Phonological awareness (PA), the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken language, is closely associated with reading success, and educators often include PA-focused activities in their reading instruction. Due to ongoing debate regarding the effectiveness of PA-only instruction without exposure to print or letters, a recent meta-analysis examined its impact on reading outcomes compared to print-based instruction.
The meta-analysis focused on studies involving participants from preschool through first grade in either randomized or quasi-experimental settings, examining the effects of different instructional methods on phonological awareness and reading outcomes. After applying inclusion criteria, 38 studies with a total of 3,880 participants (average age 5 years and 7 months) were analyzed, resulting in 293 calculated effect sizes. The results showed that PA-only instruction had a moderate overall effect on reading outcomes (g = +0.57). However, it was less effective than instruction that included print (g = -0.54), and less effective at improving word reading outcomes compared to PA skills alone (g = -0.33). The findings suggest that while PA-only instruction can be beneficial for reading, its effectiveness depends on two key factors: the type of reading outcomes and the comparison condition. Additionally, its effect on reading was more pronounced in kindergarten and first grade than in preschool. This meta-analysis did not find evidence that PA-only instruction is specifically necessary for at-risk readers compared to typical readers.
Source: Stalega, M. V., Kearns, D. M., Bourget, J., Bayer, N., & Hebert, M. (2024). Is phonological-only instruction helpful for reading?: A meta-analysis. Scientific Studies of Reading, 28(6), 614–635. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888438.2024.2340708