower-income families across different levels of linguistic complexity. Children ranged in age from 2 to 5 years. Overall, the results indicated that as children increased in age, phonological sensitivity both increased in absolute terms and became more stable. Significant social class differences in growth of phonological sensitivity were also obtained. Phonological sensitivity at different levels of linguistic complexity (e.g., syllables, phonemes) was substantially interrelated at each age and predicted word reading ability in older children independently of language skills and letter knowledge. These results indicate that phonological sensitivity can be assessed in young preschool children and that lower levels of phonological sensitivity may serve as developmental precursors to higher levels of phonological sensitivity.

Significant controversy exists about the nature of phonological awareness, a causal variable in reading acquisition. In 4 studies that included 202 5-to 6-year-old children studied longitudinally for 3 years, 123 2-to 5-year-old children, 38 4-year-old children studied longitudinally for 2 years, and 826 4-to 7-year-old children, the authors examined the relation of sensitivity to rhyme with other forms of phonological awareness. Rhyme sensitivity was indistinguishable from phonemic awareness, segmental awareness, and global phonological sensitivity in younger children. Rhyme sensitivity was distinguishable, although highly correlated, with these phonological skills in older children. Rhyme sensitivity was highly predictive of these other phonological skills. Children's sensitivity to different linguistic units seems best conceptualized as a single underlying ability.

S This study investigated the effectiveness of combining enhanced classroom instruction and intense supplemental intervention for struggling readers in first grade. Further, it compared two supplemental interventions derived from distinct theoretical orientations, examining them in terms of effects on academic outcomes and whether children's characteristics were differentially related to an instructional intervention. One intervention (Proactive Reading) was aligned with behavioral theory and was derived from the model of Direct Instruction. The other intervention (Responsive Reading) was aligned with a cognitive theory and was derived from a cognitive‐apprenticeship model. These interventions were provided to small groups of first‐grade students at risk for reading difficulties. Students were assessed on various reading and reading‐related measures associated with success in beginning reading. Results indicated that (a) first‐grade students who were at risk for reading failure and who received supplemental instruction in the Responsive or Proactive interventions scored higher on measures of reading and reading‐related skills than students who received only enhanced classroom instruction, (b) enhanced classroom instruction appeared to promote high levels of reading growth for many children at risk for reading failure, (c) the two interventions were essentially equally effective even though they reflected different theoretical perspectives, and (d) children's characteristics did not differentially predict the effectiveness of an intervention. Este estudio investigó la eficacia de combinar una enseñanza intensiva en el aula y una intervención suplementaria exhaustiva para los lectores de primer grado con dificultades. Adicionalmente se compararon dos intervenciones suplementarias derivadas de orientaciones teóricas diferentes y se las examinó en términos de sus efectos sobre los resultados académicos y de sus relaciones con las características de los niños. Una intervención (Lectura Proactiva) pertenecía al marco de la teoría de la conducta y derivaba del modelo de Instrucción Directa. La otra intervención (Lectura Receptiva) estaba relacionada con una teoría cognitiva y derivaba de un modelo cognitivo de aprendizaje. Las intervenciones se realizaron con pequeños grupos de estudiantes en riesgo de fracaso en lectura que asistían a primer grado. Se evaluó a los estudiantes en varias medidas de lectura y habilidades relacionadas que se asocian al éxito en lectura inicial. Los resultados indicaron que: a) los estudiantes de primer grado en riesgo de fracaso en lectura que recibieron intervención suplementaria, tanto Receptiva como Proactiva, tuvieron mejores calificaciones en medidas de lectura y habilidades relacionadas que los estudiantes que sólo recibieron enseñanza intensiva en el aula, b) la enseñanza intensiva en el aula pareció promover altos niveles de desarrollo lector en muchos niños en riesgo de fracaso, c) los dos tipos de intervención fueron igualmente eficaces aunque reflejaran perspectivas teór...

S This study investigated the order of acquisition of phonological sensitivity skills among preschool and kindergarten children. Phonological sensitivity was examined in terms of four levels of linguistic complexity (words, syllables, onsets and rimes, phonemes) across four levels of task complexity (blending detection, elision detection, blending, and elision). Participants were 947 two‐ to five‐year‐old children from diverse backgrounds. Hierarchical loglinear analyses evidenced a quasi‐parallel pattern of development that corresponded to a hierarchical model of word structure and a working memory model of task complexity. Findings support a developmental conceptualization of phonological sensitivity. Findings are discussed in relation to their implications for improving assessment, early literacy instruction, and prevention of reading difficulties.

This study compared effectiveness of "business as usual" to that of 4 professional development (PD) programs that targeted teachers of at-risk preschool children. A 2 ϫ 2 design was used to cross mentoring and progress monitoring conditions among the 4 PD programs. Specifically, some teachers received both in-classroom mentoring and detailed, instructionally linked feedback concerning children's progress in language and literacy. Some teachers received no mentoring but did receive the detailed, instructionally linked feedback concerning children's progress. Some teachers received in-classroom mentoring but only limited feedback on children's progress, which was not linked to curricular activities. Finally, some teachers received no mentoring and only limited feedback concerning children's progress. All 4 PD conditions included the same year-long, facilitated online course that emphasized language and literacy instruction, practice of learned material in one's classroom, and participation in online message boards with fellow teachers. Across 4 states, 158 schools (N ϭ 262 classrooms) were randomly assigned to 1 of the 4 PD conditions or business as usual. The condition that included online coursework combined with mentoring and detailed, instructionally linked feedback yielded the greatest improvements in teaching behavior and children's school readiness.

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