Towards a method for assessment of reading-related development in preschool children:Print awareness and metaphonological skills in practical application
A method tor systematic description and evaluation of preschool children's reading-related development was evaluated in a small pilot study. Longitudinaldata were collected by the ordinary preschool teachers as part of their regular work. The focus was on the years immediately before school start and the onset of formal reading instruction (i.e., the age of three to five years). The aim of the testing was to describe the individual development of the concepts of reading and writing and the initial stages of language awareness. Children were followed for two years by repeated testing twice a year. Results indicated a substantive improvement in name-spelling and letter-naming abilities as well as in phonological awareness.
