Syllabication Skills of College Students.

Teachers need to be proficient in the application of word analysis skills in order to insure their ability to provide adequate instruction to others. This study reports on the development of a word analysis test which evaluates potential teachers' ability to apply nine structural analysis generalizations before and after instruction in word analysis. The tests were administered to 83 students enrolled in teacher education courses in basic reading skills before instruction in syllabication was introduced and after such instruction was completed. Analysis of the data in this study indicated that definite gains can be made in raising the proficiency level of students' syllabication skills after systematic instruction in these generalizations. Pre-testing with a measurement tool that was designed to be a specific diagnostic aid as well as a general evaluative test proved to be of assistance to the instructors and to the individual students in directing emphasis for teaching and learning. A multiple choice form of the test was found to be as useful as a form which required students to syllabicate the words themselves. (MKM)