Developing Phonemic Awareness: Knowledge and Practice in Holistic Instruction.

A study investigated: (1) whether children at risk for failure to learn to read and write increase their phonemic awareness while engaged in holistic language arts instruction; (2) if so, which language experiences and instructional practices are associated with the gains; and (3) the nature of the interaction between phonemic awareness development and reading and writing achievement among those children while in grade one. Four classroom instructional programs were selected on the basis of recommendations of supervisory personnel, teacher-given descriptions, and preliminary observations. Five children from each classroom were selected as focal children. Each classroom was observed for 10 full days and each focal child was assessed in October and April on 10 measures. Teachers and children were interviewed and parents completed questionnaires indicating their child's participation in a list of preschool language learning activities and experiences with print outside of school. Results indicated that children involved in holistic language arts programs improve their performance on tasks of phonemic awareness. The instructional practices that appear to contribute to this change are writing using invented spelling and reading connected text both chorally and independently. Results also indicated that phonemic awareness is necessary for reading and writing, but is not a sufficient condition for reading and writing success. Although holistic language arts instruction contributes to phonemic awareness, it is not sufficient training for all children. The contribution of home literacy to the development of phonemic awareness is apparent. (Seven tables of data are included and 21 references are attached.) (MG) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Pamela J. T. Winsor University of Lethbridge 4401 University Drive Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada T1K 3M4