Clinical Research Directory
Browse clinical research sites, groups, and studies.
Optimizing Phonological Awareness Learning in Prekindergarten and Kindergarten to Improve Later Reading and Spelling
Sponsor: Ohio State University
Summary
The goal of the proposed study is to directly and rigorously address current scientific controversy about phonological awareness intervention content and timing for prekindergarten and kindergarten children. Using an experimental design, we will compare the relative impact of phonological sensitivity + phonemic awareness intervention versus phonemic awareness intervention on children's phonemic awareness and later reading and spelling abilities. We expect that both types of intervention will lead to impacts beyond business-as-usual instruction but do not have directional hypotheses as to which type of intervention will be most effective. Also, we will determine the relative efficacy of intervening in prekindergarten versus kindergarten, examine child characteristics that might moderate effects, and explore whether a transition point can be identified as to when phonemic awareness intervention may be most effective. Ultimately, our findings will help optimize early phonological awareness instruction.
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
4 Years - 9 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
720
Start Date
2025-09-12
Completion Date
2029-07
Last Updated
2025-12-08
Healthy Volunteers
No
Conditions
Interventions
phonemic awareness intervention (PA)
All 12 weeks of lessons will exclusively focus on instruction at the phoneme level (i.e., the individual sounds in words), with activities addressing the blending of sounds to form short words. Other activities may include counting the number of sounds heard in a word, matching letter tiles to the sounds heard in the word, and separating short words into their component sounds.
phonological sensitivity + phonemic awareness intervention (PSPA)
The first six weeks of intervention will include a focus on being able to manipulate (separate and blend) parts of words larger than the individual sounds. This will include manipulating compound word components, syllables, and initial sounds and rhyming components of words. Activities may include matching pictures of words, assembling/disassembling puzzle pieces that represent words, and sorting pictures (words) by their first or ending sounds. The second six weeks of intervention will focus on phonemic awareness, as described for the PA intervention condition, and be the same as what the children in the DPA intervention condition experience.
delayed onset phonemic awareness intervention (DPA)
The six weeks of intervention will focus on phonemic awareness, as described for the PA intervention condition, and be the same as the second six weeks of lessons that the children in the PSPA intervention condition experience.
Locations (2)
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida, United States
The Ohio State University
Columbus, Ohio, United States