Stages of LiteracyStages of LiteracyRos LuggRos Lugg

Beginning readers in the USABeginning readers in the USA

Looked at predictors of reading success or Looked at predictors of reading success or failurefailure

Pre-readers aged 3-5 yrsPre-readers aged 3-5 yrs

Looked at variety of abilitiesLooked at variety of abilities IQIQ Speech and language abilitiesSpeech and language abilities Attention spanAttention span Motor skillsMotor skills Phonological processingPhonological processing

Most effective predictors (in Most effective predictors (in order of importance)order of importance)

1.1. Phonological awarenessPhonological awareness

2.2. IQIQ

Knowledge of letter/sound correspondence Knowledge of letter/sound correspondence also importantalso important

(Bond & Dykstra 1969, Chall 1967)(Bond & Dykstra 1969, Chall 1967)

Bryant & Bradley (1983)Bryant & Bradley (1983)

400 4-5 year old (non-readers) tested on 400 4-5 year old (non-readers) tested on ability to:ability to:

Detect alliterationDetect alliterationDetect rhymeDetect rhyme

Children’s reading and spelling were Children’s reading and spelling were tested again 4 years later (age 8-9)tested again 4 years later (age 8-9)

Rhyme detection ability at 4-5 years of Rhyme detection ability at 4-5 years of age most effective predictor of age most effective predictor of literacy progress 4 years later.literacy progress 4 years later.

Phonemic awarenessPhonemic awareness

Phonological awarenessPhonological awareness

Phonemic awarenessPhonemic awareness

Skills include:Skills include: Ability to identify initial, medial and final Ability to identify initial, medial and final

soundssounds Tell the difference between individual Tell the difference between individual

sounds (auditory discrimination)sounds (auditory discrimination) Phoneme manipulation/transpositionPhoneme manipulation/transposition Segmentation and blendingSegmentation and blending

Phonological AwarenessPhonological Awareness

Much broader term incorporating phonemic Much broader term incorporating phonemic awareness + the following:awareness + the following:

Awareness of sounds and sound patterns Awareness of sounds and sound patterns in language, e.g. rhymein language, e.g. rhyme

Awareness of the rhythm of languageAwareness of the rhythm of language SyllabificationSyllabification Word retrievalWord retrieval

Development of Phonological Development of Phonological AwarenessAwareness

RhymeRhyme

Gradual development from earliest stagesGradual development from earliest stages

SyllabificationSyllabification(previous understanding)(previous understanding)

Sentences Sentences Words Words

Words Words Syllables Syllables

Syllables Syllables Sounds Sounds

Syllabification Syllabification (Current understanding)(Current understanding)

Sentences Sentences Words Words

Words Words Syllables Syllables

Words Words Onset + rime Onset + rime

Syllables Syllables Sounds Sounds

(Goswami & Bryant (1990)(Goswami & Bryant (1990)

““The majority of preschoolers can segment The majority of preschoolers can segment words into syllables. Very few can words into syllables. Very few can readily segment them into phonemes”readily segment them into phonemes”

The more sophisticated stage of phoneme The more sophisticated stage of phoneme segmentation is not reached until the segmentation is not reached until the child has received formal instruction in child has received formal instruction in letter-sound knowledge.”letter-sound knowledge.”

Predicting reading and spelling difficulties (Snowling & Backhouse 1996)Predicting reading and spelling difficulties (Snowling & Backhouse 1996)

Why is the onset + rime approach so Why is the onset + rime approach so important?important?

It utilizes an awareness of rhyme (sound It utilizes an awareness of rhyme (sound patterns) to enable the child to recognise patterns) to enable the child to recognise spelling patterns.spelling patterns.

It simplifies the task – word families instead It simplifies the task – word families instead of individual words.of individual words.

It develops analogical transfer – the ability It develops analogical transfer – the ability to apply knowledge learned in one to apply knowledge learned in one context to a different context.context to a different context.

Enables the child to work with word Enables the child to work with word families: families:

““If I can spell ‘ball’, then I can spell ‘wall’.” If I can spell ‘ball’, then I can spell ‘wall’.”

Cuts the processing load:Cuts the processing load:

stringstring

s / t / r / i / ngs / t / r / i / ng

(5 elements to sequence and remember – a (5 elements to sequence and remember – a huge load on sequencing and working huge load on sequencing and working

memory)memory)

It avoids confusion over vowel sounds:It avoids confusion over vowel sounds:

Teach ‘a’ sound as in ‘cat’Teach ‘a’ sound as in ‘cat’

Then meet ‘a’ in ‘all’, ‘-aw’, ‘-ark’, etcThen meet ‘a’ in ‘all’, ‘-aw’, ‘-ark’, etc

Most importantly:Most importantly:

It teaches at a level of natural phonological It teaches at a level of natural phonological developmentdevelopment

Moral:Moral: Early spelling or work with a Early spelling or work with a learner with learning difficulties needs to learner with learning difficulties needs to be based on onset + rime.be based on onset + rime.

Onset + rime can and should be used with Onset + rime can and should be used with more advanced learners. Otherwise they more advanced learners. Otherwise they

will not develop analogical transfer. will not develop analogical transfer.

It need not be used exclusivelyIt need not be used exclusively

SummarySummary

Rhyming skills at 3-5 years are the single Rhyming skills at 3-5 years are the single most accurate predictor of later reading most accurate predictor of later reading success.success.

Therefore: developing rhyming skills is a Therefore: developing rhyming skills is a high priority.high priority.

Rhyme awareness leads to the ability to Rhyme awareness leads to the ability to use onset + rime.use onset + rime.

Link awareness of sound patterns with Link awareness of sound patterns with later awareness of spelling patterns – later awareness of spelling patterns – teach word families.teach word families.

Onset + rime awareness is a natural Onset + rime awareness is a natural stage of phonological development.stage of phonological development.

Use onset + rime approach particularly in Use onset + rime approach particularly in the early stages to simplify the task and the early stages to simplify the task and aid memory.aid memory.

Phonemic awareness does not develop Phonemic awareness does not develop naturally, but as a result of literacy naturally, but as a result of literacy teaching.teaching.

Teach and develop phonemic awareness Teach and develop phonemic awareness as part of your spelling programme, but as part of your spelling programme, but be aware of the stage your child is at – be aware of the stage your child is at – provide appropriate scaffolding as provide appropriate scaffolding as necessary.necessary.

Poor early readers often have poor Poor early readers often have poor syllabification.syllabification.

Develop the sound skills of syllabification. Develop the sound skills of syllabification. Check that your learner can divide Check that your learner can divide sentences into words and clap rhythms sentences into words and clap rhythms first.first.

Onset + rime awareness leads to Onset + rime awareness leads to analogical transfer – the most important analogical transfer – the most important reading/spelling skill.reading/spelling skill.

Use the word family approach, even with Use the word family approach, even with more advanced learners, to develop more advanced learners, to develop analogical transfer. Take every analogical transfer. Take every opportunity to teach your learner to draw opportunity to teach your learner to draw analogies – spelling and reading.analogies – spelling and reading.

Early phases of literacy Early phases of literacy developmentdevelopment

Logographic phaseLogographic phase

Alphabetic phaseAlphabetic phase

Orthographic phaseOrthographic phase

(Frith, 1985) ‘Beneath the surface of developmental dyslexia’(Frith, 1985) ‘Beneath the surface of developmental dyslexia’

Logographic PhaseLogographic Phase

Basic sight vocabulary – high frequency words or Basic sight vocabulary – high frequency words or words with special significancewords with special significance

Words recognised holistically – from overall Words recognised holistically – from overall shapeshape

Similar looking words confusedSimilar looking words confused

No understanding of letter/sound correspondenceNo understanding of letter/sound correspondence

Alphabetic PhaseAlphabetic Phase

Recognition of sound/letter correspondenceRecognition of sound/letter correspondence

Decoding and encoding take placeDecoding and encoding take place

Phonic knowledge usedPhonic knowledge used

Pupil can spell simple, regular wordsPupil can spell simple, regular words

Errors are phonetic (coff)Errors are phonetic (coff)

Lacks sophisticated understanding of word Lacks sophisticated understanding of word structurestructure

Reading slow and laboured – limited fluencyReading slow and laboured – limited fluency

Orthographic PhaseOrthographic Phase

Rapid whole word recognition – holisticRapid whole word recognition – holistic

Words become sight vocabularyWords become sight vocabulary

Reading fluency achievedReading fluency achieved

Understanding of sophisticated spelling patterns Understanding of sophisticated spelling patterns (-ough)(-ough)

Logographic phaseLogographic phase

Alphabetic phaseAlphabetic phase

Orthographic phaseOrthographic phase

Now for the most important Now for the most important bit!bit!

LUNCH !!LUNCH !!

The Big 5The Big 5

Motor development (fine and gross)Motor development (fine and gross) SequencingSequencing Visual PerceptionVisual Perception Phonological awarenessPhonological awareness MemoryMemory

Motor DevelopmentMotor DevelopmentFine Motor coordinationFine Motor coordination

- handwriting problems- handwriting problems

Laterality/midline crossingLaterality/midline crossing

- hand dominance, writing fluency- hand dominance, writing fluency

Kinaesthetic memoryKinaesthetic memory

- letter formation- letter formation

Spatial awareness Spatial awareness

- planning work on a page- planning work on a page

SequencingSequencing

SpellingSpelling

- visual and auditory sequencing- visual and auditory sequencing Planning workPlanning work

- Essays, written assignments- Essays, written assignments InstructionsInstructions

- verbal instructions, home & school - verbal instructions, home & school

Visual PerceptionVisual Perception

Peripheral vision – eyesight, eyetrackingPeripheral vision – eyesight, eyetracking Visual Discrimination – reading accuracyVisual Discrimination – reading accuracy Perceptual organisation – processing visual Perceptual organisation – processing visual

detail, reading, mathsdetail, reading, maths Visual figure-ground – processing visual detailVisual figure-ground – processing visual detail Visual memory – developing sight vocabularyVisual memory – developing sight vocabulary Visualisation – sight vocabularyVisualisation – sight vocabulary

Auditory PerceptionAuditory Perception

Auditory discrimination – ability to apply Auditory discrimination – ability to apply phonological awarenessphonological awareness

Phonological awareness – decoding and Phonological awareness – decoding and encoding abilityencoding ability

Word retrieval – verbal confidence and Word retrieval – verbal confidence and fluencyfluency

Auditory processing – following Auditory processing – following instructionsinstructions

Auditory MemoryAuditory Memory

Working Memory – instructions, maths, Working Memory – instructions, maths, dictation, planningdictation, planning

Auditory sequential memory – as aboveAuditory sequential memory – as above Memory for sentences – listening Memory for sentences – listening

comprehension, instructions, maths, comprehension, instructions, maths, dictation, note-takingdictation, note-taking