Development and interrelationships of reading knowledge and skills during kindergarten and first grade

Abstract A longitudinal study of children learning to read from kindergarten through first grade was conducted. The purpose of the study was to formulate hypotheses regarding the relationship between print awareness and reading during the reading acquisition process. Sixty‐three kindergarten children began the study; there were 47 subjects remaining at the end of first grade. During the fall, winter, and spring of kindergarten and the spring of first grade, children were administered a battery of print awareness, reading sub‐skill and writing measures. The school district provided additional test score information. Analyses of the data resulted in the following hypotheses: (a) print awareness and reading skills are both correlates of reading achievement; (b) print awareness is a consequence of print‐related experiences that in turn facilitate reading acquisition; and (c) print awareness is not a prerequisite to reading achievement. While it is clear that print awareness plays a role in children's transition towards literacy, that role is entwined with the role of other reading knowledge and skills. Together, the knowledge and skills comprise the precursors and consequences of formal reading instruction.