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Learning about the letter name subset of the vocabulary: Evidence from US and Brazilian preschoolers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 March 2006

REBECCA TREIMAN ,
BRETT KESSLER  and
TATIANA CURY POLLO
REBECCA TREIMAN
Affiliation:
Washington University, St. Louis
BRETT KESSLER
Affiliation:
Washington University, St. Louis
TATIANA CURY POLLO
Affiliation:
Washington University, St. Louis
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Abstract

To examine the factors that affect the learning of letter names, an important foundation for literacy, we asked 318 US and 369 Brazilian preschoolers to identify each uppercase letter. Similarity of letter shape was the major determinant of confusion errors in both countries, and children were especially likely to interchange letters that were similar in shape as well as name. Errors were also affected by letter frequency, both general frequency and occurrence of letters in children's own names. Differences in letter names and letter frequencies between English and Portuguese led to certain differences in the patterns of performance for children in the two countries. Other differences appeared to reflect US children's greater familiarity with the conventional order of the alphabet. Boys were overrepresented at the low end of the continuum of letter name knowledge, suggesting that some boys begin formal reading instruction lacking important foundational skills.

Type
Articles
Information
Applied Psycholinguistics , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , April 2006 , pp. 211 - 227
Copyright
2006 Cambridge University Press

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