What I'm working on...!

A little background...

We piloted an RTI program for phonological awareness at our school this year. We (the SLPs) screened 2 children in each classroom based on the teacher's concerns using a screener a colleague developed. If the student scored lower than 80% on any section of the screener, they would be placed into an RTI program for those weaknesses. We looked at rhyming, blending syllables/sounds, counting syllables/sounds, identifying sounds, adding sounds, deleting sounds, and manipulating sounds in words. We didn't screen kindergarten students because most of these skills are emerging at that age anyway...everyone would end up qualifying!

Which brings me to developmental norms:

• Rhyming: should be developed by age 5
• Discrimination is easier than identification which is easier than generation
• Separating words into sounds and syllables: should be developed by age 5
• Counting syllables and sounds: should be developed by age 5;6
• Blending word parts, sounds, and syllables: should be developed by age 6
• Isolating sounds in words: should be developed by age 6
• Initial sound is easier than final which is easier than medial
• Manipulating sounds in words: should be developed by age 9
• Adding sounds is easier than deleting sounds which is easier than substituting sounds

Because of these norms, we started screening 1st grade through 5th grade. You would be amazed at how many 4th and 5th graders lack these skills.

Wait...my student is 10...Does this really pertain to me?

YES!

• Poor readers ages 7-12 years were given direct phonological awareness instruction and showed gains (Williams, 1980).
• Poor readers ages 8-10 were given instruction in phonological processing and showed marked improvement not only in reading accuracy, but also in reading comprehension (Gillon & Dodd, 1995).

The brain research says it all:

When phonological awareness instruction was direct, explicit, and systematic, the resulting brain patterns of struggling readers became similar to those of children who had learned to read without difficulty (Berninger et al., 2003).

So...what am I working on?

A phonological awareness product with lots of awesome graphics to engage students who are struggling with these skills!

Can't wait to share it!! I'm 1/4 of the way done!! Here's a preview of a rhyming discrimination page:

Do any of you have a program like this in your school?