Metalinguistic awareness and literacy: a study carried out among first elementary grade children / Consciência metalingüística e alfabetização: um estudo com crianças da primeira série do ensino fundamental

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the influence of phonological, lexical and syntactic awareness in written language acquisition. The main hypothesis underlying the research was that metalinguistic abilities could facilitate written language acquisition. Subjects were 65 first-grade students at a public school in São Paulo, Brazil. The materials used to measure levels of metalinguistic awareness were applied at the beginning of the school year. Reading and writing assessment tests were applied both at the beginning and the end of the school year so as to evaluate acquisition levels. Statistical analysis showed positive and significant correlation between initial levels of phonological and syntactic awareness and final performance in reading and writing evaluation. Lexical awareness was significantly correlated solely with final level of reading. These results suggest the importance of performing pedagogical activities in early school life in order to develop metalinguistic awareness.

Keywords

• Metalinguistic awareness
• phonological awareness
• lexical awareness
• syntactic awareness
• literacy