Phonological awareness strategies for reading readiness in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

Phonological awareness is the ability to attend to and manipulate sound units in speech and is a relevant component of emergent literacy. This study synthesized strategies appropriate for Early Childhood Education and developed a progression that supports reading readiness without prematurely formalizing instruction. An exploratory scoping review covered publications from 2016 to 2026. Two OpenAlex searches retrieved 90 records; 89 remained after deduplication, and 20 studies with Crossref-verified DOIs were included together with official curriculum documents. Eighty percent of the DOI sources were published in 2021–2026. Results were grouped into five components: sensitivity to words and rhymes; syllable segmentation; identification and blending of initial sounds; explicit phonemic awareness; and integration with vocabulary, letters, music, play, and family participation. Evidence favors brief, frequent, explicit, and playful activities with modeling, immediate feedback, and gradual difficulty. Rhythm and songs may support attention to sound but do not replace specific language practice; digital tools are complementary and require mediation. A twelve-week sequence with formative assessment and supports for linguistic diversity is proposed. Reading readiness should not be understood as requiring conventional reading in preschool; it means enriching oral language, print knowledge, and children’s ability to reflect on sounds through meaningful, inclusive experiences connected to texts, conversation, and play.