The effects of emerging literacy skills on the development of first-grade reading and writing

Abstract

Phonological awareness and letter knowledge have been shown to be the most reliable predictors and associates of reading skills in English speaking population. The aim of this research was to explore the relationship between emerging literacy skills and first-grade reading and writing skills in Lithuanian speaking population. The emerging literacy skills of pre-school children were assessed at the end of kindergarten and literacy skills were assessed at the end of first grade. The results indicated that preschool children's emergent literacy skills and first-grade reading and writing were associated. This paper discusses the effects of emerging literacy skills on reading and writing in Lithuanian speaking population and argues the differences with the research findings in English speaking population. The findings are consistent with previous studies in English speaking population that phonological awareness and letter knowledge measured in kindergarten predicted first-grade reading.