Structure of preschool phonological sensitivity: overlapping sensitivity to rhyme, words, syllables, and phonemes.

Full Abstract

Phonological sensitivity is an important causal variable in reading acquisition; however, there is controversy concerning its nature. One view holds that sensitivity to various linguistic units reflects independent abilities, whereas another holds sensitivity to these units reflects one ability. We examined relations among sensitivity to words, syllables, rhymes, and phonemes in 149 older preschool children (4- and 5-year-olds) and 109 younger preschool children (2- and 3-year-olds) who completed eight measures of phonological sensitivity and measures of print knowledge. Confirmatory factor analyses of all combinations of word, syllable, rhyme, and phoneme factors found that a one-factor model best explained the data from both groups of children (CFIs >.98). Only variance common to all phonological sensitivity skills was related to print knowledge and rudimentary decoding. Findings support a developmental conceptualization of phonological sensitivity.Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

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Author information

Author/s: Anthony, Jason L (JL); Lonigan, Christopher J (CJ); Burgess, Stephen R (SR); Driscoll, Kimberly (K); Phillips, Beth M (BM); Cantor, Brenlee G (BG);

Affiliation: Florida State University, USA. Jason.Anthony@times.uh.edu

Grants: HD36067 (Agency:United States NICHD) ; HD36509 (Agency:United States NICHD)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: Journal of experimental child psychology (J Exp Child Psychol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-May; vol 82 (issue 1) : pp 65-92

Dates: Created 2002/06/25; Completed 2002/07/30; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 12081460, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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