Niveles de dificultad de la conciencia fonológica y aprendizaje lector

Although there is a relationship between phonological awareness and reading, the reasons for this relationship are controversial. Phonological knowledge is a necessary skill for learning to read, but the process of learning to read can facilitate the development of this knowledge. Previous studies have provided training in phonological awareness, but few have evaluated the development of phonological awareness in students with no previous training in reading. The main aims of this study were (1) to analyze levels of difficulty in phonological awareness in relation to the identification, addition and omission of syllables and phonemes, and (2) to identify differences in phonological awareness as a function of reading development. A total of 299 preschool and first-grade students, aged between 5.6 and 7.6 years (52.6% boys and 47.4% girls), from distinct public schools were assessed by the Phonological Awareness Assessment Test. Participants were distributed in three different groups according to their reading skills. The results showed significant differences in phonological awareness as a function of reading development among the groups when syllabic and phonemic phonological knowledge were assessed. Approximately 18% of participants (53 students) were identified as having learning difficulties (55% boys and 45% girls). These results suggest the advisability of implementing intervention programs when reading problems are related to phonological knowledge. The sequence of phonological development identified allows us to design tasks with different levels of difficulty in order to train students with learning problems in reading.