Effects of providing word sounds during printed word learning

The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of the availability of the spoken sound of words along with the printed forms during reading practice. Firstgrade children from two normal elementary schools practised reading several unfamiliar words in print. For half of the printed words the spoken form was available and was presented when the chiIdren pressed a button. Most children chose to hear the word sounds after they had read the words themselves. In a short-term retention test, words trained with an accompanying sound were read slightly faster than words trained without auditory presentation .