Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka och jämföra hur lärare i årskurs 1 utrycker att de undervisar i bokstavsinlärning. Metoden som används är kvalitativa intervjuer med fyra lärare som arbetar i årskurs 1. Under intervjuerna ställdes frågor om upplägget på undervisningen, vilka bokstäver som man börjar med samt vilket läromedel och material som används. Resultatet visade att alla respondenter uttrycker liknande sätt att introducera bokstäverna på och en del moment arbetar respondenterna på liknande sätt. Som exempel läggs det fokus på att lära eleverna ljuda, forma och öva på skrivriktningen samt få igång lästräningen samtidigt. Resultatet visade även att alla respondenter använder samma läromedel, men på olika sätt – vissa har den som en utgångspunkt och andra som en repetitionsuppgift. Det som skiljde lärarna sig emellan var att de uttryckte olika tillvägagångssätt för att undervisa i bokstavsinlärning och hur de granskade elevernas förkunskaper samt deras användning av bedömningsstöd och diagnoser.

National and international studies indicate that the preparation of teachers to teach reading is inconsistent across universities worldwide. Teacher preparation programmes lack rigorous research based findings and recommendations point to the fact that evidence–based research and integrated approaches should be incorporated to address this inconsistency. There is a need for a comprehensive curriculum to guide pre–service teachers toward a coherent knowledge base for the effective teaching of reading as teachers do not have an understanding of what to teach or how to teach it. Literature identifies that the inclusion, and explicit teaching of the five reading literacy components (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary knowledge and text comprehension) form the essential components which should be instructed to enable teachers to teach reading. This study analysed a teacher preparation programme to identify what reading literacy components are taught as well as how the reading literacy components are taught within the programme. The results reflect that the reading literacy components are included haphazardly within the teacher preparation programme and there is no evidence–based research incorporated. It is clear that the pre–service teachers are not taught “how” to teach the reading literacy components as the science of reading is not focused on in the teacher preparation programme studied. The findings of this study support the literature base requiring teachers to be equipped with a disciplinary knowledge base to teach reading. Furthermore, teachers should be provided with a rigorous, research–based curriculum which will enable them to become expert reading literacy teachers who will be well prepared to implement research–based programmes and practices. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

National and international studies indicate that the preparation of teachers to teach reading is inconsistent across universities worldwide. Teacher preparation programmes lack rigorous research based findings and recommendations point to the fact that evidence–based research and integrated approaches should be incorporated to address this inconsistency. There is a need for a comprehensive curriculum to guide pre–service teachers toward a coherent knowledge base for the effective teaching of reading as teachers do not have an understanding of what to teach or how to teach it. Literature identifies that the inclusion, and explicit teaching of the five reading literacy components (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary knowledge and text comprehension) form the essential components which should be instructed to enable teachers to teach reading. This study analysed a teacher preparation programme to identify what reading literacy components are taught as well as how the reading literacy components are taught within the programme. The results reflect that the reading literacy components are included haphazardly within the teacher preparation programme and there is no evidence–based research incorporated. It is clear that the pre–service teachers are not taught “how” to teach the reading literacy components as the science of reading is not focused on in the teacher preparation programme studied. The findings of this study support the literature base requiring teachers to be equipped with a disciplinary knowledge base to teach reading. Furthermore, teachers should be provided with a rigorous, research–based curriculum which will enable them to become expert reading literacy teachers who will be well prepared to implement research–based programmes and practices. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

De riskfaktorer som kan mätas eller avgöras i förskolan kan bara delvis förutsäga omfattningen av kommande lässvårigheter. Dessutom finns en påtaglig ärftlig komponent som sannolikt påverkar omfattningen av behovet av undervisningsinsats. De faktorer som kan ge en antydan om kommande lässvårigheter och som en förskolepedagog enkelt kan skapa lekar kring och bedöma är: RAN, förmågan att kunna skriva det egna namnet, hittepåord och bokstäver, koncentrationssvårigheter, finmotorisk koordination och kanske förmågan att uttala nonsensord. Pojkar har en högre risk. För att öka möjligheten att tidigt identifiera förskolebarn i riskzonen för kommande lässvårigheter skulle lästräning kunna påbörjas i förskoleklass (6-års-klass). Detta gäller oavsett om barnet har läs-svårigheter eller ej. De valda metoderna för läsinlärning bör vara olika i början av lästräningen jämfört med längre upp i åldrarna. Befintlig forskning tyder på att barn som börjar lära sig läsa i första hand behöver träna fonologisk medvetenhet och att phonics är en viktig metod i denna träning, men att ’hjärnans fonologiska mognad’ gör nyttan tveksam för barn yngre än 6 år – särskilt om dessa barn är pojkar. Spännvidden av orsaker, och att läsförmågan både kan förbättras och försämras över tid, tyder dock på att riskidentifiering i förskolan inte räcker till och att det sannolikt enda sättet att säkerställa adekvat utbildning till barn med lässvårigheter är kontinuerliga och tätt återkommande mätningar av hur väl barn tar till sig grundskoleundervisningen i läsning. Genom mätningarna kan utbildningen löpande justeras och anpassas till barnets behov här och nu. Över huvud taget uppvisar resultaten från tvillingstudier och från longitudinella studier att lästillägnandet har stora likheter med träning i sporter och musikinstrument: först måste grunden nötas in, varefter förmågan senare förfinas genom tålmodig och allt svårare upprepning. Detta är än viktigare för barn med lässvårigheter. Den fortlöpande försämringen av PISA-resultaten kommer inte att kunna brytas av åtgärder i förskolan eller genom systematisk satsning på phonics, utan det handlar om den politiska viljan finns inom det svenska skolväsendet för att ge alla barn samma chans i livet.

The effectiveness of teaching synthetic phonics to EFL students Abstract The diploma considers the effectiveness of systematic and explicit Synthetic Phonics teaching methods in the EFL learning environment. The theoretical section examines foreign language methodology - the field of reading acquisition in young learners, especially English language pronunciation. It studies how systematic explicit Phonics approach can help in learning how to read and pronounce words correctly. It explores the similarities and differences between teaching Synthetic and Analytic Phonics, and compares them. Furthermore it discusses whether synthetic phonics is useful not only for native English speakers, but also for EFL students. The practical part focuses on testing two groups of children who have different experiences of phonics. The data were collected in Prague and the Hradec Králové region. There were 62 students tested out of whom 33 were in a control group and 29 were taught using a systematic Phonics approach. A specially designed test consisting of two different activities was applied. It tested word reading, non-word pronouncing and sight word recognition. The aim of the research was to find out whether explicit Synthetic Phonics teaching instruction helps not only native English speakers, but also EFL learners in...

Syftet med denna studie är att bidra med kunskap om lärares syn på sitt arbete med läsundervisning i årskurs 1. Syftet besvaras genom frågeställningarna: Hur uppger lärarna att de genomför läsundervisning? Vilka läsinlärningsmetoder uppger lärarna att de använder i undervisningen? Hur beskriver lärarna sin betydelse för elevers läsinlärning? Studien har en sociokulturell ansats och speglar således Vygotskijs tankar om lärande och utveckling. Undersökningsmetoden är kvalitativ och bygger på semistrukturerade intervjuer med fyra lärare för närvarande verksamma i årskurs 1. Resultatet visar att lärarna kombinerar flera metoder i läsundervisningen med syfte att eleverna ska få både fonologisk lästräning och helordsträning. Undervisningen har inslag av bokstavsgenomgångar, samtal, läsning, skrivning och på olika sätt arbete med utgångspunkt från en läsebok. Resultatet visar även att lärare behöver vara kunniga och positiva förebilder som motiverar eleverna till läsning. Lärare ska även kunna ge elever utmaningar efter var de befinner sig i sin läsutveckling för att ge alla elever rätt förutsättningar att utvecklas. / The aim of this study is to contribute with knowledge about teachers’ views on their work with literacy learning. The research questions are: How do the teachers describe that they conduct reading lessons? What literacy learning methods do these teachers use in class? How do the teachers describe their own importance as a teacher for the literacy learning of the pupils? This study is based on a socio-cultural perspective on learning and reflects the ideas of Vygotskij on learning and development. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with four teachers currently active in grade 1. The results show that the teachers combine several different methods in their literacy instruction with the purpose to give the pupils both phonological reading practice and whole words trainings. The instructions have elements such as learning the alphabet, conversations, reading, writing and, in various ways, work based on a textbook. The results show that the teachers need to be knowledgeable and positive role models in order to motivate their pupils to read. Furthermore, the teachers must be able to provide their pupils with challenges adapted to their reading competence in order to give all pupils the right conditions for development.

The effectiveness of teaching synthetic phonics to EFL students Abstract This diploma thesis deals with the effectiveness of systematic and explicit Synthetic Phonics teaching methods in the EFL learning environment. The theoretical part of the text investigates the similarities and differences between teaching Synthetic and Analytic Phonics. Whether synthetic phonics is essential not only for native English speakers, but also for EFL students is examined. Furthermore, it introduces the changes and development in phonics teaching in a historical context. The practical section describes the test preparation and presents how the research methodology was applied. It also examines the data collected from testing four groups of Prague primary school children who have different experience of phonics. Last but not least, the empirical section presents the results of 60 students' readings and analyses their performances concluding with an assessment as to whether explicit Synthetic Phonics teaching instruction helps EFL students in pronouncing words or not. Key words: synthetic phonics, analytic phonics, phonemes, graphemes, pronunciation and articulation, spelling, reading, writing

The aim of the study was to examine whether an intervention with the Rydaholms method leads to better decoding skills, improved reading comprehension and increased interest in reading. The participants were the third grade primary school children. A five-week training with the method was performed and children's results in reading speed, decoding and reading comprehension were compared to the pretest results. The interest in reading was measured with a questionnaire prior and after the invention was done. The results showed that the children had improved their decoding but not their reading comprehension. All the children reported a higher level of reading interest after the intervention. The results are discussed in relation to the research favoring training in spelling and decoding as a primary method to improve both decoding and reading comprehension and methods that combine training in spelling and comprehension. The study could show that improved decoding skills do not automatically lead to better reading comprehension due to a short-term memory advantage but training in comprehension strategies is needed. The finding that improved decoding lead to increased interest in reading gives support for the research that claims that decoding skills are fundamental for children's own view on reading.

Syftet med denna undersökning var att undersöka hur några lärare organiserar den tidiga läsundervisningen genom olika metoder och arbetssätt i årskurs ett. Vi ville även undersöka hur dessa lärare motiverade sina elever till sin läsinlärning. För att samla empirisk data har vi använt oss av kvalitativa intervjuer. Resultatet visade att lärarna bedriver en snarlik undervisning med Phonics-metoden som utgångspunkt men med inslag av andra metoder. Slutsatsen är att lärare inte ska låsa in sig på en metod eftersom att alla elever lär sig olika då vi människor är olika. De tillfrågade lärarna anser det vara viktigt att man anpassar sin undervisning så att alla elever utvecklas i sitt lärande.

JUSTINO, M. I. S. V. Efeitos do reforço escolar numa abordagem fônica em alunos do ensino fundamental com graves defasagens na alfabetização. 2010. 156 p. Dissertação (Mestrado) Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto. Apesar das mudanças implantadas na política, currículo e metodologia educacional nos últimos dez anos, os resultados de avaliações do rendimento escolar dos alunos do ensino básico, em nível nacional e estadual, têm indicado sérios problemas no que se refere à aprendizagem das competências básicas de leitura e escrita. No contexto dessa problemática, o presente estudo buscou avaliar os efeitos de uma intervenção de reforço escolar, baseada no desenvolvimento da consciência fonológica e no ensino explícito da correspondência entre grafemas e fonemas, sobre a aprendizagem da leitura e escrita de um grupo de alunos do Ensino Fundamental ciclos I e II, com graves defasagens na alfabetização. Participaram do estudo 31 alunos, com idade entre 09 e 21 anos, de ambos os sexos, cursando da 4ª à 8ª série do Ensino Fundamental, de uma escola pública da periferia de Ribeirão Preto, em São Paulo. A pesquisa foi composta por quatro fases: inicialmente foi realizada uma avaliação diagnóstica coletiva das habilidades de leitura e escrita, com todos os alunos de 4ª a 8ª séries da referida escola. Aqueles apresentando dificuldades na alfabetização foram avaliados individualmente, no pré-teste, em provas de conhecimento de letras, consciência fonológica, leitura e escrita de palavras, sendo encaminhados para a intervenção 31 alunos com graves defasagens em termos de alfabetização. As atividades de reforço escolar foram desenvolvidas coletivamente, em duas aulas semanais, de duas horas cada, durante 10 meses. No final da intervenção foi realizado o pós-teste, com a reavaliação das mesmas habilidades do pré-teste, de modo a analisar os efeitos sobre a aprendizagem da leitura e escrita. As análises estatísticas mostraram diferenças significativas entre o pré e o pós-teste para todas as habilidades avaliadas. Dos 31 participantes do reforço escolar, em apenas seis alunos não se observou evolução do pré para o pós-teste. Os outros 25 alunos avançaram significativamente na aprendizagem da leitura e da escrita, concluindo-se que a intervenção mostrou-se eficaz para a superação das dificuldades de alfabetização para a maior parte dos alunos vítimas de fracasso escolar. / JUSTINO, M. I. S. V. Effects of tutoring in phonics approach in elementary school students with serious gaps in literacy. 2010. 156 p. Masters dissertation Ribeirão Preto School of Philosophy, Sciences and Literature USP. Despite the changes implemented in policy, curriculum and instructional methodology in the last ten years, the results of evaluations of the performance of pupils in basic education, in national and state levels, have indicated serious problems at learning basic skills in reading and writing. In the context of this issue, this study sought to evaluate the effects of an intervention to enhance these skills, starting at the development of phonological awareness and explicit teaching of the correspondence between graphemes and phonemes, in a group of students of elementary school cycles I and II, with serious gaps in literacy. This study involved 31 students, aged between 09 and 21 years, of both sexes, attending the 4th to 8th grades, in a public elementary school on the outskirts at Ribeirão Preto, in São Paulo. The research comprised four stages: initially a collective diagnostic evaluation was performed to assess the skills of reading and writing of all students from 4th to 8th grades of that school. Those having difficulties in literacy were assessed individually in the pre-test in letter knowledge, phonological awareness, reading and writing words, and 31 students with serious gaps in terms of literacy were sent to the intervention. Tutoring activities were developed collectively in two weekly classes of two hours each, for 10 months. At the end of the intervention was performed post-test, with a reassessment of the same abilities of the pre-test in order to analyze the effects on reading and writing skills. The statistical analysis showed significant differences between pre and post test for all abilities evaluated. Among the 31 participants only in six students we have not observed great changes between the pre and post-test. The other 25 students made significant progress in reading and writing, concluding that the was effective in overcoming the difficulties in literacy for most students who are victims of school failure.