Mary Rohl

Phonological Awareness and Reading Acquisition

A quarter century of research into one or another aspect of phonological awareness has occurred since the early work of Bruce (1964). The frequency of studies into phonological awareness seems to have increased exponentially during this period (see Ehri, 1979; Golinkoff, 1978; Nesdale, Herriman, & Tunmer, 1984; Williams, 1986, for reviews of research). In 1987, two journals, Merrill-Palmer Quarterly and Cahiers de Psychologie Cognitive, devoted entire volumes to the topic. And, of course, we now have the present volume of the Language and Communication series. There certainly is no indication that research interest in phonological awareness and its role in learning to read is subsiding.

Phonemic Segmentation Skill and Spelling Acquisition.

A spelling-age match design was used to test the hypothesis that deficits in phonologically related skills may be causally related to difficulties in acquiring basic spelling knowledge. Poor grade 5 spellers, average grade 3 spellers, and good grade 2 spellers matched on a standardized spelling test, and a group of good grade 5 spellers matched by chronological age with the poor grade 5 spellers were administered a phonemic segmentation test containing nondigraph pseudowords and an experimental spelling test containing words of the following four types: exception, ambiguous, regular, and pseudowords. Consistent with the hypothesis, it was found that when compared with the poor spellers, the average and good spellers performed better on the phonemic segmentation task, made fewer errors in spelling pseudowords, and made spelling errors that were more phonetically accurate.

I know it is important but is it my responsibility? Embedding literacy strategies across the middle school curriculum

This article reports a study on the responses of a group of 49 Western Australian middle school teachers to a year-long professional learning experience, entitled the Making the Links Project. This project was established to help teachers of various learning areas adapt their practices to significant changes in the educational context. In accordance with imminent changes in the curriculum (the Australian Curriculum) and as a response to a national literacy testing agenda (National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy [NAPLAN]), the teachers concerned have been under new pressure to teach literacy across the curriculum. Furthermore, they are now expected to teach Year 7, taught historically in primary school settings. This article presents a discussion of teachers’ perceptions of their responsibilities in terms of teaching literacy within their learning areas and how these perceptions changed over the course of the professional learning experience. It also discusses teachers’ responses to ‘trying out’ some literacy pedagogies more traditionally used in primary school settings.

Evaluation of Family Literacy Programs: A Case Study of Better Beginnings, a Library-Initiated Family Literacy Bookgifting Program in Western Australia

Abstract:This paper examines the nature of family literacy programs, with a particular focus on those that are based around the provision of free books to babies and young children, sometimes called “bookgifting” programs. First, the paper explores the rationale for family literacy programs in general and identifies some issues in their evaluation. It then focuses specifically on bookgifting programs. Using examples from several well-established programs, it reviews the research on which they are based, with particular reference to evaluation procedures. Next, the paper identifies some important issues that need to be addressed when planning and evaluating these programs, and notes some fundamental differences between particular programs that may have impacted on the results. It argues that this area of research needs stronger definition and a more inclusive approach to evaluation that includes both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. In order to illustrate the potential of a mixed-method approach, the paper examines the evaluation of the Better Beginnings bookgifting program for babies that has been initiated, developed, and extended by the State Library of Western Australia for over a decade. The paper concludes by suggesting that effective program evaluation is complex and multifaceted and must consider changes in behavior, confidence, and attitudes, as well as the ways in which such programs are experienced and integrated into family literacy practices. This approach provides insight into the contextual variables that determine the effectiveness of programs within and across families, and therefore inform further program development.

The First Time I’ve Felt Included: Identifying Inclusive Literacy Learning in Early Childhood through the Evaluation of Better Beginnings

Abstract In this chapter we begin by discussing the concept of inclusion, with a particular focus on inclusion in literacy learning in the early years (birth to five) in Australia. We then consider the research evidence for the potential impact of home literacy practices in the early years on later school and life outcomes, and examine some early childhood family literacy initiatives that aim to help develop young children’s literacy learning. We describe how Better Beginnings, a universal family literacy programme, supports parents/carers and children to build their skills, knowledge and understandings of early literacy. We show how Better Beginnings has operated, adapted and expanded in response to longitudinal systematic evaluations and explain how new programmes have been created to address the specific needs of particular groups of families, with the long-term intent of maximising inclusion for all families of young children in Western Australia. We identify aspects of inclusion, through which diversity is constructed as the norm rather than the exception. We conclude by suggesting that establishing connections between family literacy practices and school literacy programmes which embrace inclusivity is one of the first steps towards ensuring that all children are able to reach their potential and become active participants in a literate society.