The Cognitive Profiles of Poor Readers/Good Spellers and Good Readers/Poor Spellers in a Consistent Orthography: A Retrospective Analysis

Reading and spelling are closely related to each other, but empirical evidence shows that they can also dissociate. The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive profiles of good readers/poor spellers and poor readers/good spellers in a relatively consistent orthography (Greek). One hundred forty children were administered measures of phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, phonological short-term memory, and orthographic knowledge in grades 1 and 2. Their performance in reading and spelling was assessed in grade 4. Two small groups of children exhibited dissociation between reading and spelling: seven children were identified as poor readers/good spellers and 11 children as good readers/poor spellers. The former group experienced severe deficits in both rapid naming and phonological awareness. The latter group experienced only mild deficits in orthographic knowledge. Although inefficient orthographic knowledge affects their spelling accuracy (Greek is inconsistent in the direction of spelling), it does not impact their reading fluency because they can recognize words by relying on partial cues

The Cognitive Profiles of Poor Readers/Good Spellers and Good Readers/Poor Spellers in a Consistent Orthography: A Retrospective Analysis

Reading and spelling are closely related to each other, but empirical evidence shows that they can also dissociate. The purpose of this study was to examine the cognitive profiles of good readers/poor spellers and poor readers/good spellers in a relatively consistent orthography (Greek). One hundred forty children were administered measures of phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, phonological short-term memory, and orthographic knowledge in grades 1 and 2. Their performance in reading and spelling was assessed in grade 4. Two small groups of children exhibited dissociation between reading and spelling: seven children were identified as poor readers/good spellers and 11 children as good readers/poor spellers. The former group experienced severe deficits in both rapid naming and phonological awareness. The latter group experienced only mild deficits in orthographic knowledge. Although inefficient orthographic knowledge affects their spelling accuracy (Greek is inconsistent in the direction of spelling), it does not impact their reading fluency because they can recognize words by relying on partial cues

Emergent literacy in early childhood education: New issues and educational implications

Περίληψη. Η μελέτη αυτή παρουσιάζει μία προσέγγιση για την ερμηνεία του αναδυόμενου γραμματισμού, η οποία τεκμηριώνεται στην ανάλυση βιβλιογραφικών δεδομένων τόσο ως προς τα θεωρητικά μοντέλα των τελευταίων τριάντα ετών όσο και ως προς τα σύγχρονα ερευνητικά ευρήματα για την ανάδυση του γραμματισμού. Σύμφωνα με το προτεινόμενο τριγωνικό θεωρητικό μοντέλο οι περιβαλλοντικές εμπειρίες κατέχουν κεντρικό ρόλο στη συνεχή ανατροφοδότηση μεταξύ των συστατικών στοιχείων του αναδυόμενου γραμματισμού. Τα συστατικά στοιχεία που βρίσκονται στις κορυφές ενός τριγώνου και θεωρούνται κρίσιμα στην ανάδυση του γραμματισμού προσδιορίζονται ως προς το επίπεδο των εννοιολογικών και διαδικαστικών γνώσεων, των δεξιοτήτων του προφορικού λόγου και της γλωσσικής επίγνωσης, των μορφών συμπεριφοράς αναδυόμενης ανάγνωσης και γραφής.Λέξεις κλειδιά: Συστατικά αναδυόμενου γραμματισμού, προφορικός λόγος, μεταγλωσσικές δεξιότητες, έννοιες αντίληψης γραπτού λόγου, οικογενειακός γραμματισμός.Summary. The present study aims to describe a theoretical perspective of emergent literacy, based on a detailed literature review of previous theoretical models, and on contemporary research findings on the structure of emergent literacy. A triangular model is suggested to explain the construct of emergent literacy. A prominent role is given to the continuous interaction of various contextual experiences with the components of emergent literacy. The construct of emergent literacy consists of three major components which are considered critical for literacy acquisition. These major components are the knowledge of literacy concepts, literacy skills and literacy behaviours. The knowledge components include concepts about print and letter knowledge; the literacy skills include oral language (vocabulary, listening comprehension, and narrative skills) and metalinguistic (phonological, syntactic and morphological awareness) skills; literacy behaviour includes emergent reading and emergent writing. According to this triangular model, the components of literacy knowledge and literacy skills are intercorrelated, while both components influence the emergence of literacy behaviours such as emergent reading and writing. However, beyond the direct links of each major component to each other, there are also indirect links among them through the effects of the experiences children get from the contexts they live in. These experiences originate from home and school contexts. Educational implications for optimal literacy acquisition from an early age are discussed based on the suggestions of this triangular model.Keywords: emergent literacy components, oral language, metalinguistic skills, concepts about print, home literacy. The present study aims to describe a theoretical perspective of emergent literacy, based on a detailed literature review of previous theoretical models, and on contemporary research findings on the structure of emergent literacy. A triangular model is suggested to explain the construct of emergent literacy. A prominent role is given to the continuous interaction of various contextual experiences with the components of emergent literacy. The construct of emergent literacy consists of three major components which are considered critical for literacy acquisition. These major components are the knowledge of literacy concepts, literacy skills and literacy behaviours. The knowledge components include concepts about print and letter knowledge; the literacy skills include oral language (vocabulary, listening comprehension, and narrative skills) and metalinguistic (phonological, syntactic and morphological awareness) skills; literacy behaviour includes emergent reading and emergent writing. According to this triangular model, the components of literacy knowledge and literacy skills are intercorrelated, while both components influence the emergence of literacy behaviours such as emergent reading and writing. However, beyond the direct links of each major component to each other, there are also indirect links among them through the effects of the experiences children get from the contexts they live in. These experiences originate from home and school contexts. Educational implications for optimal literacy acquisition from an early age are discussed based on the suggestions of this triangular model

Current Needs of Preschool Teachers for Professional Development in Greece

This paper presents a brief overview of the literature regarding preschool teachers’ careers and professional development. The main purpose of the part of the study presented here was to conduct a needs-assessment exercise to identify the specific needs for professional development of early childhood teachers’ in Greece. Data were collected through a focus group. Results highlighted the challenges of moving forward in a teaching career and the need for increasing professional development opportunities that match teachers’ needs and interests. Professionals indicated that the absence of teacher-parents’ collaboration and structured practices for dealing with children’s discipline issues are their basic concerns. Implications of the study’s results are also discussed This project has been funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union. Project Number: 626146-EPP-1-2020-2-EL-EPPKA3-PI-POLIC

Literacy in Lithuania. Country Report - Children and Adolescents

European Literacy policy network (ELINET

Emergent literacy in early childhood education: New issues and educational implications

Περίληψη. Η μελέτη αυτή παρουσιάζει μία προσέγγιση για την ερμηνεία του αναδυόμενου γραμματισμού, η οποία τεκμηριώνεται στην ανάλυση βιβλιογραφικών δεδομένων τόσο ως προς τα θεωρητικά μοντέλα των τελευταίων τριάντα ετών όσο και ως προς τα σύγχρονα ερευνητικά ευρήματα για την ανάδυση του γραμματισμού. Σύμφωνα με το προτεινόμενο τριγωνικό θεωρητικό μοντέλο οι περιβαλλοντικές εμπειρίες κατέχουν κεντρικό ρόλο στη συνεχή ανατροφοδότηση μεταξύ των συστατικών στοιχείων του αναδυόμενου γραμματισμού. Τα συστατικά στοιχεία που βρίσκονται στις κορυφές ενός τριγώνου και θεωρούνται κρίσιμα στην ανάδυση του γραμματισμού προσδιορίζονται ως προς το επίπεδο των εννοιολογικών και διαδικαστικών γνώσεων, των δεξιοτήτων του προφορικού λόγου και της γλωσσικής επίγνωσης, των μορφών συμπεριφοράς αναδυόμενης ανάγνωσης και γραφής.Λέξεις κλειδιά: Συστατικά αναδυόμενου γραμματισμού, προφορικός λόγος, μεταγλωσσικές δεξιότητες, έννοιες αντίληψης γραπτού λόγου, οικογενειακός γραμματισμός.Summary. The present study aims to describe a theoretical perspective of emergent literacy, based on a detailed literature review of previous theoretical models, and on contemporary research findings on the structure of emergent literacy. A triangular model is suggested to explain the construct of emergent literacy. A prominent role is given to the continuous interaction of various contextual experiences with the components of emergent literacy. The construct of emergent literacy consists of three major components which are considered critical for literacy acquisition. These major components are the knowledge of literacy concepts, literacy skills and literacy behaviours. The knowledge components include concepts about print and letter knowledge; the literacy skills include oral language (vocabulary, listening comprehension, and narrative skills) and metalinguistic (phonological, syntactic and morphological awareness) skills; literacy behaviour includes emergent reading and emergent writing. According to this triangular model, the components of literacy knowledge and literacy skills are intercorrelated, while both components influence the emergence of literacy behaviours such as emergent reading and writing. However, beyond the direct links of each major component to each other, there are also indirect links among them through the effects of the experiences children get from the contexts they live in. These experiences originate from home and school contexts. Educational implications for optimal literacy acquisition from an early age are discussed based on the suggestions of this triangular model.Keywords: emergent literacy components, oral language, metalinguistic skills, concepts about print, home literacy. The present study aims to describe a theoretical perspective of emergent literacy, based on a detailed literature review of previous theoretical models, and on contemporary research findings on the structure of emergent literacy. A triangular model is suggested to explain the construct of emergent literacy. A prominent role is given to the continuous interaction of various contextual experiences with the components of emergent literacy. The construct of emergent literacy consists of three major components which are considered critical for literacy acquisition. These major components are the knowledge of literacy concepts, literacy skills and literacy behaviours. The knowledge components include concepts about print and letter knowledge; the literacy skills include oral language (vocabulary, listening comprehension, and narrative skills) and metalinguistic (phonological, syntactic and morphological awareness) skills; literacy behaviour includes emergent reading and emergent writing. According to this triangular model, the components of literacy knowledge and literacy skills are intercorrelated, while both components influence the emergence of literacy behaviours such as emergent reading and writing. However, beyond the direct links of each major component to each other, there are also indirect links among them through the effects of the experiences children get from the contexts they live in. These experiences originate from home and school contexts. Educational implications for optimal literacy acquisition from an early age are discussed based on the suggestions of this triangular model

The contribution of morphological awareness on the early stages of spelling development

Σκοπός της παρούσας διαχρονικής έρευνας ήταν να εξετάσει το βαθμό συμβολής της μορφολογικής επίγνωσης που διαθέτουν τα παιδιά στο Νηπιαγωγείο και στην Α΄ τάξη δημοτικού στην ανάπτυξη της ικανότητας ορθογραφημένης γραφής κλιτικών επιθημάτων στην Α΄ τάξη και στη Β΄ τάξη αντίστοιχα. Διακόσια δεκαπέντε παιδιά από το Νηπιαγωγείο έως και την Α΄ τάξη του δημοτικού αξιολογήθηκαν ως προς: (α) το επίπεδο ανάπτυξης της μορφολογικής τους επίγνωσης με διάφορες δοκιμασίες (π.χ. αναλογίας λέξεων, σχηματισμού – αποσχηματισμού παράγωγων λέξεων, αναστροφής συνθέτων), (β) γενικές γνωστικές δεξιότητες (μη λεκτική νοημοσύνη, γλωσσική νοητική ικανότητα, βραχύχρονη μνήμη, λεξιλόγιο), και (γ) πρώιμες δεξιότητες γραμματισμού (φωνολογική επίγνωση, αυτοματοποιημένη ονομασία ερεθισμάτων, γνώση γραμμάτων). Παράλληλα, στην Α΄ τάξη και στη Β΄ τάξη τα παιδιά αξιολογήθηκαν ως προς την ικανότητα ορθογραφημένης γραφής κλιτικών επιθημάτων σε λέξεις και ψευδολέξεις. Τα αποτελέσματα ιεραρχικών παλινδρομικών αναλύσεων έδειξαν ότι η μορφολογική επίγνωση των παιδιών στο Νηπιαγωγείο και στην Α΄ τάξη προέβλεψε σημαντικά την επίδοση στην ορθογραφημένη γραφή των κλιτικών επιθημάτων μόνο στις λέξεις, στην Α΄ τάξη και στη Β΄ τάξη αντίστοιχα, ανεξάρτητα από την επίδραση των γνωστικών και γλωσσικών δεξιοτήτων. Συνολικά, τα ευρήματα αυτά δείχνουν ότι η μορφολογική επίγνωση μπορεί να αποτελεί προγνωστικό δείκτη της ανάπτυξης της ικανότητας ορθογραφημένης γραφής ακόμη και κατά την πρώτη σχολική ηλικία.Λέξεις κλειδιά: μορφολογική επίγνωση, ορθογραφημένη γραφή κλιτικών επιθημάτων  Summary.Recent research studies in several alphabetic orthographic systems have shown a significant contribution of morphological awareness in the development of spelling ability. It is assumed that awareness of morphemes facilitates understanding and the appropriate application of morphophonemic principles of spelling. However, apart from its effect on understanding the conventions of the general spelling system of a language, morphological awareness seems to facilitate the orthographic performance of specific morphemes as well, especially inflectional suffixes, through their morphemic differentiation. The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the contribution of morphological awareness in Kindergarten and Grade 1, on children’s spelling ability of inflectional suffixes in both Grades 1 and 2. Two hundred and fifteen Greek – speaking children from Kindergarten up to Grade 1 were assessed on measures of: (a) morphological awareness (e.g., word analogy, decomposition of derivative words, reversing compounds), (b) general cognitive skills (nonverbal intelligence, verbal intelligence, short-term memory, vocabulary), and (c) early literacy skills (phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, letter knowledge). Also, in both Grades 1 and 2 children were assessed on measures of spelling ability of inflectional suffixes in words and pseudowords. The results of the hierarchical regression analyses showed that the morphological awareness of children in both Kindergarten and Grade 1 predicted significantly their spelling of inflectional suffixes only in words, in Grades 1 and 2 respectively, beyond the effects of cognitive and language skills. Morphological awareness skills did not contribute significantly on children’s’ spelling of inflectional suffixes in pseudowords. Overall, these findings highlight that early morphological awareness skills contribute significantly to the development of spelling ability even at the early primary school years. Therefore, it is suggested that the teaching of spelling inflectional suffixes has to emphasize the semantic and syntactic role of inflectional suffixes through activities of writing rather than memorizing rules for the correct spelling of each inflectional suffix. Keywords: morphological awareness, spelling of inflectional suffixesRecent research studies in several alphabetic orthographic systems have shown a significant contribution of morphological awareness in the development of spelling ability. It is assumed that awareness of morphemes facilitates the application of morphophonemic principles on spelling. However, apart from its effect on understanding the conventions of the general spelling system of a language, morphological awareness seems to facilitate the orthographic performance of specific morphemes as well, especially inflectional suffixes, through their morphemic differentiation. The aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the contribution of morphological awareness in Kindergarten and Grade 1, on children’s spelling ability of inflectional suffixes in both Grades 1 and 2. Two hundred and fifteen Greek – speaking children from Kindergarten up to Grade 1 were assessed on measures of: (a) morphological awareness (e.g., word analogy, decomposition of derivative words, reversing compounds), (b) general cognitive skills (nonverbal intelligence, verbal intelligence, short-term memory, vocabulary), and (c) early literacy skills (phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, letter knowledge). Also, in both Grades 1 and 2 children were assessed on measures of spelling ability of inflectional suffixes in words and pseudowords. The results of the hierarchical regression analyses showed that the morphological awareness of children in both Kindergarten and Grade 1 predicted significantly their spelling of inflectional suffixes only in words, in Grades 1 and 2 respectively, beyond the effects of cognitive and language skills. Morphological awareness skills did not contribute significantly to children’s spelling of inflectional suffixes in pseudowords. Overall, these findings highlight that early morphological awareness skills contribute significantly to the development of spelling ability even at the early primary school years. Therefore, it is suggested that the teaching of spelling inflectional suffixes has to emphasize the semantic and syntactic role of inflectional suffixes through activities of writing rather than memorizing rules for the correct spelling of each inflectional suffix