What does phonological awareness refer to?

Phonological awareness refers to the understanding that words are made up of a variety of sound units, which can include syllables, onsets, rimes, and individual phonemes. This awareness is crucial for developing reading skills because it helps children recognize the structure of words and how sounds correspond to letters. By understanding that words are composed of these basic sound units, children can manipulate sounds, which is a foundational skill for later reading and writing.

The other options do touch on aspects of literacy, but they do not accurately capture the essence of phonological awareness. For instance, the ability to sound out letters individually is more indicative of phonics, which deals with the relationship between sounds and their spelling. Recognizing written symbols as letters pertains to letter recognition, which is important for literacy but not specifically phonological awareness. Writing stories using correct grammar is a different skill altogether and relates to writing and composition rather than the understanding of sounds in spoken language.