Using method of instruction to predict the skills supporting initial reading development: insight from a synthetic phonics approach

• Published in: Reading & writing Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 591 - 608
• Main Authors: McGeown, Sarah P., Medford, Emma
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.03.2014; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Children; Cognitive Measurement; Early literacy; Early Reading; Education; Hypothesis Testing; Language and Literature; Learning; Linguistics; Literacy; Neurology; Phonetics; Phonics; Phonological Awareness; Pretests Posttests; Psycholinguistics; Reading acquisition; Reading comprehension; Reading Instruction; Reading Skills; Reading Tests; Rhyme; Short Term Memory; Sight Vocabulary; Social Sciences; Teaching Methods; Thinking Skills; Young Children; United Kingdom > UK; Synthetic phonics; Instruction; Reading
• ISSN: 0922-4777; 1573-0905
• DOI: 10.1007/s11145-013-9460-5

This study examined the skills predicting early reading development when children were taught by a synthetic phonics approach. Eighty five children taught to read by systematic synthetic phonics were assessed on reading and cognitive assessments prior to reading instruction (average age 4 years, 7 months), 6 months later (5 years, 1 month), and 73 were also tested 1 year later (6 years, 1 month). Consistent with hypotheses, word reading was most strongly and consistently predicted by letter sound knowledge and short term memory. It is proposed that method of instruction may shape the skills children draw upon when learning to read.