TWO METHODS OF INSTRUCTION FOR PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS

Ohio State University, Columbus OH

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Abstract

DESCRIPTION (from applicant's abstract): Poor reading performance among low- income African-American children is a long-standing national problem. In response to poor performance on recently instituted reading proficiency tests, many school districts with low-income children have revised their reading curriculum with a greater emphasis on skill-based programs. However, there has been little empirical research that directly compares skill-based (direct instruction of discrete skills) and literature-based (teaching skills within the context of meaningful text experiences) methods of reading instruction with low income African-American children. Phonological awareness (the ability to segment spoken speech) is the single best predictor of reading proficiency. This study compares two methods of training phonological awareness with low-income African American children, a literature-based method and a skill-based method. Because it has been demonstrated that method of instruction affects transferability of skills learned, sustained gains, and motivation (Purcell-Gates & Dahl, 1991), the results of this study will provide an important contribution to our understanding of instructional efficacy for low-income African-American children. Three groups of low-income African-American students will be trained: a skill-based, a literature-based, and a control group. Students from each treatment group will be seen for 20 minutes per day, three days per week, for ten to twelve weeks. Pre- and post-treatment results will be analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Four major questions will be addressed: 1) Which instructional method results in the greatest gains in phonological awareness? 2) What indirect gains are observed for each instructional method? 3) What are the relationships among reading ability, method of instruction and other language-related measures, such as vocabulary and narrative ability? 4) Which method of instruction results in the most motivation to read and enjoyment of reading?