Facts In Action

A study of two groups of preschoolers aged 25 to 64 months found that a number of the developing literacy skills present in preschool, such as letter knowledge and phonological sensitivity were predictors for later reading abilities. Children who are better at identifying rhymes, syllables or phonemes learn to read at a faster pace, regardless of their IQ, memory skills, or family characteristics. In addition, knowledge of the alphabet at school entry is one of the strongest predictors of both short- and long-term reading success.

Children who can read earlier and more accurately than other children are likely to read more often, enhancing their knowledge of other subject areas. Children with poor reading skills may develop a negative attitude toward reading, which can cause them to fall behind in other academic areas. Early literacy research finds the probability is 88% that poor readers at the end of first grade will continue to fall behind at the end of fourth grade.

An estimated one in three children experiences difficulties in learning to read, and the majority of children referred for special education evaluation are referred because of slow reading progress. Teachers and providers can help preschool children develop early literacy skills by using activities that emphasize rhyming skills and letter knowledge, such as playing word games, singing songs, and reading books.

Source:
"Development of Emergent Literacy and Early Reading Skills in Preschool Children: Evidence From a Latent-Variable Longitudinal Study," C.J. Lonigan, S.R. Burgess, and J.L. Anthony, Developmental Psychology, Volume 36, Number 5, 2000.

Facts in Action, April 2001