Children's Judgments of Phonetic Similarities in Relation to English Spelling¹

In an investigation of the assumption that children judge sound similarities in the same manner as adults, we studied the salience of particular vocalic and consonantal features in judgments of phonetic similarities by children in grades K‐2 and by adults. The task required a judgment concerning which of two real words “sounds more like” a third, nonce, word. A modified design was used with the younger children. The results indicate that children can make consistent overt judgments of sound similarity, and that their judgments differ from those of adults. Theoretical and pedagogical implications are discussed.