Phonological Awareness Skills Improved by the Teaching of Reading and Writing

Abtract The objective of the study was to verify the development of phonological awareness skills duringthe process of children learning reading and writing by means of a computer program.Three students with learning difficulties, enrolled in the second year of elementary school, took part in this research. Pre and post-test were employed by means of the Phonological Awareness Test and the Reading and Writing Diagnostic Test before and after the realization of Module 1 of the program named Learning to Read and Write by Small Steps, or “Aprendendo a Ler e a Escrever em Pequenos Passos.” Results show that the three participants reached the end of the learning program and demonstrated improvement in their reading and writing repertoire. On the Phonological Awareness Test, participants presented improvement in their performance at rhyme, alliteration, and syllabic skills but did not present consistent improvement in their phonemic skills. Results point at the necessity to develop and enhance procedures for the teaching of phonological awareness, especially phonemic skills.