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SUMMARY:Examining developmental changes in the skills underlying reading d
 evelopment - Dr Laura Shapiro is Lecturer on the Psychology Teaching Progr
 amme\, Aston University
DTSTART:20120228T163000Z
DTEND:20120228T180000Z
UID:TALK34747@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Araceli Hopkins
DESCRIPTION:Abstract:\n\nSince most children in the UK start to learn to r
 ead in their Reception year of primary school (age 4 -5)\, it is feasible 
 to measure the acquisition of this skill from the outset. I will present a
  recently completed longitudinal study in which we examined the influence 
 of pre-reading skills on reading development in 444 children over their fi
 rst four years of school. Findings from this study suggest that basic skil
 ls measured at school entry are strongly associated with reading ability m
 easured four years later. The strongest associations were with print knowl
 edge (PK)\, verbal short term memory (VSTM)\, auditory skills\, phonologic
 al awareness (PA) and rapid automatised naming (RAN). Using a causal model
 ling approach\, it was possible to examine these relationships more closel
 y. Although a broad range of skills showed associations with reading\, a n
 arrower set of skills directly predicted reading. Importantly\, we were ab
 le to isolate which skills were critical in the earliest stages of reading
  acquisition (e.g.\, PK\, PA and RAN)\, and which skills were critical for
  longer term growth in reading ability (e.g.\, VSTM). This study highlight
 s the importance of a developmental approach since the skills that underli
 e reading change as children become more proficient readers.\n\n
LOCATION:Faculty of Education\, 184 Hills Road\, Cambridge\, CB2 8PQ: GS5\
 , Donald McIntyre Building
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