Investigation of the Relationship between Phonological Decoding and Word Reading Speed and Accuracy in Developmental Perspective

Abstract

The main purpose of this research is to examine the relationship between phonological decoding skills and word reading fluency with a developmental perspective. A total of 300 students from the first, fourth, and eighth grades participated in the study. The phonological decoding skills were evaluated with the "Phonological Decoding and Evaluation Tool" and the word reading fluency was evaluated with reading texts at different grade levels. All assessments were carried out individually in an environment determined within the students' own schools. Data obtained from the study were analyzed by calculating the Mann-Whitney U test and the Pearson Correlation Coefficient. Findings show that there is a significant relationship between phonological decoding skills and word reading fluency subscales. Results were discussed on the basis of the reading performance of students participating in the study and the word decoding strategies they used during reading.