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Phonological Processing

Phonological processing is an auditory processing skill. It relates to words, but occurs in the absence of print. It involves detecting and discriminating differences in phonemes or speech sounds under conditions of little or no distraction or distortion.

The skills of Phonological Processing

Speech- perception and production

Meta-linguistic Awareness

Phonological Memory

Speech

Speech is one indicator of sophistication in phonological processing. Student who are at risk for phonological processing errors might have expressive speech production errors like the following.

The Phonological Process

1. We start by perceiving the sounds

2. We hold these sounds in our short term auditory memory

3. We recall previously learned information in our long term memory

4. Put all this together in our working memory

5. The produce a response

Perception of Sound

Hearing the sounds is only one small step in the phonological process. There is some brain based research on individuals who are deaf, that you don't actually need to hear as other senses can take over the perception of sounds. It does make it easier if you can hear.

Processing of Speech Sounds

Simply being able to hear the sound is the first step. You also have to be able to distinguish between two sounds that are similar and you have to assign meaning to these sounds

Retrieval- recalling from long term memory rapid and accurately. This is developed by over-learning basic skills with adequate repetitions. Research is showing on average the number of repetitions that are needed for a learner to own a concept.

Phonological Memory

Meta-Linguistic Awareness

Notice in the image to the right that the frog is thinking about his thinking. This is meta-cognition, the awareness and regulation of one's thinking. Meta-linguistic awareness is one's active thinking about language and using this thinking and knowledge to solve problems

Phonological Working Memory- This is made up of many components that include short term memory, the ability to recall from long term memory and to focus (executive functioning) to solve a problem.

Naming- Be able to express the answer after going through the working memory process