What we need to know about linking assessment and phonemic awareness training in the classroom we can learn in kindergarten

Although the research evidence in support of providing phonemic awareness training for young children is substantial, its implementation in kindergarten programs has been limited. The need to bridge the gap between research and practice is clear, given the number of children demonstrating difficulties learning to read and the powerful effects specific training programs have had upon reading. This study\u27s aim was to examine the feasibility of a comprehensive early literacy program linking research-based curricula with innovative assessment procedures in a kindergarten setting. Teachers and support staff from a small urban school system monitored early literacy skills using Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). Local normative data was collected to establish standards of performance and to serve as a means of comparing the efficacy of the traditional system of assessment and instruction to the model used by the participating teachers. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected to address questions regarding the usefulness of DIBELS and the effectiveness of the model. The individual and overall outcomes of students receiving phonemic awareness instruction were evaluated by examining a set of descriptive statistics and conducting a repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) design. Time series analyses were also employed to illustrate the process used in making programmatic decisions. Staff members were interviewed at regular intervals to obtain feedback about the implementation process. Factors relating to the manageability of data collection and analysis, the feasibility of providing activities for a wide range of students, and the integration of this training into existing curriculum were given special attention. Although restricted by the limitations of design and nature of the data, descriptive and inferential statistics indicate that the formative assessment model was more effective in building phonemic awareness skills than the general curriculum. No significant differences were found in the development of letter naming skills. Participants indicated that DIBELS are effective assessment and teaching tools. They reported that the effectiveness of the training program lay in the high level of student involvement in the lessons. Issues related to time, space, support from personnel, and need for collaboration were raised as important factors in implementation