Beg. Word Reading	Lesson 3: Readings (1)	-

What Every Teacher Should Know About Phonological Awareness

Torgesen, J. K., & Mathes, P. G. (1998).

Tallahassee, FL: Florida Department of Education.

Abstract by Steve Colson

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This article discusses the definition of phonological awareness and its importance in learning to read. The normal development of phonological awareness skills is detailed outlining which skills are taught at which grade. Torgesen then discusses the causes of differences among children in phonological awareness and ends with a strong case for embedding direct instruction of these principles in a comprehensive reading program.

Phonological awareness gets its name from the word "phoneme", the smallest unit of sound in our language that makes a difference in a word's meaning. Phonological awareness is an explicit awareness of the phonological structure of words in a language, involving the ability to notice, think about, or manipulate the individual sounds in words. Phonological awareness involves both learning that words can be divided into segments of sound smaller than a syllable as well as learning about the individual phonemes themselves.

Phonological awareness is important in learning to read for three main reasons. It helps children understand the alphabetic principle, showing how words in oral language are represented in print. It helps children notice the regular ways letters represent sounds in words, which is correlated to fluent reading. Finally, it makes it possible to generate possibilities for words in context that are only partially sounded out.

The author discusses the normal developmental course for phonological awareness. He gives a chart detailing what the average child can do from beginning kindergarten to the end of first grade, showing a progression of skill development. Although some children may acquire some rudimentary phonological awareness skills as early as two and a half to three years of age, more advanced skills are not mastered until the end of first grade.

Torgesen cites research that deals with genetic endowment and preschool linguistic experience as critical factors in the differences among children in acquiring phonological awareness skills. Even after children enter school, the growth of these skills is dependent not only what they are taught, but also on the child's response to that instruction. Children who enter first grade with weak phonological skills do not respond well to early reading instruction. This leads to a strong case for direct instruction in these skills, along with systematic, direct, and explicit instruction in phonics, always surrounded by an enriched environment with language and literature. Torgesen makes a strong case for this type of balanced reading curriculum, integrating it with early and consistent experiences with writing.