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ERIC Number: EJ952347
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Nov
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-0663
EISSN: N/A
Spanish Phonological Awareness: Dimensionality and Sequence of Development during the Preschool and Kindergarten Years
Anthony, Jason L.; Williams, Jeffrey M.; Duran, Lillian K.; Gillam, Sandra Laing; Liang, Lan; Aghara, Rachel; Swank, Paul R.; Assel, Mike A.; Landry, Susan H.
Journal of Educational Psychology, v103 n4 p857-876 Nov 2011
This study describes the dimensionality and continuum of Spanish phonological awareness (PA) skills in 3- to 6-year-old children. A 3 x 4 factorial design crossed word structure of test items (word, syllable, phoneme) with task (blending multiple-choice, blending free-response, elision multiple-choice, elision free-response) to assess 12 PA skills. Over 1,200 Spanish speakers were assessed at 2 points in time. Confirmatory factor analyses found that a 2nd-order unifying ability along with 1st-order task factors well explained children's performances (comparative fit index = 0.96, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.96, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.03). Confirmatory factor analysis also indicated that test items varied in difficulty and in how well they discriminated individual differences in latent PA. Item parameters were stable across item sets (rs = 0.75-0.86) and time (rs = 0.60-1.00), and ability estimates were moderately stable across time (r = 0.64). Finally, test information curves were used to describe the continuum of PA skills. Children were able to first detect blending of sound information, then detect elision of sound information, then blend sounds together to form words, and finally delete sounds from words to form new words. Sequence of skill acquisition along the dimension of word structure was ambiguous. Implications for assessment, early intervention, and cross-linguistic theories of phonological awareness are discussed. (Contains 11 figures, 2 footnotes and 3 tables.)
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org/publications
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Kindergarten; Preschool Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R305A080196