Date of Award
Summer 2025
Document Type
Open Access Dissertation
Department
Educational Studies
First Advisor
Lucas Lima de Vasconcelos
Abstract
Writing requires the ability to encode phonemes to separate sounds to spell. Students who are mystified by print often find writing a laborious task. This action research investigated the impact of Heggerty's Bridge the Gap phonological instruction on third grade writing development, specifically focusing on elaboration. Recognizing that strong phonological foundations are crucial for both reading and writing success, this study addressed the gap in phonological instruction found in upper elementary grades. The research questions guided the research: What is the impact of phonological awareness instruction on third-grade students’ elaboration domain in writing? 2.) What are the third-grade students' perceptions of phonological awareness instruction on their writing development? This mixed-methods study involved 18 third-grade students at the participating school. Quantitative data included pre- and post-assessment writing samples and two phonemic awareness checkpoints, analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Qualitative data, gathered through classroom observations and semi-structured student interviews, was analyzed inductively and thematically. Results indicated improvements in writing elaboration, phonemic awareness skills, and students' confidence and independence in writing following the Heggerty Bridge the Gap intervention. The study also suggests a potential role for embodied cognition in enhancing spelling abilities and writing production.
Rights
© 2025, Jennifer Elizabeth Jones
Recommended Citation
Jones, J. E.(2025). Action Research Integrating Heggerty’s Phonemic Awareness Instruction for Transfer Into Third-Grade Writing. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/8370