Predictive skills of phonological awareness in the early stages of reading learning

Abstract

The mastery of the process of learning to read at early ages has been the subject of study in recent years, which has made it possible to clarify the existence of a series of facilitating skills in the early stages of its acquisition. Special attention has been paid by researchers to phonological awareness, which has been shown to be one of the most important predictors of learning to read. However, not all schoolchildren acquire an adequate mastery of this metalinguistic skill, which generates complications in accessing the literacy process. It is note-worthy that in addition to the evidence reflecting the potential of phonological knowledge, there are no studies focused on identifying the factors that contribute most to its development at an early age. Hence the objective of this study, whose purpose is to analyze the relationships and the predictive value that certain developmental factors may have on the mastery of phonological awareness, since it is one of the most important precursors involved in the initial learning of reading. A descriptive cross-sectional design of correlational-predictive scope was used. A total of 258 students belonging to the second year of the second cycle of pre-school education participated in the study. The results show the relevance of early stimulation in a series of precursors among which are the components of oral language, working memory, as well as certain cognitive processes that impact on the mastery of phonological awareness, which is relevant for the design of intervention programs aimed at facilitating access to the literacy process.