Efficacy of intervention programme to improve phonological sensitivity skills in Tamil speaking children who are below average scholastic performers

Abstract

Phonological awareness or phonological sensitivity refers to “the knowledge that spoken words are composed of individual sounds and the ability to manipulate them”. Phonological awareness skills are significant predictors of children’s later success in reading skills and therefore everything possible must be done to give young children the opportunity to develop these skills. Aim: The aim of this study is to develop and check the efficacy of an intervention programme for improving the phonological sensitivity skills in below average scholastic performers. Method: The study has been divided into 4 different phases: Development of Intervention manual (T-PASIP); Administration of T-PAST; Implementation of the intervention programme and re-administration of T-PAST to check the prognosis. Tamil speaking children between the age ranges of 5 to 12 years were included in the study. Result: This study have documented that the intervention programme developed has been more effective on intervening children with poor phonological sensitivity skills. Significant improvement was observed post therapeutically in the children who have been receiving adequate and efficient intervention in phonological awareness subskills.