By Barbara Brann

Recent research indicates that proficient reading and spelling are dependent upon the ability to hear, discriminate and work with the sounds of the language. This ability is known as "phonemic awareness" and is dependent upon proficient hearing and effective auditory information processing.

Students with poor phonemic awareness skills may have underlying problems with one or more aspects of auditory information processing.

This book aims to give teachers and others working with beginning writers (irrespective of age), ideas and methodology to assist in the development of phonemic awareness and early writing and spelling skills.

Since phonemic awareness is dependent upon proficient auditory information processing, extensive information about aspects of auditory information processing is also provided.

The book is divided into three parts:

Part 1 examines what is involved in proficient spelling and describes some of the research into phonemic awareness and spelling development.

Part 2 contains suggestions and ideas for teaching phonemic awareness. This information is useful for both beginning writers and for older students with weakness in this area.

Part 3 provides information about aspects of Auditory Information Processing. It covers a number of common problems experienced by children, defining and describing them, and provides a range of suggestions to assist the both child and the management of the problem within the classroom and the home.