Reading and writing are necessary prerequisites for a successful school career. Therefore it is important to identify precursor variables which predict these abilities early in order to identify children possibly at risk of developing reading or spelling difficulties. Relevant precursors include letter knowledge, phonological awareness (PA),…

Sixty-six children in three classrooms were tested at the end of their kindergarten year and again at the beginning of their first grade year to determine the effects of summer vacations on the gain or loss of beginning reading skills. The Letter and Word Reading Test, which was based on a developmental model of prereading and beginning reading,…