The role of phonological awareness and rapid serial naming in adult literacy acquisition

This study investigated the contribution of phonological awareness and rapid serial naming skills to reading and spelling ability in a sample of 72 Brazilian adults enrolled in a literacy acquisition program. Results questioned the hypothesis that rapid serial naming skills are more important for literacy acquisition than phonological awareness in orthographies characterized by consistent letter-sound relations. In the present study, phonological awareness contributed as much as rapid serial naming to reading ability, but more than rapid serial naming to spelling ability.

Phonological processing; reading; spelling; adult literacy