COMPARISON OF TEACHING SINGLE OR MULTIPLE ORTHOGRAPHIC-PHONOLOGICAL CONNECTIONS FOR WORD RECOGNITION AND SPELLING - IMPLICATIONS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL CONSULTATION

Multi-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used to compare gro wth curves for children (ages 7 years, 0 months to 10 years, 11 months , inclusive) receiving instruction aimed at a single orthographic-phon ological connection (phonics and the orthographic and phonological awa reness needed for phonics) (n = 6) or receiving instruction aimed at m ultiple orthographic-phonological connections (phonics, sight words, a nd word families) (n = 6). HLM, which allows analysis of individuals w ithin groups as well as analysis between groups, was used to evaluate each of the probe measures taken in treatment sessions and each of the measures in the standard battery administered at pretest, midtest, an d posttest. Rate of growth on the phonics probes (pseudoword reading) was significantly faster for the group receiving the multiple connecti ons treatment. All children were treatment responders on some, but not all measures. Children varied in their degree of overall treatment re sponding. School psychologists should recommend a set of multiple stra tegies for helping children improve word recognition skills within a c onsultation model in which strategies ate implemented, evaluated, and revised, if necessary, on an individual basis.