Filling the Gap: Phonological Awareness Activities for a Montessori Kindergarten

Phonological Awareness in Kindergarten 2 Abstract This action research was conducted to determine if small group explicit phonological awareness (PA) instruction using materials from Early Reading Mastery (Klein, 2015) and Words Their Way (Bear et al., 2006) would increase students’ ability to segment phonemes (i.e., break words into sounds) and build three letter consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words. The research was completed in a full-day public suburban Montessori kindergarten. Data was collected using phonological awareness tests, a teacher adapted spelling test, tally sheet, and researcher’s log. Pre-test data was used to create homogenous small groups for the four-week intervention. Explicitly worded lessons taught PA and phonic skills using traditional and supplementary Montessori materials. Post-intervention data showed an increase in the number of students able to segment CVC words. Establishing a research-based structure of PA lessons and materials has strengthened the researcher’s ability to teach students the foundational PA skills necessary to begin their reading journey. Further research to determine if this instructional practice reduces reading difficulties could be studied. Keywords: phonological awareness, Montessori, Kindergarten, explicit instruction, small homogenous group