Explicit Phonological Knowledge of Educational Professionals

Abstract This study examined the phonological awareness skills of 699 education professionals and paraprofessionals working in New Zealand primary schools. Performance in a phonological awareness test was compared across speech-language pathologists (SLPs, n = 34), primary school teachers (n = 208), teacher aides (n = 49), Resource Teachers of Literacy (RTLits, n = 80), Resource Teachers of Learning and Behavior (RTLBs, n = 26), early childhood educators (ECEs, n = 51), third year College of Education students (3YRBT, n = 98), and first-year College of Education students (1YRBT, n = 153). The results indicated large variability in New Zealand educators' capacity to segment words into sounds. SLPs performed at near ceiling (98% accuracy), whereas junior school teachers performed at 74% accuracy, teacher aides at 63%, ECEs at 56%, RTLits at 89%, RTLBs at 78%, 3rd year College of Education students at 68%, and 1st year College of Education students at 55%. The data suggest professional development in phonological awareness for all the educators as well as pre service teachers and teacher aides is warranted.