What is the Difference Between Phonics and Phonological Awareness?

The methods and theories of teaching children to read have literally gone in circles. Years ago the focus was on phonics. Then studies were released that supported a whole word concept of learning rather than focusing on the individual sounds. Years passed and the tide turned again back to phonics. In the book, Scaffolding Emergent Literacy A Child-Centered Approach for Preschool through Grade 5, the authors address the issue. "There is a strong 'Back to Basics' movement in the educational and political arena, which includes an emphasis on a strong phonics approach. To a degree, the call for phonics is not unfounded. Phonics is an important tool in the literacy process. It is not, however, the only tool. The power of phonological awareness is also staunchly recognized as a very powerful apparatus for literacy development.'"

To achieve literacy success we must understand the difference between phonics and phonological awareness. The two are similar but serve two distinctive purposes. Proficient use of both skills is the first steps in the journey of becoming literate.

Phonics is seeing letters individually and connecting it's specific sound. Phonics shouldn't be taught by simply working through the alphabet from beginning to end. Letters must be broken down in consonants and vowels. Vowels are broken down into long and short sounds and words are taught by beginning and ending sounds. The order in which letters are taught is in conjunction with typical child development.

While we are not consciously aware of it, the brain breaks reading down into a three-part process. The back portion of the brain (primary visual cortex) is the area responsible for recognizing letters. The angural gyrus, located closer to the center of the brain, assigns sound for the letters Then the mid-lower section of the brain (superior temporal gyrus), is where the word is given meaning. The developing brain acquires certain letter sounds and their placement within words in a sequence that is not in alphabetic order.

Phonological awareness is the ability to hear the different sounds in speech. Students may not recognize the written letter that accompanies the sounds, but he or she recognizes it in speech. Therefore, phonological awareness comes before phonetic skills.

Keeping the process in mind during instruction makes it easier to identify and correct the specific area in which a student is struggling. Despite the many studies and educational debates one thing has remained certain. The more a child is read to the better his or her reading skills will be.

Source

Scaffolding Emergent Literacy A Child-Centered Approach for Preschool through Grade 5,(Soderman, Anne, K.; Gregory, Kara, M, & O'Neill, Louise, T.;1999), (p 4,5,7,29,33)