Abstract
The studies reported in this thesis considered the usefulness of measures of phonological awareness and rapid naming in predicting (i) future literacy skills, (ii) differences between those with and those without literacy deficits, and (iii) gains in literacy following remediation. Two longitudinal studies measured changes in the literacy-related skills of 100 children from reception class and year 1 through to year 2 SATs assessments. These studies indicated that rapid naming measures were a reliable predictor of future literacy amongst these cohorts, particularly when administered to beginning readers in comparison to pre-readers. Measures of temporal auditory processing, short-term memory and letter knowledge also presented as reliable predictors of future literacy skills. However, measures of phonological awareness, particularly an understanding of rhyme, did not predict variability in future literacy skills above that predicted by other screening measures. Two cross-sectional studies found evidence for measures of verbal fluency (particularly those that required processing at the level of the phoneme) and rapid naming (particularly of numeric stimuli) to differentiate between those with diagnosed literacy deficits and chronological-age matched controls across an age range that covered most of the compulsory education years. Two intervention studies, however, found little evidence for group interventions in phonological processing and rapid naming to improve literacy skills in those at risk of literacy deficits and those with recognised literacy disabilities. Overall, the findings inform educational practice in terms of potential screening measures that may be used to identify children at risk of literacy difficulties, indicating that some currently used measures may need to be modified for use across a wide age range of learners and proposing that measures of rapid naming may be usefully included in early screening procedures. Additionally, the research identifies the need for more specificity in theoretical models of literacy deficits that incorporate phonological awareness and rapid naming.