A Proposal for the Programme for Encouraging the Development of Pre-Reading Skills at Preschool Institutions

Abstract

Learning how to read is one of the most important tasks for children who are preparing to start primary school. A proper development of speech and language is a prerequisite for the development of pre-reading skills, and phonological awareness is one of the crucial pre-reading skills. The results of the research conducted around the world indicate that intervention programmes for developing different aspects of phonological awareness during the pre-school period can contribute to an easier adoption of reading skills. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to present an intervention programme proposal that encourages the development of the pre-reading skills of children attending preparatory preschool programmes. The programme is based on the initial testing of pre-reading skills, as well as on creating, implementing and evaluating the designed activities - exercises for stimulating speech-language development and phonological awareness over a period of several months, and final testing of the pre-reading skills and initial reading skills of children in the experimental group. The control group of children, consistent with all relevant characteristics, should also be tested in two different time units and their initial reading skills should be tested as well. In order to determine the effects of the intervention programme, no planned and structured activities for encouraging the development of the pre-reading skills should be introduced. The application and evaluation of the proposed programme should contribute to the improvement of the preparatory preschool programme in terms of preparing children for learning how to read.

Keywords

• pre-reading skills
• intervention programme
• preschool institution