Teaching Preschool Aged Children to Write and Affect the Behavior of a Reader

We tested the effects of a writing/spelling instructional package on the emergence of the writing of untaught constant-vowel-constant (consonant-vowel-consonant [CVC]) words and the potential effects of the written word on a reader. Six preschoolers, all male, ranging in ages from 3- to 4-years-old participated. We used a multiple probe design across 3 match-paired dyads for the first dependent measure, writing/spelling of untaught CVC words. We also tested for a secondary dependent measure; the effects of the written word on a reader, using a delayed multiple probe design. The intervention consisted of a writing/spelling instructional package, in which participants were taught to independently write dictated CVC words to corresponding picture cards. We then asked the other participant in the dyad to read and match the written response to a picture from an array of pictures. If incorrect, participants rewrote the word until their peers matched the written response to the correct picture. The results demonstrated that the instructional package was effective in teaching all participants to independently write/spell untaught CVC words and evoke a reader response.