Phonological Sensitivity in Novice Readers and Nonreaders

This research reexamined recent claims that phonemic sensitivity is limited to alphabetically literate people by investigating the association between phonological sensitivity and novice reading skill in 5-year-old children who had not been exposed to formal reading instruction. The current study found clear evidence that both novice readers and nonreaders high in letter knowledge were sensitive to phonemic units. Children classified as novice readers were higher in both phonological sensitivity and verbal ability than nonreaders. Robust differences in phonological sensitivity remained between novice readers and nonreaders equivalent in letter knowledge after verbal ability effects were controlled. Although nonreaders varying in letter knowledge also differed in phonological sensitivity, this result may have reflected underlying differences in verbal ability