Purpose: Previous research has identified decoding challenges among Swedish Grade 1 students, with 37% of L2 and 19% of L1 scoring low in word decoding (Fälth et al., 2022). Limited phonological awareness can exacerbate these challenges (Kamhi & Catts, 2014). Early interventions targeting phonological awareness, particularly within Tier 2 RTI settings, have shown promise (Lovett et al., 2015; Wanzek et al., 2015). However, the impact of Tier 2 phonological interventions on Sweden’s youngest compulsory school students remains unexplored. The study aims to evaluate the efficacy of Tier 2 phonological interventions on the reading abilities of 6-year-old pupils at risk for reading difficulties.

Method: A quasi-experimental design screened 175 6-year-old pupils. 36 exhibited low phonological awareness (stanines 1-3), from which 32 were matched based on screening test results, gender, and language background (L1/L2), forming an experimental group (n=16) and a comparison group (n=16). The experimental group underwent a Tier 2 intervention focusing on phonological awareness (sound segmentation, synthesis, and grapheme-phoneme correspondence). The intervention comprised 15 sessions of 20 minutes each, conducted in groups of 4 students over five weeks. Pre- and post-tests were administered, with between-group analyses and effect sizes calculated.

Results and Conclusion: Preliminary findings suggest significant improvements in phonological awareness within the experimental group compared to the comparison group on post-intervention. Initial analyses demonstrate significant effect sizes using Hedges’ g. In summary, the outcomes indicate the effectiveness of a concise Tier 2 intervention targeting sound segmentation, synthesis, and grapheme-phoneme correspondence for 6-year-old pupils with deficient phonological awareness. Given the pilot nature of the study, further research with a larger sample size is warranted to validate these findings.