What do we mean by Phonological Awareness?
Phonological Awareness refers to the ability to recognise and manipulate the sounds of spoken language. Phonological awareness is a crucial precursor to reading and is essential for developing strong literacy skills. Phonological awareness interventions are designed to enhance learners' sensitivity to the sound structure of language, thereby facilitating their ability to decode and encode words fluently. Learners require systematic and explicit instruction, as well as ample opportunities for practice and reinforcement. It includes skills such as recognising rhymes, segmenting words into syllables, identifying individual sounds (phonemes) within words, and blending sounds to form words. Activities should be tailored to the specific abilities and interests of each learner.
Useful Resources
Phonological awareness development requires a range of strategies incorporating songs, rhymes, movement-based games, and hands-on manipulatives, which consider the age and interests of learners building a strong foundation for literacy learning. Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) should be integrated into phonological awareness activities to support understanding and engagement.
“Deliberate and systematic instruction in phonological awareness skills, such as rhyming, blending, and segmenting sounds, is integral to developing phonemic awareness and foundational literacy skills”
Early Career Framework, DfE 2019
Foundations in Literacy Instruction