Optimizing Phonological Awareness Learning in Prekindergarten and Kindergarten

This study is looking at the best ways to teach young children, aged 4 to 9, to improve their reading and spelling skills. It compares two different teaching methods: "phonemic awareness intervention (PA)" which focuses on individual sounds in words, and "phonological sensitivity + phonemic awareness intervention (PSPA)" which starts with larger word parts before moving to individual sounds. A third group, "delayed onset phonemic awareness intervention (DPA)", will receive the PA intervention later. The goal is to see which method is most effective in helping children with reading difficulties. To join, children must be in prekindergarten or kindergarten, at least 4 years old, and score below the 50th percentile on a specific phonological awareness test. The study's status is currently unclear.

Study design
This is an interventional study with a planned enrollment of 720 participants. It uses an experimental design to compare different behavioral interventions.
What's involved
Participants will receive 12 weeks of lessons. They will also have several assessments: at the start, after 6 weeks, after the intervention ends, and then follow-up assessments up to 30 months after enrollment.
Compensation
Not stated in the trial record.
Follow-up
Participants will be followed up to 30 months after enrollment, with assessments approximately 15-18 months and 27-30 months after joining the study.

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NCT07017010

Optimizing Phonological Awareness Learning in Prekindergarten and Kindergarten to Improve Later Reading and Spelling

Recruiting
NAAges 4–9InterventionalPrevention
Ohio State University
~720 participants
Updated 2025-12-08 on ClinicalTrials.gov
What's tested:phonemic awareness intervention (PA)phonological sensitivity + phonemic awareness intervention (PSPA)delayed onset phonemic awareness intervention (DPA)

At a glance

Recruiting sites
2 of 2 listed sites are recruiting right now
RecruitingSuspended, closed, or not yet open
What they're measuring
Test of Preschool Early Literacy: PA subtest
Measured over screening/pretest (within first 3 months of school year prior to intervention), midtest (within 2 months following the first 6 weeks of intervention and before starting the second 6 weeks of intervention), posttest (within 3 months of intervention end)
+1 more outcome measured
Reading Difficulties

NCT07017010

Where you'd take part

This study runs at 2 sites. They're the same protocol — you choose where, and that choice sets who your contact draft is addressed to.

  • Florida State University

    Tallahassee, Floridastudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

  • The Ohio State University

    Columbus, Ohiostudy coordinator listed

    Recruiting

Sites open and close at different times, so the status above is per site — it can differ from the study's overall status.

  • Shayne B Piasta, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Ohio State University
  • Beth M Phillips, PhD · PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR · Florida State University

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Eligibility criteria

Inclusion

Parent consent
Child assent
Enrollment in prekindergarten or kindergarten
At least 4 years old
Score below the 50th percentile on the Phonological Awareness Component Score of the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing 2 (CTOPP 2).

Exclusion

Severe sensory impairment that interferes with the capacity to hear instructions or see visual stimuli as reported by parents on the initial Child/Family Survey.
Inability to speak or understand English at a basic level, as indicated by a criterion score \< 6 on the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals Preschool-3 Screening Test (CELF:PS).
Severe behavior issues as indicated by (a) a score 3 on the aggressive behavior item of the externalizing subscale of the Student Risk Screening Scale-Early Childhood (SRSS-EC) or (b) a total score ≥ 16 on the externalizing subscale of the SRSS-EC.
  • Test of Preschool Early Literacy: PA subtestscreening/pretest (within first 3 months of school year prior to intervention), midtest (within 2 months following the first 6 weeks of intervention and before starting the second 6 weeks of intervention), posttest (within 3 months of intervention end)

    The TOPEL phonological awareness subtest includes 27 items with a focus on blending and deleting various sound components within words (e.g., compound word components, syllables, individual sounds). Some items do, and others do not include pictorial supports where children can respond by pointing to their answer.

  • Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing 2: Elision, Blending Words, and Sound Matching subtestsscreening/pretest (within first 3 mos, prior to intervention), midtest (within 2 mos after first 6 weeks of intervention, posttest (within 3 mos of intervention end), followup 1 (~15-18 mos after enrollment), followup 2 (PK only, ~27-30 mos after enroll)

    The CTOPP2 includes three core subtests that we will administer. Elision is a 34- item subtest to assess how participants can say a word then say what is left after leaving out designated sounds. Blending Words is a 33-item subtest to see how a participant would combine sounds by listening to a series of audio recorded separate sounds then putting together the sounds to make a full word. Sound matching is a 26-item subtest to see how a participant can match sounds. The examiner says a target word then says three other words while pointing to drawings showing the words. For the first 13 items, participants have to point to pictures that match the first sound in the target word and for the following 13 items they match the end sound.