Use of Phono-Graphix^™ Method to Improve the Phonological Awareness Skills of a Student with Reading Difficulty

Abstract

Reading is a reliable predictor for students to succeed and become productive members of society and phonological awareness (PA) has been identified as a strong indicator of becoming a skilled reader. It has to be understood that reading is not a natural skill and may not develop without intervention. Students experiencing reading difficulty should be provided intervention that recognizes PA as the basic skill to be gained. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of Phono Graphix™ method with a 6-year-old student diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and reading difficulties. This study used a single-subject design with a pre-test and post-test comparison and no control group. The principle of this design is that any changes upon the outset of intervention can be attributed as the direct result of intervention. Using four Phonological Processing Tests [21], the phonological awareness skills of the student were assessed prior and immediately after the intervention. Explicit instruction was delivered one-to-one for 40minute sessions given three times a week for a 20-week period [26]. Findings suggest that the use of Phono-Graphix™ method improved the phonological awareness of the student in blending, segmenting, phoneme manipulation, and code knowledge. Findings of this study can add Phono-Graphix™ to the repertoire of strategies of special education practitioners, particularly when teaching students exhibiting the same characteristics as the participant herein. Results and implications for special education, teaching of reading and future researches are discussed.