Young Children's Letter-Sound Knowledge

b.j.dodd{at}newcastle.ac.uk

Purpose: This study compares three essential skills in early literacy: letter-sound recognition, letter-sound recall, and letter reproduction. Previous research comparing these aspects of letter-sound knowledge is limited.

Method: Eighty-three normally developing children between the ages of 4:11 (years:months) and 6:4 were asked to recognize (i.e., point to the appropriate letter when the letter's sound is given), recall (i.e., say the letter's sound), and reproduce (i.e., write the letter when the letter's sound is given) 32 letter sounds.

Results: The children performed better in letter-sound recognition than in letter-sound recall, and better in letter-sound recall than in letter reproduction. Girls performed no differently from boys. Younger children performed as well as older children. Socioeconomic status had significant influence on the level of development for all tasks.

Clinical Implications: Clinicians and educators need to be aware of the different aspects of letter-sound knowledge development and how it can be assessed so that intervention can follow the normal developmental sequence of acquisition.

KEY WORDS: early literacy, letter-sound recall, letter-sound recognition, letter reproduction, socioeconomic status

Submitted on November 25, 2002
Accepted on January 29, 2003

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