Phonemic Analysis: effects of word properties

Abstract

A BS TRA CTThe relation between performance in phonemic segmentation and reading and writing ability is discussed. Not much is known about how segmentation is carried out and which word properties influence performance. Therefore, effects of word properties (length, CV structure, syllabic structure, meaning) were investigated in two experiments. Strong indications were obtained that an onset-rime distinction is relevant for the process of segmentation. The meaning of a word appears to have no influence. The decentration hypothesis can therefore be abandoned as an explanation for segmentation difficulties.Effects of length and syllabic boundary can be explained by the (disruptive) effect of consonant clusters, which are not only difficult to segment themselves, but also adversely affect the processing of segments earlier in the word. This leads to the conclusion that a simple, strictly serial model for segmentation cannot be adequate. The results furthermore suggest that an articulatory rather than a phonological code is the object of segmentation. RESUMEAnalyse phonkmique: effets des propriktks du mot I1 y a des moments au cours du dtveloppement de I'apprentissage de la lecture et de I'tcriture oh il est capital d'avoir la comprthension fondamentale de la structure sonore des mots de I'oral qui est nkessaire A la segmentation d'un mot oral en ses constituants phontmiques. C'est ce que I'on appelle la tlche d'analyse phontmique.La conscience phontmique, ainsi mesurte, ou mesuree A I'aide d'autres tlches, a une tres forte correlation avec le savoir lire. Nous examinons de plus prts la conscience ISSN 0141-0423 $2.00 0 1989 Journal of Research in Reudhg (UKRA) 60 ROBERT SCHREUDER AND WIM H. J. VAN BONphonemique dans cet article. Les sujets de notre experience sont des enfants de six ans qui ont recu environ trois mois d'enseignement de la lecture et de I'ecriture. On ne sait pas grand chose de la facon dont on procede pour segmenter et quelles proprittes des mots ont un effet sur les resultats. C'est pourquoi nous itudions les effets de proprietes des mots telles que la structure CV, la structure syllabique, et la longueur. On etudie Cgalement la difference entre mots reels et pseudo-mots pour voir si le fait qu'une signification soit attachee A une chaine phontmique gene la segmentation comme le donne penser l'hypothtse de la decentration. On presente deux experiences. Dans la premitre experience, les enfants segmentent complttent un mot oral ou on leur demande de segmenter uniquement le premier phoneme. La premiere experience montre que la longueur du mot et la structure syllabique ont un effet sur les rksultats et que ce que I'on appelle la frontiere de rime initiale joue un rdle important. On ne trouve pas de preuves en faveur de l'hypothtse de la decentration. I1 apparait de plus que la longueur du mot influence egalement les resultats quand il s'agit de segmenter uniquement le premier phontme. Les donnkes suggtrent en outre que la presence de groupes consonantiques fait particulierement probltme dans I'analyse...

Screening of phonological awareness in the early elementary grades: an IRT approach

“…In addition to these differences between tasks, differences in linguistic complexity within tasks appear to influence phonological awareness (Anthony & Francis, 2005). For example, according to Schreuder and van Bon (1989) the consonantvowel (CV) structure is an important determinant. Therefore, as a next step, we have investigated the differences in difficulty of various CV structures.…”

Understanding Phoneme Segmentation Performance by Analyzing Abilities and Word Properties

“…Thus, it may be more difficult for children to segment the first consonant of the word "tray," because /t/ is part of the onset /tr/, than to segment /r/ from /ay/, because /r/ belongs to the onset and /ay/ belongs to the coda. Schreuder and Van Bon (1989) found that children performed better on stimuli that do not begin with consonant clusters (i.e., consonant (C)/vowel (V) combination, e.g., "vaa" [CV, consonant, vowel]) than on stimuli that begin with these clusters (e.g., "bra" [CCV]). …”

“…However, nasal blends (like /nk/, /nd/ and /mp/) and liquid blends (/ld/) in the coda seemed easier to segment. Schreuder and Van Bon (1989) showed that consonant clusters in the coda are more difficult to segment than vowelconsonant combinations. Children performed better when stimuli end with a vowel-consonant combination (VC, e.g., "aag") than a consonant cluster (VCC, e.g., "urg").…”

“…(1) Clusters of consonants are more difficult to segment than vowel-consonant (CV or VC) combinations (Schreuder & Van Bon, 1989). (2) Liquid combinations are most difficult to segment, followed by nasal, plosive, and fricative combinations, respectively (Geudens et al, 2004;Treiman, 1984).…”

“…Moreover, they also disagree on which word properties have the strongest influence on phoneme segmentation performance. For example, Schreuder and Van Bon (1989) showed that clusters of consonants are more difficult to segment than vowel-consonant combinations. However, the results of Geudens and Sandra (2003) and Geudens, Sandra, and Van den Broeck (2004) indicate that the cohesion between phonemes interacts with the sonority of consonants.…”