ABSTRACT
Research of more than two decades has affirmed the importance of phonological awareness and its relation to reading acquisition. Recent reviews of the literature (Hurford et al., 1993; Mann, 1993) have indicated that the presence of phonological awareness is a hallmark of good readers while its absence is a consistent characteristic of poor readers. In considering the relation between phonological awareness and reading, we identified six areas of converging evidence in the research (Smith, Simmons, & Kameenui, 1995):
The phonological processing ability explains significant differences between good and poor readers. (Phonological awareness is a component of phonological processing.)
Phonological awareness may be a group of highly related, independent abilities or a general ability with multiple dimensions.
Phonological awareness has a reciprocal relation to reading acquisition.
Phonological awareness is necessary but not sufficient for reading acquisition.
Phonological awareness deficits and delays can be reliably identified in young children.
Phonological awareness is teachable and promoted by attending to instructional variables.
