Phonological Contributors to Delayed Progress in Key Stage 2 Readers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21460037Keywords:
phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, phonological memory, reading fluency, reading comprehension, Key Stage 2Abstract
This study examined the phonological contributors to delayed reading progress among Key Stage 2 learners in the public elementary schools of the Paniqui West District. It used a quantitative, non-experimental correlational-comparative design involving 100 Grades 4 to 6 learners divided into matched groups of readers with delayed progress and typically progressing peers. Participants completed an individually administered battery measuring phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, phonological memory, oral reading fluency, word-reading accuracy, reading comprehension, and non-verbal competency. Data were analyzed through simple linear regression, independent-samples group comparisons, and hierarchical multiple regression. Phonological awareness strongly and uniquely predicted reading fluency (β = .58, p < .001) and accounted for 33.6% of its variance. Delayed readers demonstrated a significant triple deficit in phonological awareness, processing speed, and phonological memory. Phonological awareness was the strongest predictor of word-reading accuracy (β = .48, p < .001), while slower rapid automatized naming also made a significant contribution (β = -.26, p = .015); together, the predictors explained 56.8% of the variance. After non-verbal competency was controlled, the composite phonological processing score explained an additional 13.2% of the variance in reading comprehension. The findings indicate that persistent phonological weaknesses create an accuracy and automaticity bottleneck that increases cognitive load and limits comprehension. Intensive, explicit, and multi-component phonological remediation is therefore necessary for older struggling readers.
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