The Role of Phonemic Awareness in Beginning Reading: A Review

In recent years there has been an abundance of research highlighting the pre-eminent status of phonemic awareness in the development of reading capability. This paper examines the concept of phonemic awareness, and reviews recent findings pointing to its causal links with reading. The importance of linking reading instruction with phonemic awareness is explored, as is the significance of early identification and intervention. Finally, obstacles to systemic implementation are considered, in conjunction with the bleak prognosis for students with a history of early reading failure.