Effective Methods of Instruction to Increase Phonics Achievement of Kindergartners

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if the method of instruction has an effect on the phonics achievement of kindergarten students. Group one (2012–2013) received instruction which focused on learning letter names only followed by letter sounds at a later time in the school year. Group two (2013–2014) received instruction which taught letter names and letter sounds simultaneously throughout the duration of the study, approximately four to five months. The measurement tool, DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy), tested Letter Naming Fluency (LNF) and Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF). The hypothesis was partially supported as there was no significant difference between groups in the skill of LNF; however, there was a significant difference in the skill of letter-sound associations (NWF). Group two achieved a significantly higher score than group one in NWF. Further research is necessary regarding the most effective methods of instruction for phonics achievement in kindergarten.