M.A. in Human Development Thesis: Is Phonological Awareness Training Influential in the Acquisition of Letter-Sound Correspondence Knowledge?

This project was conducted to determine whether training in phonological awareness leads to significant improvements in letter-sound correspondence knowledge. Subjects included 46 junior kindergarten students from low socio- economic status schools in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Subjects were screened using the PPVT-III (Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III) and a letter name knowledge test. Subjects were assigned to one of three treatment groups: phonological awareness, letter-sound correspondence knowledge, or combination (phonological awareness and letter-sound correspondence), or to a control group trained in math knowledge. Subjects were trained in small groups of two or three children for a total of 10 10- minute sessions. Subjects were pre-, mid-, and post- tested on math knowledge, phonological awareness, and letter-sound correspondence knowledge. Phonological awareness training did not lead to significant improvements in letter-sound correspondence knowledge, but letter name knowledge was found to be a significant predictor of math knowledge, phonological awareness, and letter-sound correspondence knowledge measures.