SavedAdd your journal

Journals / Bartın Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi / 2026 / Volume: 15 Issue: 1

The Relationships Between Reading Speed, Phonological Awareness and Word Recognition Skills of Primary School Students

İlkokul Öğrencilerinin Okuma Hızları ile Ses Bilgisi Farkındalık ve Kelime Tanıma Becerileri Arasındaki İlişkiler

Ayşe Dilek Yekeler Gökmen(GİRESUN ÜNİVERSİTESİ, EĞİTİM FAKÜLTESİ)0000-0003-1878-5494
Pages
—
Publication Date
2026-02-01
🏛️Bibliographic metadata and full text access for this article are provided via DergiPark.
DergiPark Record ↗
✨

AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

This situation was interpreted as second grade students' reading skills continued to improve, they recognized words more easily, but the contribution of phonological awareness to the process decreased unlike the beginning of the first reading process.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:In this study, it was aimed to determine the reading speed, phonological awareness and word recognition levels of primary school students at the beginning of the process of learning to read, the relationships between these variables and the role of reading speed in the longitudinal development observed in the first and second grades.
📊
Key Findings & Data:The study group consisted of 32 students.
💡
Conclusion & Impact:This situation was interpreted as second grade students' reading skills continued to improve, they recognized words more easily, but the contribution of phonological awareness to the process decreased unlike the beginning of the first reading process.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:primary school students · reading speed · phonological awareness

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to determine the reading speed, phonological awareness and word recognition levels of primary school students at the beginning of the process of learning to read, the relationships between these variables and the role of reading speed in the longitudinal development observed in the first and second grades. In order to examine the reading skills of primary school students according to various variables, predictive design, one of the relational research types, was used in the study. The study group consisted of 32 students. In the analysis of the research data, descriptive statistics of the variables were followed by relational analysis. The results of the study showed that the second grade reading rate of the students was higher than the first grade reading rate, and that the first grade reading rate and word recognition skill variables were significant predictors of the second grade reading rate. These two variables together explain the majority of the change in second grade reading speed. This situation was interpreted as second grade students' reading skills continued to improve, they recognized words more easily, but the contribution of phonological awareness to the process decreased unlike the beginning of the first reading process.

Özet

Bu araştırmada okumayı öğrenme sürecinin başındaki ilkokul öğrencilerinin okuma hızları ile ses bilgisel farkındalık ve kelime tanıma düzeylerinin nasıl olduğu, bu değişkenler arasındaki ilişkiler ile okuma hızının birinci ve ikinci sınıfta gözlenen boylamsal gelişimindeki rolünün belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. İlkokul öğrencilerinin okuma becerilerinin çeşitli değişkenlere göre incelenmesi amacıyla araştırmada ilişkisel araştırma türlerinden yordayıcı desen kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu 32 öğrenci oluşturmuştur. Araştırma verilerinin analizinde değişkenlere ait tanımlayıcı istatistiklerin ardından ilişkisel analizlere başvurulmuştur. Araştırma sonuçları öğrencilerin ikinci sınıf okuma hızlarının, birinci sınıftan daha yüksek olduğunu; yordayıcı değişkenlerden birinci sınıf okuma hızı ve kelime tanıma becerisi değişkenlerinin, ikinci sınıf okuma hızı üzerinde anlamlı yordayıcı olduğunu göstermiştir. Adı geçen bu iki değişken birlikte ikinci sınıf okuma hızındaki değişimin büyük çoğunluğunu açıklamaktadır. Bu durum ikinci sınıf öğrencileri için okuma becerilerinin gelişmeye devam ettiği, sözcükleri daha kolay tanındıkları fakat ses bilgisel farkındalığın ilk okuma sürecinin başından farklı olarak sürece katkısının azaldığı şeklinde yorumlanmıştır

🔖

Cite This Article

Gökmen, A. D. Y. (2026). The Relationships Between Reading Speed, Phonological Awareness and Word Recognition Skills of Primary School Students. Bartın Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, Volume: 15 Issue: 1. https://doi.org/10.14686/buefad.1759373

📄 Full Text PDF Viewer

📄

PDF görüntüleyici hazırlanıyor...

References (89)

  1. Adams, J. E. (2017). The Effectiveness of the Hear Builder Software Program on the Acquisition of Phonological Awareness Skills for African-American Children in Prekindergarten: Implications for Educational Leaders. Doctoral Thesis. Atlanta University.
  2. Alves, L. M., Santos, L. F. D., Miranda, I. C. C., Carvalho, I. M., Ribeiro, G. D. L., Freire, L. D. S. C.,. & Celeste, L. C. (2021, July). Reading speed in elementary school and junior high. In CoDAS (Vol. 33). Sociedade Brasileira de Fonoaudiologia.
  3. Akdal, D., & Kargın, T. (2019). The investigating of effectiveness of the sesfar intervention program aimed supporting at phonological awareness skills. Kastamonu Education Journal, 27(6), 2609-2620. https://doi.org/10.24106/kefdergi.3459.
  4. Akdal, D. (2021). Phonological Awareness. In Kargın, T., Altun, D., & Güldenoğlu, B.İ. (Eds.). Early Literacy in All Its Aspects: From Assessment to Application (pp. 44-58). Pegem Publishing.
  5. Aktan, E. (1996). A comparative study of phonological sensitivity (sound sensitivity) in children's language development (Master's Thesis). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ (Thesis No. 53607).
  6. Akyol, H. (2006). Turkish teaching methods suitable for the new program. Kök Publishing.
  7. Akyol, H., Yıldırım, K., Ateş, S., Çetinkaya, Ç., & Rasinski, T.M. (2014). Assessing reading, an easy and practical way for teachers. Pegem Publishing.
  8. Akyol, H. (2019). Teaching Turkish reading and writing. (17th Edition). Pegem Publishing.
  9. Ateşman, E. (1997). Measuring readability in Turkish. Ankara University TÖMER Language Journal, 58, 171-174.
  10. Atılgan, H. (2009). Measurement and Evaluation in Education. Anı Publishing.
  11. Babayiğit, Ö. (2019). Investigation of the Reading Speeds of Primary School Students Before and After the Half Term. Ordu University Institute of Social Sciences Journal of Social Sciences Research, 9(2), 327-334.
  12. Babayiğit, S. & Stainthorp, R. (2010). Component processes of early reading, spelling, and narrative writing skills in Turkish: A longitudinal study. Reading and Writing, 23(5), 539-568. doi:10.1007/s11145-009-9173-y.
  13. Bakır, F. H., & Babür, N. (2018). Adaptation of Rapid Automotized Naming Tests to Turkish. Boğaziçi University Journal of Education, 35(2), 35-51.
  14. Baştuğ, M., & Akyol, H. (2012). The predictive level of fluent reading skills on reading comprehension. Theoretical Educational Science Journal, 5(4), 394-411.
  15. Baştuğ, M. (2012). Investigation of primary school first stage students? reading fluency skills in terms of certain variables. (Doctoral Thesis). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ (Thesis No. 311007).
  16. Büyüköztürk, Ş. (2013). Data analysis handbook for social sciences: Statistics, research design, SPSS applications, and interpretation. Pegem Academy.
  17. Can, A. (2013). Data analysis in the scientific research process with SPSS. Pegem Publishing.
  18. Canay, Ü, & Yeşilyurt, M. (2023). Examination of articulation, auditory discrimination and phonological awareness skills of primary school students with and without dyslexia. Journal of Language, Speech, and Swallowing Research, 6(3), 326-347. https://doi.org/10.58563/dkyad-2023.63.4.
  19. Carlisle J. F. (1988). Knowledge of derivational morphology and spelling ability in fourth, sixth, and eighth grades. Applied Psycholinguistics, 9, 247–266. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0142716400007839.
  20. Carrillo, M. (1994). Development of phonological awareness and reading acquisition. Reading and Writing, 6(3), 279–298. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/bf01027086.
  21. Castles, A., & Coltheart, M. (2004). Is there a causal link from phonological awareness to success in learning to read. Cognition, 91(1), 77-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0010-0277(03)00164-1.
  22. Creswell, J. W. (2020). Educational Research. Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research (H. Ekşi Cev.). Edam Publishing.
  23. Craig, S. A. (2006). The effects of an adapted interactive writing intervention on kindergarten children’s phonological awareness, spelling, and early reading development: a contextualized approach to instruction. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98 (4), 714–731. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.98.4.714.
  24. Çetinkaya, F. Ç., Ateş, S., & Yıldırım, K. (2016). The mediation effect of reading prosody: exploring the relations between reading fluency and reading comprehension at high school level. Turkish Studies International Periodical for the Languages, Literature and History of Turkish or Turkic, 11(3), 809–820. http://dx.doi.org/10.7827/TurkishStudies.
  25. Dandache, S., Wouters, J., & Ghesquiere, P. (2014). Development of reading and phonological skills of children at family risk for dyslexia: A longitudinal analysis from kindergarten to sixth Grade. Dyslexia, 20(4), 305-329. https://doi.org/10.1002/dys.1482.
  26. Deacon, S. H., & Kirby, J. R. (2004). Morphological awareness: Just “more phonological?” The roles of morphological and phonological awareness in reading development. Applied Psycholinguistics, 25(2), 223-238.https://doi.org/10.1017/S0142716404001110.
  27. Deacon, S. H., & Bryant, P. (2005). The strength of children's knowledge of the role of root morphemes in the spelling of derived words. Journal of Child Language, 32(2), 375-389. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0305000904006816.
  28. De Jong, P. F., & Van der Leij, A. (2002). Effects of phonological abilities and linguistic comprehension on the development of reading. Scientific Studies of Reading, 6(1), 51-77. https://doi.org/10.1207/S1532799XSSR0601_03.
  29. Dedeoğlu, H., Ulusoy, M., Ügüten, M., & Yolaçan, P. (2010). The use of the error analysis inventory in the assessment of reading skills of primary school first-grade students. [Symposium Presentation]. 9th National Symposium on Primary School Teacher Education, Elazığ, (May 20-22), pp. 851-856.
  30. Delican, B. (2018). Development of reading and writing readiness diagnostic tool (Doctoral Thesis). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ (Thesis No: 533262).
  31. Delican, B. & Ateş, S. (2021). A tool for determining early literacy development. Can Education Publications.
  32. Demir, H. (2015). The use of Running Records in the evaluation of primary education students' reading performances (Master's Thesis). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ (Thesis No: 394848).
  33. Demirtaş, Ç. P. (2017). Examination of reading, phonological awareness, rapid naming, and working memory skills in students with reading difficulties (Master's Thesis). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ (Thesis No: 456695).
  34. Durgunoğlu, A. (2017). Learning to read Turkish. In Verhoeven, L. T., Verhoeven, L., & Perfetti, C. (Eds.). (2017). Learning to read across languages and writing systems (pp. 437-454). Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781316155752.018.
  35. Ehri, L. C., Nunes, S. R., Willows, D. M., Schuster, B. V., Yaghoub-Zadeh, Z., & Shanahan, T. (2001). Phonemic awareness instruction helps children learn to read: Evidence from the National Reading Panel's meta-analysis. Reading Research Quarterly, 36(3), 250-287. https://ila.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1598/rrq.36.3.2.
  36. Ehri, L. C. (2005). Development of sight word reading: Phases and findings. In M. J. Snowling & C. Hulme (Eds.), The science of reading: A handbook (pp. 135-154). Blackwell Publishing.
  37. Ehri, L. C. (2010). Development of Sight Word Reading: Phase and Findings. In Snowling, M., J., & Hulme, C. (Eds.) The Science of Reading, A Handbook (p.155) USA: Blackwell Publishing.
  38. Esmer, B. (2019). Direct and inferential relations among reading comprehension, silent and oral reading fluency, reading self-concept, reading engagement and response to picture books (Doctoral Thesis). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ (Thesis No. 593923).
  39. Erdoğan, Ö. (2009). The relationship between the phonological awareness skills and reading and writing skills of the first year students at primary school (Master's Thesis). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ (Thesis No. 257539).
  40. Ergül, C., Tülü, B. K., Akoğlu, G., Akçamuş, M. Ç. Ö., & Kudret, Z. B. (2022). Longitudinal comparison of reading, reading comprehension, and writing skills of children at different reading levels. Journal of Special Education and Guidance, 2(3), 212-245.
  41. Ergül, C., Kudret, Z. B., Akçamuş, M. Ç. Ö., Akoğlu, G., Demir, E., Tülü, B. K., & Çakır, R. (2023). Double-Deficit Hypothesis and Reading Difficulties: A Longitudinal Analysis of Reading and Reading Comprehension Performance of Groups Formed According to This Hypothesis. Education and Science, 48(213). 1-13. http://dx.doi.org/10.15390/EB.2022.11002.
  42. Ergül, C., Akoğlu, G., Yalçın, S., Akçamuş, M. Ç. Ö., Tülü, B. K., & Kudret, Z. B. (2024). The role of phonological processing and language skills in the longitudinal development of reading fluency. Education and Science, 49(219). 27-48. http://dx.doi.org/10.15390/EB.2024.12029.
  43. Fritz, C. O., Morris, P. E., & Richler, J. J. (2012). Effect size estimates: Current use, calculations, and interpretation. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 141(1), 2–18. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024338.
  44. Furnes, B., & Samuelsson, S. (2011). Phonological awareness and rapid automatized naming predicting early development in reading and spelling: Results from a cross-linguistic longitudinal study. Learning and Individual Differences, 21(1), 85–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2010.10.005.
  45. Goswami, U. (2000). Phonological representations, reading development and dyslexia: Towards a cross-linguistic theoretical framework. Dyslexia, 6(2), 133-151.
  46. Gökkuş, İ. (2016). The effect of phonological awareness program on development of early literacy skills (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ (Thesis No. 450113).
  47. Güneş, F. (2007). Sound-Based Sentence Method and Mental Structuring. Nobel Publishing.
  48. Güneş, F. (2019). Approaches and Models in Early Reading and Writing Instruction. Pegem Publishing.
  49. Johnson, A.P. (2017). Reading and Writing Instruction. (A. Benzer, Trans.). Pegem Publishing.
  50. Kaman, Ş., & Şahin, A. (2013). Effect of using reading fluency strategies on improving reading level of third grade students at primary schools. Adıyaman University Journal of Social Sciences Institute Special Issue on Turkish Language Education and Teaching. Year: 6, Issue: 11, 639-657. https://openaccess.ahievran.edu.tr/xmlui/handle/20.500.12513/423.
  51. Karakelle, S. (2004). The effect of phonological awareness and letter knowledge on early reading acquisition. Psychological Studies, 24, 45-56. https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/99942.
  52. Karaman, G. (2013 Development of early literacy skills assessment tool, validity and reliability study (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ (Thesis No. 336090).
  53. Kargın, T., Ergül, C., Büyüköztürk, Ş., & Güldenoğlu, B. (2015). A study for developing the test of early literacy for turkish kindergarten children. Ankara University Faculty of Educational Sciences Journal of Special Education, 16(3), 237-268. https://doi.org/10.21565/auebfoed.12068.
  54. Keskin, H. K. & Baştuğ, M. (2013). Fluent reading from past to present. Turkey Social Research Journal, 171(171), 189-208.
  55. Kim, D., Kim, W., & Lee, K. (2007). The relationship between phonological awareness and early reading for first grade Korean language learners with reading difficulties. Asia Pacific Education Review, 8(3), 426-434.
  56. Kim, Y. S. G., & Wagner, R. K. (2015). Text (oral) reading fluency as a construct in reading development: An investigation of its mediating role for children from grades 1 to 4. Scientific Studies of Reading, 19(3), 224-242. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10888438.2015.1007375.
  57. Kim, Y. S. G., Petscher, Y., Treiman, R., & Kelcey, B. (2021). Letter features as predictors of letter-name acquisition in four languages with three scripts. Scientific Studies of Reading, 25(6), 453-469.
  58. Kultas, E., & Ulusoy, M. (2022). The effect of word games on the vocabulary of primary school 4th grade students. Electronic Journal of Social Sciences, 21(81), 430-441. https://doi.org/10.17755/esosder.1000691.
  59. Lepola, J., Poskiparta, E., Laakkonen, E., & Niemi, P. (2005). Development of and relationship between phonological and motivational processes and naming speed in predicting word recognition in Grade 1. Scientific Studies of Reading, 9(4), 367-399. https://doi.org/10.1207/s1532799xssr0904_3.
  60. Massey, S. R. (2008). Effects of variations of text previews on the oral reading of second grade students (Doctoral dissertation, University of Miami).
  61. Mason, J. M. (1980). When do children begin to read: An exploration of four-year-old children's letter and word reading competencies. Reading Research Quarterly, 203-227.
  62. Ministry of National Education (2024). Primary School Turkish Language Teaching Program (Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4), Turkey Century Education Model. Ankara. https://mufredat.meb.gov.tr/.
  63. Nacar, G., & Baştuğ, M. (2023). Examining the relationship between fluent reading and fluent writing. Reading and Writing Education Research, 11(2), 79-94. https://doi.org/10.35233/oyea.1214640.
  64. Orhunbilge, N. (2017). Applied Regression and Correlation Analysis. Nobel Publishing.
  65. Öksüz, H., & Akyol, H. (2023). The effects of prior knowledge, reading errors and word recognition skills on reading comprehension. Journal of Mother Tongue Education, 11(2). 269-282. http://doi.org/10.16916/aded.1210693.
  66. Öney, B. & Goldman, S. R. (1984). Decoding and comprehension skills in Turkish and English: Effects of regularity of grapheme-phoneme correspondence. Journal of Educational Psychology, 76(4), 557-568. doi:10.1037/0022-0663.76.4.557.
  67. Örge, S. K., Babür, N., Borkan, B., & Haznedar, B. (2021). Linguistic and cognitive variables predicting reading fluency of poor and good readers in 2nd grade. Boğaziçi University Journal of Education, 38(2), 27-56. https://doi.org/10.52597/buje.1008426.
  68. Özdemir, Y. (2020). The Development of Reading Skills in Children. In G. Uludağ and T. Durmuş (Eds.). Early Literacy Education (pp. 67-87). Nobel Publishing.
  69. Özer, A. & Dedeoğlu, H. (2014). The use of the error analysis inventory in assessing the reading performance of first-grade students. Mediterranean Journal of Educational Research, Issue 16, pp. 35-46.
  70. Paige, D. D., Rasinski, T., Magpuri-Lavell, T., & Smith, G. S. (2014). Interpreting the relationships among prosody, automaticity, accuracy, and silent reading comprehension in secondary students. Journal of Literacy Research, 46(2), 123-156. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1086296X14535170.
  71. Pallant, J. (2010). SPSS survival manual - A step by step guide to data analysis using SPSS. New York: Open University Press/McGraw-Hill.
  72. Patton, M.Q. (2014). Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods (M. Bütün & S.B. Demir, Trans.). Pegem Publishing.
  73. Polat, I. (2024). The effect of repeated reading on reading fluency skills of second-grade primary school students. Journal of Mother Tongue Education, 12(2). 376-393.10.16916/aded.1415576.
  74. Pürsün, T., & Koçak, F. (2023). Development of the reading skills of a second grade student with reading difficulties: an action research study. Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University Institute of Social Sciences Journal, 13(1), 220-238. https://doi.org/10.30783/nevsosbilen.1171440.
  75. Reutzel, D. R., Jones, C. D., Fawson, P. C., & Smith, J. C. (2008). Scaffolded silent reading: A complement to guided repeated oral reading that works. The Reading Teacher, 62, 194–207.
  76. Razgatlıoğlu, M., & Ulusoy, M. (2022). The effect of activity-based poetry studies on reading fluency and creative writing skills. International Journal of Progressive Education, 18(3), 226-243. https://doi.org/ 10.29329/ijpe.2022.439.15.
  77. Sayar, F., & Turan, F. (2012). Effect of Metalinguistic Awareness, Phonological Abilities Processes and Memory Processes in Reading Development: Short term Memory and Working Memory. Ankara University Faculty of Educational Sciences Journal of Special Education, 13(02), 49-67. https://doi.org/10.1501/Ozlegt_0000000170.
  78. Schuele, C. M., & Boudreau, D. (2008). Phonological awareness intervention: Beyond the basics. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 39(1), 3-20. https://doi.org/10.1044/0161-1461 (2008/002).
  79. Tabachnick, B. G., & Fidell, L. S. (2015). The use of multivariate statistics (M. Baloğlu, Trans.). Nobel Publishing.
  80. Tan, Ş. (2014). Measurement and Evaluation In Teaching. Pegem Publishing.
  81. Tuncay, A. A. (2021a). Use of word recognition inventory with primary school first grade Syrian refugee children whose mother tongue is not Turkish. Journal of Mother Tongue Education, 9(1), 59-75. https://doi.org/10.16916/aded.804297.
  82. Tuncay, A. A. (2021b). An assessment of the reading errors of primary school students with reading difficulties. International Journal of New Approaches in Social Studies, 5(1), 119-134. https://doi.org/10.38015/sbyy.871718.
  83. Türkeri, S. Ö. (2022). Examination of the relationship between phnological awareness levels and fluent reading skills of primary school 1st grade students (Master's Thesis). Retrieved from https://tez.yok.gov.tr/UlusalTezMerkezi/ (Thesis No. 760774)
  84. Türkyılmaz, M., Can, R., Yıldırım, K., & Ateş, S. (2014). Relations among oral reading fluency, silent reading fluency, retell fluency, and reading comprehension. Procedia- Social and Behavioral Sciences, 116, 4030-4034. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.885.
  85. Uzunoğlu, D., Gök, S., & Yıldırım, K. (2022). The importance of word recognition. Journal of Mother Tongue Education, 10(2), 475-506. https://doi.org/10.16916/aded.1069652.
  86. Yeung, S. S. (2016). Relationship between rapid automatized naming and reading: A longitudinal study on bilingual children. Reading Psychology, 37(8), 1196-1211. https://doi.org/10.1080/02702711.2016.1193582.
  87. Yıldız, M. (2014). How does summer vacation affect reading fluency? A follow-up study on the first two years of elementary school. [Symposium Presentation]. 13th National Symposium on Classroom Teaching Education, Kütahya, (May 29-31, 2014), p.20.
  88. Yıldız, M., Yıldırım, K., Ateş, S., Rasinski, T., Fitzgerald, S., & Zimmerman, B. (2014). The relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension in fifth-grade Turkish students. International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 2(1), 35–44.
  89. Alves, L. M., Santos, L. F. D., Miranda, I. C. C., Carvalho, I. M., Ribeiro, G. D. L., Freire, L. D. S. C.,. & Celeste, L. C. (2021, July). Reading speed in elementary school and junior high. In CoDAS (Vol. 33). Sociedade Brasileira de Fonoaudiologia.