Which skill is considered a precursor to reading development?

Phonological awareness is recognized as a foundational skill that plays a crucial role in reading development. This skill encompasses the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the sounds in spoken language, which includes understanding that words are made up of sounds or phonemes and that these sounds can be blended, segmented, and altered.

Research indicates that strong phonological awareness is linked to successful reading acquisition. For instance, children who can distinguish and manipulate sounds are better equipped to understand the relationships between sounds and the letters that represent them in written form. This understanding is essential for decoding words, which is a key component of reading.

In contrast, while vocabulary skills, fluency, and written language skills are all important aspects of literacy development, they typically build upon the foundational understanding established by phonological awareness. Without a solid grasp of how sounds work and interact, children may struggle to develop the skills needed for fluent reading and writing.