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Department of Psychology |
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Alphabetic writing systems differ in their systems of letter shapes and names, the emphasis on letter names versus letter sounds in early reading instruction, and the links between the letters and the sounds. We are examining similarities and differences in literacy development across languages and dialects by studying children (and teachers) in countries including Brazil, Israel, Britain, Canada, and the U.S. As a part of this project, we are developing computerized methods of scoring children's spellings and determining the extent to which they reflect the sounds of the intended words. Much of this research deals with typically developing children, but we are also studying children with reading and spelling difficulties and deaf children with cochlear implants.
Children in literate societies know a good deal about reading and writing before formal instruction begins. Studies are underway to investigate various aspects of this knowledge, including knowledge about the visual characteristics of print, knowledge about how writing differs from drawing, and knowledge about the written form of one's name. These studies are being carried out with U.S. children and also with children from China. In a related line of research, we are investigating how parents talk about writing, words, and letters with their young children as they go about their everyday activities. We are interested in how such conversations differ as a function of child age and family background and how they may aid in the acquisition of literacy.
We are examining the links between spellings and sounds in English and other languages and how these patterns are learned and used. We have found that the English writing system contains a number of patterns that, even though they have exceptions, allow for a fair degree of predictability. That is, the English writing system is less chaotic than commonly believed. Ongoing studies examine the learning and use of these patterns in both reading and spelling. In some of these studies, we are examining the effects of language background and bilingualism on spelling.
If you are a parent of a child from 2 to 12 and would like information about our ongoing studies, please contact Dr. Treiman. Some studies involve the participation of the parent alone, and others involve the children.
last revised 2011-10-24, by Nicole Rosales