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Questions people ask about the role of phonological processes in learning to read

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Abstract

A growing reliance on research to guidedecisions about reading instruction hasresulted in a swing toward approaches thatemphasize phoneme awareness and the relationsbetween speech and alphabetic writing. Becausethis is a time of innovation andexperimentation in the schools, and because thenew emphasis has not won universal acceptance,there is a need to address recurring questionsabout the role of phonology in readingacquisition. These questions concern: (1) therelevance of phoneme awareness instructionto reading; (2) the consequences of thecomplexity of English spelling for decisionsabout explicit instruction in the alphabeticcode; and (3) the causes and symptoms of readingdifficulties and implications for remediation. In this paper, we offer our answers to suchquestions and discuss the research bases forthem.

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Authors
  1. Donald Shankweiler
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  2. Anne E. Fowler
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Shankweiler, D., Fowler, A.E. Questions people ask about the role of phonological processes in learning to read. Reading and Writing 17, 483–515 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1023/B:READ.0000044598.81628.e6

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