Optimizing Phonological Awareness Learning in Prekindergarten and Kindergarten to Improve Later Reading and Spelling

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Reading Difficulties

• Registration Number: NCT07017010
• Lead Sponsor: Ohio State University

Brief Summary

The goal of the proposed study is to directly and rigorously address current scientific controversy about phonological awareness intervention content and timing for prekindergarten and kindergarten children. Using an experimental design, we will compare the relative impact of phonological sensitivity + phonemic awareness intervention versus phonemic awareness intervention on children's phonemic awareness and later reading and spelling abilities. We expect that both types of intervention will lead to impacts beyond business-as-usual instruction but do not have directional hypotheses as to which type of intervention will be most effective. Also, we will determine the relative efficacy of intervening in prekindergarten versus kindergarten, examine child characteristics that might moderate effects, and explore whether a transition point can be identified as to when phonemic awareness intervention may be most effective. Ultimately, our findings will help optimize early phonological awareness instruction.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2025-06
• Study First Submitted: 2025-06-02
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-06-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-06-09
• Study First Posted: 2025-06-12
• Last Update Posted: 2025-06-12
• Study Start: 2025-08
• Primary Completion: 2029-07
• Study Completion: 2029-07

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 720

Inclusion Criteria

• Parent consent
• Child assent
• Enrollment in prekindergarten or kindergarten
• At least 4 years old
• Score below the 50th percentile on the Phonological Awareness Component Score of the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing 2 (CTOPP 2).

Exclusion Criteria

• Severe sensory impairment that interferes with the capacity to hear instructions or see visual stimuli as reported by parents on the initial Child/Family Survey.
• Inability to speak or understand English at a basic level, as indicated by a criterion score < 6 on the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals Preschool-3 Screening Test (CELF:PS).
• Severe behavior issues as indicated by (a) a score 3 on the aggressive behavior item of the externalizing subscale of the Student Risk Screening Scale-Early Childhood (SRSS-EC) or (b) a total score ≥ 16 on the externalizing subscale of the SRSS-EC.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Test of Preschool Early Literacy: PA subtest	screening/pretest (within first 3 months of school year prior to intervention), midtest (within 2 months following the first 6 weeks of intervention and before starting the second 6 weeks of intervention), posttest (within 3 months of intervention end)	The TOPEL phonological awareness subtest includes 27 items with a focus on blending and deleting various sound components within words (e.g., compound word components, syllables, individual sounds). Some items do, and others do not include pictorial supports where children can respond by pointing to their answer.
Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing 2: Elision, Blending Words, and Sound Matching subtests	screening/pretest (within first 3 mos, prior to intervention), midtest (within 2 mos after first 6 weeks of intervention, posttest (within 3 mos of intervention end), followup 1 (~15-18 mos after enrollment), followup 2 (PK only, ~27-30 mos after enroll)	The CTOPP2 includes three core subtests that we will administer. Elision is a 34- item subtest to assess how participants can say a word then say what is left after leaving out designated sounds. Blending Words is a 33-item subtest to see how a participant would combine sounds by listening to a series of audio recorded separate sounds then putting together the sounds to make a full word. Sound matching is a 26-item subtest to see how a participant can match sounds. The examiner says a target word then says three other words while pointing to drawings showing the words. For the first 13 items, participants have to point to pictures that match the first sound in the target word and for the following 13 items they match the end sound.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement IV: Letter Word ID, Word Attack, and Spelling subtests	posttest (within 3 months of intervention end), followup 1 (~15-18 mos after enrollment), followup 2 (PK only, ~27-30 mos after enroll)	We will administer three subtests of the widely used standardized measure the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement IV (WJ Letter Word ID, WJ Word Attack, and WJ Spelling). Letter Word ID requires children to correctly label individual letters and then individual words of increasing difficulty (maximum 75, with stopping rules after successive errors). Word Attack requires children to correctly pronounce nonwords of increasing length and difficulty (maximum 32, with stopping rules after successive errors). Spelling requires children to write the conventional spelling of words dictated to them by a recording (maximum 30, with stopping rules after successive errors).
Test of Word Reading Efficiency 2	posttest (within 3 months of intervention end), followup 1 (~15-18 mos after enrollment), followup 2 (PK only, ~27-30 mos after enroll)	The Test of Word Reading Efficiency 2 is a standardized and widely used measure of reading fluency. In both subtests children are given 45 seconds in which to read as many of a list of presented words as possible. In list one, the words are real words. In list two the words are pronounceable nonsense words. Both lists become increasingly difficult.
Word Spelling assessment	posttest (within 3 months of intervention end), followup 1 (~15-18 mos after enrollment), followup 2 (PK only, ~27-30 mos after enroll)	The Word Spelling assessment includes two parts: asking children to spell 5 dictated real words and 5 dictated nonsense words, with each part scored separately.

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Florida State University; 🇺🇸 Tallahassee, Florida, United States

The Ohio State University; 🇺🇸 Columbus, Ohio, United States