Abstract of

Conciencia Fonémica en Español (Phonemic Awareness in Spanish)

Hallie Kay Yopp

Lilia Stapleton

Studies conducted in many languages reveal that phonemic awareness is significantly related to success in learning to read. Research reveals a cross-linguistic transfer of phonemic awareness, indicating that phonemic awareness is a general rather than a language-specific ability and that skills developed in one language influence their development in a second language. Furthermore, there is evidence that phonemic awareness in one language supports reading development in a second language. The authors argue, therefore, that it is sound practice to stimulate phonemic awareness development in students' native language; children will benefit regardless of the language of reading instruction in schools. Given the large numbers of English learners in the United States, the majority of whom are Spanish-speaking, the authors share Spanish songs, poems, tongue twisters, and books that may be used in classrooms or in homes to develop children's sensitivity to the sound structure of language.

Abstract from Yopp, H., & Stapleton, L. (2008, February). Conciencia Fonémica en Español (Phonemic Awareness in Spanish). The Reading Teacher, 61(5), 374–382. doi: 10.1598/RT.61.5.2