TEXES Science of Teaching Reading Practice Test

What is the role of phonemic awareness in reading?

1. It includes understanding the meaning of words

2. It helps in decoding written text by recognizing sounds

3. It promotes comprehension through discussion

4. It relates primarily to word recognition strategies

The correct answer is: It helps in decoding written text by recognizing sounds

Phonemic awareness plays a critical role in reading, particularly in the decoding process, which is essential for developing reading skills. This skill involves the ability to recognize and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. When students have strong phonemic awareness, they can break down words into their constituent sounds, which enables them to blend those sounds together to form recognizable words while reading. This foundational skill is vital for beginners as it directly influences their ability to decode unfamiliar words. Without phonemic awareness, learners may struggle to connect sounds with letters or letter combinations, making it more difficult to read fluently and accurately. Thus, the recognition of sounds directly contributes to effective reading practices, demonstrating why this aspect is crucial in the journey of a new reader. The other options relate to different aspects of literacy development. Understanding the meaning of words pertains more to vocabulary and comprehension, while promoting comprehension through discussion relates to the higher-order cognitive skills involved in understanding text. Word recognition strategies focus on how students identify words in text, but these strategies are often built upon a solid foundation of phonemic awareness, making the ability to decode written text through sound recognition the most directly relevant answer.