Une habileté auditivo-phonétique nécessaire pour apprendre à lire : la fusion syllabique. Nouvelle étude génétique entre 5 et 8 ans.

Abstract

Title: Syllabic synthesis: An audio-phonetic ability required for learning how to read. Subject: When young pupils begin to learn how to read, they very often meet with difficulties in associating the sound of a consonant and the sound of a vowel (for example /b/ and /o/ — "bo"). As long as they are not old enough — or intellectualy mature — to carry out this auditive synthesis process, children remain unable to associate two letters and therefore to read syllabes. We called " Syllabic Synthesis " this audio-phonetic ability of associating the sound of a consonant and the sound of a vowel (Leroy-Boussion 1959-1963). In the present research, we have studied the development of this ability in correlation with the age of standard young children. Technics: The research has been conducted with the longitudinal method. The sample is made up of 224 non selected pupils. They have been followed during three consecutive years. Every three months each child got trough our " Syllabic Synthesis Test " (42 auditive synthesis between one consonant and one vowel). RESULTS : 1. Syllabic synthesis ability progressively increases with the age, naturally and spontaneously, even if children are not taught to read (between 5 and 6). 2. The speed of this gneetic development changes a lot from one child to another ; this speed is the higher as the intelligence level (I.Q.) is high. 3. As a rule, the average child (I.Q. 109-90) is not mature enough at 6 for this association operation as he goes to elementary school for the first time. 4. Teaching early how to read (betwen 5 and 6) increases the maturity for syllabic synthesis very little (about 10 %) 5. The reverse ability, called " Syllabic Analysis " (" bo " = /b/ and /o/j), which is the required condition for writing syllabes from a dictation, is definitely more difficult than syllabic synthesis ability and consequently will be acquired later on.Leroy-Boussion A. Une habileté auditivo-phonétique nécessaire pour apprendre à lire : la fusion syllabique. Nouvelle étude génétique entre 5 et 8 ans.. In: Enfance, tome 28, n°2, 1975. pp. 165-190