Instruction in successive and phonological processing to improve the reading acquisition skills of at-risk kindergarten children

Abstract

Examined the effects of instructing at-risk kindergarten children in successive and phonological processing upon their phonological processing abilities and prereading skills. Ss were 41 senior kindergarten students who were selected for demonstrating weaknesses in successive and phonological processing. Ss were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: a successive-phonological group, a meaning-oriented group, and a control group which received no extra instruction. It was predicted that the successive-phonological training group would demonstrate significant improvements in phonological and reading skills compared to the meaning or control groups. Results indicated that the successive-phonological group obtained higher scores on the phonological analysis measure, and contained more children who attained basic reading skills. Profile analysis of treatment "successes" in the successive-phonological group indicated that they began with moderate letter recognition, rhyming and blending skills. Children with similar strengths in the meaning-oriented and control groups did not make comparable gains, and children without these skills made no or very small gains. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2006 APA )