What is the significance of phonemic awareness in reading development?

Phonemic awareness is a key foundational skill in reading development, as it helps learners understand that words are made up of individual sounds, or phonemes. This ability is essential for decoding words during reading; when students recognize that sounds can be manipulated (combined, segmented, or altered), they can begin to connect those sounds to letters and words. Mastery of phonemic awareness lays the groundwork for successful reading, as it directly contributes to a child's ability to hear, identify, and use the sounds in spoken language.

This understanding supports their ability to blend sounds into words when reading and to segment sounds when spelling, both of which are critical skills for literacy development. Without strong phonemic awareness, children may struggle with reading and spelling, as they may not be able to effectively link sounds to the letters that represent them in written language.