Terri Purcell, Ph.D. Cleveland State University Promoting Deeper Levels of Phonological Awareness...

Terri Purcell, Ph.D. Cleveland State University

Promoting Deeper Levels of Phonological

Awareness

Through Small-Group, Interactive, and Targeted

Instruction


Goals of This Session

This session will explore:• The components of phonological awareness • The need for small-group instruction that

targets the specific phonological needs of children

• Ways to Apply Bloom’s Taxonomy in the teaching of phonological awareness

• Instructional strategies that deepen student sensitivity to the sounds of our language


Children have a natural propensity for language and word play

Ehri, 1987


However, children differ in their awareness of sounds in language and the rate in which they develop such awareness


What is Phonological Awareness?Definitions:• The ability to detect or manipulate the

sound structure of oral language • “…is a sensitivity to the segmental

nature of speech, an explicit understanding that spoken language comprises discrete units ranging from words and syllables to smaller intrasyllabic units of onsets, rimes, and phonemes (Troia, G.A. (2004), p.1


Why Phonological Awareness? Research Findings• Studies have shown that children who

are better at detecting syllables, rhymes, or phonemes are quicker to learn to read (i.e., decode words) and this relation is present even after variability in reading skills due to intelligence, receptive vocabulary, memory skills, and social class are partialed out” (e.g., Bryan, MacLean, Bradley, & Crossland, 1990; MacLean et al, 1987; Wagner, Torgessen, & Rashotte, 1994)


Why Phonological Awareness?Research Findings• The relationship between phonological

awareness and learning to read is reciprocal. That is, phonological sensitivity is critical to learning to read, and learning to read increases phonological sensitivity (e.g., Perfetti, Beck, Bell, & Hughes, 1987; Wagner et, al, 1994)” Whitehurst & Lonigan, 1998, p.852

• Children who begin their reading instruction with deeper levels of phonological awareness have a powerful bootstrapping mechanism to progress in reading

Stanovich, K., E., 1992


The Discovery of Sounds in our Language• Generally, children are able to

detect larger units of sounds (e.g., words in sentences, rhymes) before they detect smaller units (individual sounds)

• This finding has great implications for the sequence of our instruction and the expectations we set for our students


Components of Phonological Awareness

Phonological Awareness

Phonemic Awareness

Words in Sentences

Rhymes Syllables Onset-rime Phonemes


Components of Phonological AwarenessWords in Sentences (Concept

of Word)• The knowledge that sentences

consists of words that can be manipulated (Clapping words in a sentence)

• Initially, students may focus on the syllables in the sentence, not the word


Components of Phonological AwarenessRhymes

The ability to identify words that have the same final sound segment

e.g., Cat and Hat rhyme


Components of Phonological AwarenessSyllables• The ability to hear parts or

segments of phonemes that comprise the rhythm

• Most kindergarteners have some sense of “syllableness” even if they do not know what a syllable is


Components of Phonological AwarenessOnset and Rimes• The ability to segment a one-

syllable word into beginning sound and rhyming unit

e.g., Bat can be divided into /b/ and /at/


Components of Phonological AwarenessPhonemes• The ability to divide syllables

into the smallest unit of sound e.g. Fog can be divided into

three phonemes /f/, /o/, and /g/


Phonological Awareness and Small-Group Instruction• Since students fall at various

levels along the developmental progression of phonological awareness, teachers should address this important skill during small-group instruction

• Small groups will allow teachers to target instruction and closely monitor student development


Identifying Small Groups

Assessment-Based Decision Making

• Teachers can determine the small groups by relying upon assessment data

• Through the use of progress monitoring, teachers will be able to create flexible small groups that change as students develop


Analyzing Assessment Data• The assessment needs to focus

on the student’s ability to identify and play with parts of words in the following ways:– Segmenting– Blending– Deleting– Substituting


Analyzing Assessment Data• You may find that your students fall

into very clear and distinct instructional groups:– Group 1: Rhymes and Syllables– Group 2: Onset and Rime (Beginning

Sounds)– Group 3: Phonemes

• Other times, student scores may indicate that they are all working on the same component of phonological awareness—perhaps at different levels


Applying the Principles of Bloom’s Taxonomy (Revised)• Deepening student phonological

knowledge at each developmental level requires that teachers create learning experiences that provide many opportunities to build upon and expand student knowledge

• Bloom’s Taxonomy (Revised) serves as a wonderful framework for teachers to use as it reminds teachers of the various levels of student understanding


Bloom’s Cognitive Process Dimension• Remember—Retrieving relevant

knowledge from long-term memory [ex. Students identify rhyming words in a

poem]• Understand—Determining the

meaning of instructional messages, including oral, written, and graphic communication

[ex. Students sort words into two categories based on rhyming words]

• Apply—Carrying out or using procedures in a given situation

[ex. Students generate new rhyming words]


Bloom’s Cognitive Process Dimension• Analyze—Understanding how the

parts relate to one another and to the overall structure purpose

[Students identify the shared sound unit (rime) within several rhyming words]

• Evaluate—Making judgments [Students check the categories in which

they sorted rhyming words]• Create—Putting elements together to

form a coherent whole or make an original product

[Students create a a display of objects in the classroom that rhyme]


Analyzing Four Common Phonological Awareness Activities• Take a moment to read the

lessons in handout 3. Let’s identify the cognitive dimensions that are being addressed

• How could we expand these lessons to address other cognitive dimensions?


Moving Beyond Remember, Understand, and Apply

More Effective Small-Group Instruction

• As you are working within small groups, be sure that your lessons are brief, interactive, and are advancing students through the Cognitive Process Dimensions


Instructional Activities

• In the next section, I will demonstrate various instructional activities for teaching phonological awareness while targeting the cognitive dimensions of Bloom’s Taxonomy

• Most importantly, I will demonstrate how to make these activities interactive and fun for children


Setting the Stage for Phonological Awareness Important Materials/Resources for

Effective Instruction• Poems, songs, nursery rhymes• Clapping and rhythmic chants• Movement and rhyme games• Pattern, rhythm and repetitive texts• Alliteration texts• Picture/word cards• Objects/toys in the classroom• Student Names


Small-Group Lesson Plan Format Monday Tuesday Wed. Thurs. Fri.

Review/Remember

Introduce/Understand

Reading and writing Apply Activity

Game/Project/Extension ActivityAnalyze/Evaluate/or

Create


Demonstration Lessons


For Students Who Need More Support • Use concrete instructional

techniques• Slow down the presentation of

the word or words• Use mirrors• Many repetitions in the same

context• Authentic learning environments


Contact Information

Terri Purcell, Ph.D.Reading Education

Cleveland State [email protected]

216-802-3336

mailto:[email protected]

Terri Purcell, Ph.D. Cleveland State University Promoting Deeper Levels of Phonological Awareness...

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