Language structure knowledge of preservice teachers: Connecting speech to print

This study investigated the efficacy of an instructional training module focused on the alphabetic principle and more specifically, the speech sounds of English on letter-sound knowledge of preservice teachers enrolled in elementary or special education teacher certification programs. In addition, this study examined preservice teachers' ability to apply and generalize their letter-sound knowledge. The training module consisted of a video tutorial and online study-guide that was completed in 2 to 6 hours over the course of one week. Following instruction, preservice teachers increased their oral and written letter-sound correspondence knowledge as well as their ability to apply their knowledge to tasks requiring letter-sound analysis. Statistically significant increases were not observed on tasks requiring preservice teachers to generalize their knowledge to analyzing child letter-sound production errors. This research suggests that teacher education programs can include relatively efficient and effective training modules targeting English language structure to their preparation programs. The instructional training module offered in this study provides an efficient and effective model by which to deliver language structure content to preservice teachers.