THE PREDICTION OF EARLY READING AND SPELL ING DIFFICULTIES - PHONOLOGICAL DEFICITS AS PREDICTORS

The predictive contribution of phonological skills at school entry to reading and spelling performance at the end of Grade 1 was examined wi th a sample of about 560 boys. The main concern was the coincidence be tween poor phonological skills and later problems in reading or spelli ng. Various analyses consistently indicated a rather feeble associatio n between phonological skills and literacy achievement. Most Of the ch ildren with poor phonological skills were able to read and to spell wi thin the normal range at the end of Grade 1. As a possible reason for the low predictive value of phonological skills in the present study t he early assessment of reading and spelling along with a very slowly p rogressing phonologically oriented instruction is discussed.