Phonemic awareness and its relationship to reading achievement

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to review the literature regarding the relationship of phonemic awareness to reading achievement. The literature indicates that there are several levels of phonemic awareness that include such skills as rhyming, decoding, blending, segmentation, and manipulation which are important in becoming a successful reader. Evidence from the review of the literature clearly shows the best methods for teaching phonemic awareness include early intervention, explicit instruction, and a combination of whole language and phonics.