PURPOSE:
We created this website for parents, teachers, and speech pathologists as a resource for phonological awareness. This website was designed as a research project in graduate school, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Northern Iowa. The site includes activity ideas, materials where applicable, links to other resources, and suggestions for the implementation of activities. A secondary purpose in creating this website was to provide general information on phonological awareness, who benefits from it, why it is important, and ages when the various skills are typically acquired. We hope you find this website beneficial when teaching pre-literacy skills to children.

ABOUT US:
Micala (Frush) Andreassen, B.A., is a graduate student in Speech-Language Pathology, University of Northern Iowa (UNI). She received her B.A. in Communication Disorders in December of 2006. Micala created this website as her research project to complete the degree requirements of the master’s program. On graduation in December of 2008, Micala would like to touch the lives of children by making a difference in the way they communicate.

Sara Smith, B.A., is a graduate student in Speech-Language Pathology, University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Sara received her B.A. in Communication Disorders at UNI in December of 2006. Her clinical career includes two years at Harmony House Health Care Center (HHHCC) in Waterloo, Iowa as a Communication Assistant. Currently, Sara serves patients at HHHCC with various primary diagnoses including (traumatic) brain injury, cerebrovascular accidents, mental retardation, and Down’s syndrome. On completion of her internships and M.A. in December of 2008, Sara plans to work as a Speech-Language Pathologist in a school or medical setting.

THANKS:
Special thanks to Ken Bleile, Ph.D, CCC-SLP, who has been our mentor throughout our course of study in this field and for advising our research project. Also, thanks to Angela Burda, Ph.D, CCC-SLP, for being our second reader and her encouragement along the way.

CONTACT US:
Please feel free to contact us with any comments, questions, or suggestions at mfrush@uni.edu and smsmith@uni.edu.