PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS OF

KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS

PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL

Volume: 17
Issue 4
Pages: 350-362
Document ID: 2024PEMJ1568
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10686325
Manuscript Accepted: 01-24-2024
 Psych Educ, 2024, 17(4): 350-362, Document ID:2024PEMJ1568, doi:10.5281/zenodo.10686325, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article

Phonological Awareness of Kindergarten Teachers

Eloisa N. Arceo – Elemento,* Maria Beatriz C. Capinpin
For affiliations and correspondence, see the last page.

Abstract
This mixed method study has sought to identify the challenges encountered by kindergarten teachers in teaching
phonological awareness which are a great factor in teaching beginning reading. The respondents in the study are the
kindergarten teachers and learners at District II-B Schools Division of Olongapo City, Zambales.Specifically, this
study has found the meaning of phonological awareness of kindergarten learners. The performance of the kindergarten
learner based on the Early Grades Reading was also given focus. The challenges encountered by the teacher in teaching
phonological awareness were also given highlights. The level of phonological awareness of kindergarten learners
along with the ten components of Early Grades Reading Assessment (EGRA) such as Orientation to Print; Letter
Name Knowledge; Letter Sound Knowledge; Initial Sound Identification; Familiar Word Reading; Invented Word
Reading; Oral Passage Reading; Reading Comprehension; Listening Comprehension; and Dictation. The challenges
encountered by the teacher in teaching phonological awareness Parental Indifference; Lack of Professional
Experience; Students Unreadiness; Students Absenteeism and Lack of student interest. This study has resulted in an
instructional plan that aims to improve the phonological awareness of kindergarten learners. This is significant in
enhancing the teaching and learning process and its implications to academic outcomes of kindergarten pupils and
teachers.

Keywords: phonological awareness, mixed method study, learners, kindergarten teachers, early grades reading

Introduction
Phonological awareness is perceived as one of the key building blocks of the development of emerging reading skills. To date, little is
known about how phonological awareness instructions can be implemented effectively in classrooms. Phonological awareness is
strongly linked to early reading and spelling success through its association with phonics (Moats, 2019).
Studies exploring teachers' and learners’ perceptions regarding how teachers teach and how learners learn language skills remain a rich
source of data for all English as a Foreign Language (EFL) stakeholders (Awwad, 2019). An appropriate level of phonological
awareness knowledge forms the cornerstone of young learners’ successful learning at early stages. Robust phonological awareness can
be further seen as one of the crucial components of novice learners’ early reading and spelling ability development (Alhumsi & Shabdin,
2018).
The term ‘phonological awareness’ can be defined as an explicit ability to manipulate and segment speech into smaller discrete sound
units (Kibby, 2009). This indicates that young learners can conceptualize sound units and identify them in words, and hence derive or
generate new linguistic units. The importance of phonology stems from the need to use it as a vehicle for both teachers and learners
to facilitate the teaching and learning of fundamental reading and spelling skills. Schuele and Boudreau (2018) pointed out that the aim
of phonological awareness instruction is assisting young learners to gain a foundation of phonological awareness by which they can
benefit from decoding instruction.
Such a process entails the understanding that language consists of syllables and sounds. Therefore, the enhancement of young learners’
ability to read and write can be sufficiently attained by detecting the sounds of words which can help them capture phoneme-grapheme
associations. A growing body of literature further showed that young learners who are unable to manipulate sounds in words will have
more difficulty in learning to read effectively (Anthony & Farncis, 2005). Phonological awareness describes awareness of how spoken
language consists of different smaller components and ability to identify, and manipulate these (Torgenson et al, 2019, Ehri & Flugman,
2018).
It consists of several components including: identifying individual words, syllables in words, recognizing and creating rhyme,
alliteration, and phonemic awareness. Phonemic awareness is the ability to focus on and manipulate individual phonemes in words.
This skill involves working with onset and rime, blending and segmenting sounds in words and deleting and manipulating phonemes.
Phonological awareness is an individual's awareness of the phonological structure, or sound structure, of words. As such its importance
as reliable predictor ability has, therefore, been the focus of much research. It is a consequential skill to develop in children. Thus,
strongly linked to early reading and spelling success through its association with phonics.
Moreover, it is a focus of literacy teaching incorporating recognizing phonological patterns such as rhyme and alliteration; awareness
of syllables and phonemes within words and hearing multiple phonemes within words. Kindergarten educators have a key role in

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Research Article

providing pupils with the required phonological skills instruction that will assist in the transition from oral communication to written
communication. How these educators perceive the significance and use of phonological awareness will likely have an impact on the
behaviors that they exhibit in the classroom context.
Beginning reading instruction is an essential part of the kindergarten classroom. Though some pupils enter school with some basic
reading skills, this is a prime period in the children’s development to build the foundation for reading. Kindergarten teachers and
parents should focus on all three of the pillars of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics and reading comprehension. The reading skills
acquired during kindergarten provide the essential, foundational links required for later reading success.
During the early years of a pupils’ elementary school education, oral language skills become the underpinning for the acquisition of
reading skills. The National Institute for Literacy (NIFL, 2007), defines reading as:
A complex system of deriving meaning from print that requires all of the following: (a) the skills and knowledge to understand how
phonemes, or speech sounds, are connected to print; (b) the ability to decode unfamiliar words; (c) the ability to read fluently; (d)
sufficient background information and vocabulary to foster reading comprehension; (e) the development of appropriate active strategies
to construct meaning from print; and (f) the development and maintenance of a motivation to read. (p. 1)
For the researcher, teaching pupils in kindergarten is a huge responsibility. She wanted to learn the scientific process of reading
instruction. Thus, she conceptualized this study so that it may be of great help to all teachers who are also teaching competently. She
believes that when phonological awareness is not systematically and intentionally included in a Kindergarten reading program, there
are some young learners who have the potential to become at risk of reading deficits.
The unprecedented results on Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) showed that the Philippines scored lower in
reading comprehension. This worldwide study examined students’ knowledge particularly in reading. Among seventy-nine (79)
participating countries the Philippines had an average reading score of three hundred points below China (Philstar. Com. Dec.2019).
This unsatisfactory achievement indicates that phonemic awareness as one of the best predictors of how children will learn to read
during the first two years of was rarely achieved. Hence, the applied proficiency skills of teachers are indeed crucial in developing
phonological awareness competency among kindergarten learners.
The current study was focused on the teacher respondents’ competence in developing phonological awareness competency among
kindergarten learners during the school year 2022-2023. The kindergarten classroom is often the first environment for a child to have
authentic, explicit phonological instruction.
Diversity exists in relation to specific tasks and levels of tasks that comprise phonological awareness. This research will be conducted
in SDO Olongapo City, where the researcher is currently teaching. The researcher believed that teachers needed to be made aware of
these pupils’ views to improve the curriculum in their classes.
Reading teachers know that when phonological awareness is not systematically and intentionally included in a reading program, there
are some young pupils who have the potential to become at risk of reading deficits. The link between phonological awareness to
beginning reading reinforces the necessity of providing appropriate instruction in the kindergarten classroom.
The importance of this study further stems from the growing interest of different stakeholders regarding the understanding how young
kindergarten learners learn to read more effectively and what teaching strategies and techniques can help accomplish this objective
more adequately (Castles et al., 2018).
Recently, the rates of reading skill achievement have given the impression that many students are still experiencing difficulty at
elementary schools concerning their ability to read to a satisfactory level (Akyol, Çakıroğlu, & Kuruyer, 2017). Thus, more attention
should be given to literacy acquisition strategies, i.e. developing new and effective techniques for teaching reading skills to advance
young learners to become better readers.
Therefore, the researcher conducted the present study to investigate the competencies of teachers in kindergarten classrooms in relation
to phonological awareness. The perception of kindergarten teachers on the challenges encountered by kindergarten teachers in teaching
phonological awareness as a great factor in beginning reading is indeed very crucial. It is in this concept that the perspective of this
study was drawn.
Research Questions
This study aimed to investigate the phonological awareness of kindergarten teachers which are a great factor in beginning reading.
Specifically, this study sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the level of phonological awareness of kindergarten learners along:

1.1 Orientation to Print;

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Research Article

1.2 Letter Name Knowledge;

1.3 Letter Sound Knowledge;
1.4 Initial Sound Identification;
1.5 Familiar Word Reading;
1.6 Invented Wod Reading;
1.7 Oral Passage Reading;
1.8 Reading Comprehension;
1.9 Listening Comprehension; and
1.10 Dictation?
2. What are the challenges encountered by the teachers in teaching phonological awareness?
3. What instructional plan can be proposed to improve the phonological awareness of kindergarten learners?

Methodology
Research Design
This study has utilized the Mixed Method in finding the answers to the problems of the study. Mixed methods research combines
elements of quantitative research and qualitative research to answer your research question. Mixed methods can help you gain a more
complete picture than a standalone quantitative or qualitative study, as it integrates benefits of both methods. Mixed methods research
is often used in the behavioral, health, and social sciences, especially in multidisciplinary settings and complex situational or societal
research (Leeman, et.al., 2016).
This mixed method was used because this study sought to identify the level of phonological awareness of kindergarten learners along
with the ten components of Early Grades Reading Assessment (EGRA) which is a great factor in beginning reading. Mixed methods
research is a research methodology that combines elements of quantitative research and qualitative research to answer a research
question. This approach has helped the researcher gain a more complete picture of the problem posed in this research, as it integrates
benefits of both methods.
Many scholars posit that Mixed methods hold the view that human beings extract meaning from the world through personal experience
(Husserl, 1931; Hycner, 1985; Koopmans, 2015; Hourigan and Edgar, 2020; Gasparyan, 2021). Investigating the experience of
individual is a highly complex phenomenon (Jarvis, 1987): annotating and clarifying human experience can be a challenging task not
only because of the complexity of human nature, but also because an individual’s experience is a multidimensional phenomenon, that
is, psychologically oriented, culturally driven, and socially structured. Hence, much uncertainty and ambiguity are surrounding the
description and exploration of an individual’s experience (Husserl, 1931; Hycner, 1985; Koopmans, 2015; Hourigan and Edgar, 2020;
Gasparyan, 2021)
Mixed methods research may be the right choice if your research process suggests that quantitative or qualitative data alone will not
sufficiently answer your research question. There are several common reasons for using mixed methods research:
Generalizability: Qualitative research usually has a smaller sample size, and thus is not generalizable. In mixed methods research, this
comparative weakness is mitigated by the comparative strength of “large N,” externally valid quantitative research.
Contextualization: Mixing methods allows you to put findings in context and add richer detail to your conclusions. Using qualitative
data to illustrate quantitative findings can help “put meat on the bones” of your analysis.
Credibility: Using different methods to collect data on the same subject can make your results more credible. If the qualitative and
quantitative data converge, this strengthens the validity of your conclusions. This process is called triangulation (Husserl, 1931; Hycner,
1985; Koopmans, 2015; Hourigan and Edgar, 2020; Gasparyan, 2021).
Likewise, the challenges encountered by the teacher in teaching phonological awareness was given highlights through an interview.
Specifically, this study has found the meaning of phonological awareness of kindergarten learners through reading assessments. This
study has resulted in an instructional plan that aims to improve the phonological awareness of kindergarten learners. The respondents
in the study are the kindergarten teachers at District II-B Schools Division of Olongapo City, Zambales.
This is significant in enhancing the teaching and learning process and its implications to academic outcomes of kindergarten pupils and
teachers. The researcher has facilitated the conduct of the interviews and document analysis to answer the problems of the study and
achieved its goals and objectives. This study has resulted in an instructional plan that aims to improve the phonological awareness of
kindergarten learners. This is significant in enhancing the teaching and learning process and its implications to academic outcomes of
kindergarten pupils and teachers.
The study shall consist of fourteen (14) Kindergarten teachers in District II-B in Olongapo City. The researcher has facilitated the
conduct of the interviews and document analysis to answer the problems of the study and achieved its goals and objectives.

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Research Article

Participants
The respondents in this study were selected by the total population sampling method. Total population sampling is a type of purposive
sampling technique where you choose to examine the entire population (i.e., the total population) that has a particular set of
characteristics. This study chose this sampling technique because Purposive sampling is a sampling technique in research that involves
selecting participants based on a specific purpose, rather than randomly. It is used to study a particular group or phenomenon in depth,
or to obtain input from experts or representatives of a target population. Table 1 presents the respondents of the study. The kindergarten
teachers and in Olongapo City were considered as follows:

Table 1. The Respondents of the Study

Schools No. of Teachers %
Barretto I E/S 5 35.71%
Barretto II E/S 3 21.43%
Nellie E. Brown E/S 3 21.43%
Mabayuan E/S 3 21.43%
Total 14 100

Ethical Considerations
To ensure research integrity, the researcher has ensured voluntary participation and the participants was given the freedom to choose
whether or not they want to participate in the study. An informed consent was provided to them to be informed about the study’s
purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits before they agree to participate.
Anonymity and confidentiality were given focused in this study as the participants’ identities were kept confidential, and their personal
information should not be shared with anyone outside the research team. The participants’ data were kept confidential, and their
responses were not shared with anyone outside the research team.
Moreover, the researcher has ensured that the study does not cause any physical, emotional, or psychological harm to the participants.
She also informed the participants that the information they provided was only for the study purpose. Accordingly, the researcher used
the information from his participants only for the study purpose.
Results and Discussion
This section presents the presentation, analysis, and interpretation of data based on the sub-problems of the study.
The level of phonological awareness of kindergarten learners along with the ten components of the Early Grades Reading
Assessment (EGRA)
Phonological awareness is children's awareness of how sounds are put together to form words. The awareness of the sounds that make
up words is critical to being able to blend sounds together for later reading, and segmenting words into sounds for later spelling. The
following data was gathered from the document analysis on the level of phonological awareness of kindergarten learners along with
the ten components of Early Grades Reading Assessment (EGRA).
The early grade reading assessment (EGRA) was created to provide a reliable and valid measure of skills that contribute to reading
acquisition. Research on the development of reading skills has advanced the understanding of the reading process (August and
Shanahan, 2006, Hoover and Gough, 1990, NICHD, 2000) and served as the underpinning of EGRA's conceptual framework.
The context in which EGRA is used determines some of its parameters. It has been used primarily with children in the early primary
grades so the subtasks seek to gather a maximum amount of information in the least amount of time. Depending on the number of
subtasks, the entire battery could be administered in 10–20 min with the assessor actively aiming to maintain the child's attention. For
each subtask that could be added to provide arguably useful information, administration time is lengthened, requiring more attention
from the child and potentially reducing the validity of the results. Therefore, subtasks should be selected to give the most useful
information and should be limited to avoid overloading the child.
EGRA administration procedures are child-centered to increase the child's comfort and increase the validity of the results. Individually
administering the assessment allows the assessor some flexibility to adapt to a child's response. The assessor begins by establishing
rapport and describing what will happen during the assessment to help the child realize that this will be a safe and supportive interaction;
at this time the assessor also obtains the child's agreement to participate. Many of the subtasks have discontinuation rules (i.e., early
stop) to limit the discomfort children may feel if they are unable to perform. If a child initially responds incorrectly for an item but then
changes the response before proceeding to the next item, the response is considered a self-correction and scored as correct.
Consistent procedures for administering each subtask increase confidence in the results. To increase comparability, the child is

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Research Article

prompted at pre-established intervals (i.e., 3 seconds) to attempt the next item. This ensures that children are all exposed to an equal
number of items to determine their score. Furthermore, the oral comments that are used are intended to encourage the children that
their effort is noted (e.g., I can tell you are doing your best). Comments that provide evaluative statements about correctness (e.g., You
got them all correct!) or that instruct are unacceptable
EGRA is adaptable to languages and to the grade level of interest. The items are informed by creating a grade-level corpus of words
for that language generated from existing text. Items are then selected based on their frequency in the corpus which, again, increases
confidence in the validity of the subtask. For example, the non-word reading subtask measures the ability to apply the knowledge of
letter-sound relationships to decode unfamiliar words.
The orthographic structure of the non-words is determined by the orthographic structure of actual words in the corpus. A structure that
appears frequently and is grade-appropriate is followed to create the non-words. Table 1 presents the Level of Phonological Awareness
of Kindergarten Learners along with the Ten Components of Early Grades Reading Assessment (EGRA)
Table 2. The Level of Phonological Awareness of Kindergarten Learners along with the Ten Components of Early Grades Reading
Assessment (EGRA) N=146
COMPONENTS Beginning Developing Consistent
1. Orientation to Print 0 146 4
2. Letter Name Knowledge 106 22 18
3. Letter Sound Knowledge 127 17 2
4. Initial Sound Identification 136 7 3
5. Familiar Word Reading 141 2 3
6. Invented Word Reading 142 2 2
7. Oral Passage Reading 144 0 2
8. Reading Comprehension 143 0 3
9. Listening Comprehension 133 10 3
10. Dictation 145 0 1

It can be seen from the data that kindergarten learners have the following Level of Phonological Awareness of Kindergarten Learners
along with the Ten Components of Early Grades Reading Assessment (EGRA):
1. Orientation to Print refers to the Print concepts that include a variety of understandings about print, including book orientation (e.g.,
the cover; where to start reading), directionality (e.g., left to right; top to bottom), and purpose for reading (e.g., to inform; to entertain).
No learners are independent in this aspect, but 146 learners belong to Developing while 4 belong to Consistent level.
Finding the independent level means that we are looking for the grade level passage that the child can read on his/her own without any
assistance. This means that there is a need for teachers to provide focused attention on this aspect of phonological awareness.
Developing level means that the child can read with the support of a teacher. This is the level where students make the most progress
in reading. Finding the frustration level means that we are looking for the grade level passage that the child can no longer read and
understand on his own. This data has focused on identifying basic literacy skills that are reliably measured to understand the reading
process in typically achieving and struggling readers. This task measures knowledge of early print concepts such directionality. It is
untimed and does not have a discontinuation rule.
Children with print awareness understand that print has different functions depending on the context in which it appears — menus list
food choices, a book tells a story, a sign can announce a favorite restaurant or warn of danger (Kastberg, Chan, & Murray, 2016;
National Center for Education Statistics, 2017).
Print awareness is understanding that print is organized in a particular way — knowing that print is read from left to right and top to
bottom. It is knowing that words consist of letters and that spaces appear between words.
Most children become aware of print long before they enter school. They see print all around them, on signs and billboards, in alphabet
books and story books, and in labels, magazines, and newspapers. Seeing print and observing adults’ reactions to print helps children
recognize its various forms.
Research has proven that the ability to understand how print works does not emerge magically and unaided. This understanding comes
about through the active intervention of adults and other children who point out letters, words, and other features of the print that
surrounds children.
When children are read to regularly, when they play with letters and engage in word games, and later, when they receive formal reading
instruction, they begin to understand how the system of print functions; that is, print on a page is read from left to right and from top
to bottom; that sentences start with capital letters and end with periods, and much, much more.

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As they participate in interactive reading with adults, children also learn about the features of a book — such as author and illustrator
names, book title, and page numbers. They also learn about book handling — including how to turn pages, how to find the top and
bottom of a page, how to identify the front and back cover of a book (Imingan, 2020).
As part of this learning, they begin to develop the very important concept of a “word” — that meaning is conveyed through words; that
printed words are separated by spaces; and that some words in print look longer (because they have more letters) than other words.
Teacher B articulated ;
Firstly, other readers may be wondering why they should learn about syllables. Understanding syllables helps in pronunciation. As we
speak or add a syllable to a word, people may not be able to understand us. The number of syllables in a word is decided by its number
of vowel sounds.
Phonological awareness is a crucial skill to develop in children. It is strongly linked to early reading and spelling success through its
association with phonics. It is a focus of literacy teaching incorporating recognizing phonological patterns such as rhyme and
alliteration awareness of syllables and phonemes within words, and hearing multiple phonemes within words.
Teacher A recounted:
"In my classroom engagement, I enjoyed teaching rhyme with synchronized clapping as my initial motivation. I tried to put emphasis
on rhyming jingles. This I believe will somehow enrich and thus help my students in terms of the phonological features of the
language."
As gleaned from the interpretation, teaching rhyme and synchronized clapping has its advantage. This implies that teacher- respondents
inability to provide rhyming exercise and found wanting in strategies such are- using rhyming sort, nursery rhymes and activities,
rhyming words exit tickets and rhyming worksheets to name a few. They lack creativity and resourcefulness in teaching phonics and
sight words in word recognition as rhyming and beginning sounds in words.
2. Letter Name Knowledge. This measures knowledge of letter names. 100 letters are presented in random order in both upper and
lower case. It is timed to 60 s and is discontinued if none of the letters in the first line (i.e., 10 letters) is read correctly. In this aspect,
106 learners belong to the Beginning level; 22 of them are Developing in their skills; and 18 are consistent.
Alphabet knowledge is the ability to name letters, identify the sounds they make and their printed shapes. For most children, alphabet
knowledge begins to develop before they enter school. By the end of first grade, most children have mastered the alphabet. The top
predictor of reading success hinges on accurate and automatic alphabet knowledge. For many children, knowledge of the alphabet and
letters begins well before school entry with informal instruction at home. Some children can identify the names and sounds of letters
when they enter school and some cannot, making it important for early grade teachers and reading specialists to know how to develop
alphabet knowledge in young children (Kastberg, Chan, & Murray, 2016; National Center for Education Statistics, 2017).
After students understand that sentences are made of words and words are different lengths, the next important concept for students to
understand is that, words are divided into syllables, or word parts. Syllable awareness is one component of phonological awareness.
Students gain the ability to hear phonemes that comprise words and to explore speech sounds as syllables. A variety of phonological
awareness activities can be implemented into daily literacy instruction to increase reading and writing success for all students. One
phonological awareness activity that can be used to address several key skills is the use of sorting pictures. The visual images or picture
cards can be sorted by initial sound, final sound, syllables, or rhyme. Students can complete these activities independently, in small
groups, or in an oral whole-group lesson led by the teacher.
3. Letter Sound Knowledge. Measures knowledge of letter-sound correspondences. 100 letters are presented in random order in both
upper and lower case. It is timed to 60 s and is discontinued if none of the sounds in the first line (i.e., 10 letters) is produced correctly.
For this aspect, 127 learners are under Beginner level; 17 belong to Developing and only 2 are consistent.
The results have proven that when teaching students the sounds that letters represent, it is critical to know how to pronounce letter
sounds, and to know basic characteristics of phonemes in the English language. Certain sounds are easier when a child is first learning
to read printed words. For example, it is easier to pronounce sounds we can hold in our mouths (continuant sounds) such as the /m/ in
me as opposed to sounds we can’t draw out (stop sounds) such as the /t/ in top.
Research in teaching reading has proven that Poetry, nursery rhymes, and traditional songs are a fun way to begin each morning to
increase phonological awareness and engagement. After the recitation or singing takes place, teachers can ask students to clap out the
number of words in a sentence or the number of syllables (or beats) in a word. Children can also put their thumbs up when hear a rhyme
pair (Kastberg, Chan, & Murray, 2016; National Center for Education Statistics, 2017).
Activities that encourage children to segment and blend one-syllable words are another way to teach phonological awareness. Patting
out beginning, middle, and ending sounds on the arm is beneficial activity for this purpose. A teacher should say a CVC (consonant,

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vowel, consonant) word like mat. The student should respond by making each individual sound of each of the three letters. Say the first
sound while patting the shoulder, the middle sound while patting the elbow, and the third sound while patting the wrist.
4. Initial Sound Identification. Measures the ability to discriminate beginning sounds. Three words are presented, and the aim is to
identify the word that begins with a different sound from the other two. It is oral and has 10 sets of words. It is discontinued if no points
are earned in the first five items. For this aspect, 136 belong to Beginner level; 7 are Developing and 3 belong to Consistent level of
performance.
The data is a proof that sound boxes are an extension of how to practice blending or segmenting words. Students can use pennies, coins,
or beans as a manipulative to represent each sound. Playing a game like “I’m thinking of” is an oral clue game for children to guess a
word from the clues provided (McNamara & Magliano, 2009; Perfetti & Stafura, 2015). An example of this would be the following:
This word begins with the m sound and ends with the p sound. Any guesses? The middle sound makes the same sound as the first
sound of the word octopus. Any new guesses? Yes, the word is mop.
Teachers can also incorporate movement by having students toss beanbags to blend or segment words or jump rope the words.
Phonological awareness activities are appropriate for young children, older students, students with special needs, or students who are
considered English language learners. When students are provided many opportunities to learn, practice, and implement phonological
awareness skills, they receive the best knowledge and support to increase their reading and writing skills as they grow as readers
(McNamara & Magliano, 2009; Perfetti & Stafura, 2014).
5. Familiar Word Reading. Measures the ability to segment a word into individual phonemes or syllables. This subtask is oral and has
10 items. It is discontinued if no points are earned in the first five items. 141 are under the Beginning level; 2 are Developing and 3 are
Consistent.
This finding is a testament that phonological awareness provides children with the skills they need to understand phonics, which are
letter-sound relationships through print. Each learner learns and acquires phonological awareness differently; therefore, if a teacher can
implement relevant strategies throughout the reading experience, they will promote learner confidence in his/her reading abilities. It
is important for educators to embrace learner’s various learning styles. Keeping in mind that a learner’s background strongly influences
his/her literacy skills, teachers must remain flexible and choose whichever strategies will most benefit the student (Catts, 2018).
Supplying rhyming words in response to spoken words with considerable evidence, afore cited respondents skill, implies that they were
incapable of hearing and manipulate the sounds in spoken words. Hence, they need to deepen their understanding that spoken words
and syllables were made up of sequences of speech sounds (Yopp, 2018).
Phonological awareness is a strong indicator of a child’s reading ability that will be later developed in elementary school. In fact,
students that struggle with phonological awareness in kindergarten are often considered struggling readers in third grade. While
phonological awareness is usually considered an early literacy skill, the elements of phonological awareness are used throughout a
person’s entire reading journey.
6. Invented Word Reading. Measures the ability to read individual syllables. 50 syllables are presented. It is timed to 60 s and is
discontinued if none of the first five syllables is read correctly. For this aspect, 142 are Beginners; while 2 belong to Developing;
and, 2 are Consistent.
Blending, segmenting, and manipulating sounds will help students quickly decode, which means reading the words on a page, and
encode, which refers to the spelling of words. Students learn this language skill in the upper elementary school level. Reading is a
developmental process, and phonological awareness is the first part of the literacy learning experience (DIME; Ahmed et al., 2016;
Cromley, Snyder-Hogan, & Luciw-Dubas, 2010; Oslund, Clemens, Simmons, & Simmons, 2018; Oslund, Clemens, Simmons, Smith,
& Simmons, 2016).
From the interviews and observations from the respondents, the pupils were are able to do Phoneme matching or the ability to identify
words that begin with the same sound in a word.; do Phoneme isolation - the ability to isolate a single sound from with; do Phoneme
manipulation or the ability to modify, change, or move the individual sounds in a word.; do Phoneme blending - the ability to blend
individual sounds into a word.; and, do Phoneme segmentation or the ability to break a word into individual sounds.
In this sense, Teacher E pronounced:
“Phoneme blending is the ability to hear individual sounds in a word, putting the sounds together and saying the word os made. For
example, these sounds may be said to a student- / sss/,aaa/,nnn/,/d/ and the student will say the word SAND.”
On the other hand, Teacher F disclosed:
“For my part Phoneme Isolation is a strategy that helps students’ phonemic awareness, which is part of phonological awareness. This
involves having students identify specific phoneme in words. (First, middle and last sound). It takes place orally without the written

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word.
For example- Student select picture cards in a pile, say the word aloud and sort into the correct column based on words that have the
same beginning, middle and ending sound.” However, the statistical result implies that the subject respondents were unskilled on
phoneme isolation. Teachers in this aspect must be trained to hear accurately. Think deeply and manipulate the individual sounds in
spoken words.
Phonological awareness refers to the awareness or knowledge of the sound structures in language. It focuses on the ability to hear,
recognize, identify, distinguish, and manipulate individual phonemes, or sounds, in words. It also includes the understanding of the
number of words in a sentence, the number of syllables in a word, and rhyme pairs. Children should be able to recognize words within
a sentence and sounds within a word. This oral practice of literacy instruction is evident using movement or response including
clapping, stomping, tapping, singing, or reciting nursery rhymes.
A full understanding of the spoken word is a critical part of a primary classroom’s learning process. Some children pick it up instantly
while others require more repetitive practice. Phonological awareness is considered the foundation to learn to read, as it is the basis of
the alphabetic principle.
7. Oral Passage Reading. Measures the ability to identify individual words from grade-level text. 50 words are presented. It is timed
to 60 s and is discontinued if none of the words in the first line (i.e., five words) is read correctly. For this aspect, 144 belong Beginning
level;0 for the Developing; and, 2 are Consistent.
Most phonological awareness skills can be taught with some overlap, but the sequence usually moves from larger units of sound to
smaller units of sound, starting with the skills of listening and being attentive to sounds, words, and sentences, and ending with
manipulating or substituting phonemes within words. Syllable awareness is developed toward the beginning of the phonological
awareness sequence of skills (DIME; Ahmed et al., 2016; Cromley, Snyder-Hogan, & Luciw-Dubas, 2010; Oslund, Clemens, Simmons,
& Simmons, 2018; Oslund, Clemens, Simmons, Smith, & Simmons, 2016).
8. Reading Comprehension. Measures the ability to decode individual non-words following common orthographic structure from
grade-level text. 50 non-words are presented. It is timed to 60 s and is discontinued if none of the words in the first line (i.e., five words)
is read correctly. Measures receptive language skills of individual words and phrases related to body parts, common objects, and spatial
relationships. It is untimed and does not have a discontinuation rule. For this aspect, 143 are Beginners; 0 are Developing; and 3 are
Consistent.
Teaching reading comprehension was viewed as a mastery of these skills. Comprehension instruction followed what the study called
mentioning, practicing, and assessing procedure where teachers mentioned a specific skill that students were to apply, had students
practice the skill by completing workbook pages, then assessed them to find out if they could use the skill correctly. Instruction did
little to help students learn how or when to use the skills, nor was is ever established that this particular set of skills enabled
comprehension (DIME; Ahmed et al., 2016; Cromley, Snyder-Hogan, & Luciw-Dubas, 2010; Oslund, Clemens, Simmons, &
Simmons, 2018; Oslund, Clemens, Simmons, Smith, & Simmons, 2016).
The ability to read proficiently is a fundamental skill that affects the learning experiences and school performance of children and
adolescents. Students who are competent readers, as measured by their performance on reading tests, are more likely to perform well
in other subjects, such as math and science. Children who struggle with reading and reading comprehension also often have deficits in
spoken language. Students with reading difficulties are much less likely to be academically engaged.
9. Listening Comprehension. Measures the ability to read a grade-level passage of approximately 60 words. It is scored for accuracy
and rate. It is timed to 60 s and is discontinued if none of the words in the first line (i.e., about 10 words) is read correctly. Measures
receptive language of an orally read passage with both explicit and inferential questions. It is untimed and does not have a
discontinuation rule. Cloze on the other hand, Measures the ability to identify a word among several choices that would complete the
sentence using the correct part of speech. It is untimed and does not have a discontinuation rule. For this aspect, 133 are Beginners; 10
belong to the Developing level; and 3 for the Consistent level.
Reading levels are a well-planned and deliberate pattern of study that has attained a form of consistency on the part of students toward
understanding academic subjects and passing at examinations. Reading levels determine the academic achievements of students to a
great extent. Both reading and academic achievements are interrelated and dependent on each other (Kaefer, Neuman, & Pinkham,
2015). Students often come from different school environments and localities with different levels of academic achievement. Therefore,
they differ in the pattern of reading levels.
While some students have good reading habits, others tend to exhibit poor reading habits. Academic achievement means how much
knowledge the individual has acquired from the school (Bashir & Mattoo, 2012). In this theme, Phonological skill develops in a
predictable progression. This concept is important, as it provides the basis for sequencing teaching tasks from easy to more difficult.
Prerequisite to phonological awareness is basic listening skill; the acquisition of a several-thousand-word vocabulary; the ability to

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imitate and produce basic sentence structures; and the use of language to express needs, react to others, comment on experience, and
understand what others intend. In this regard, Teacher C revealed:
“I usually conduct my class in a more meaningful way by providing them with activity taking into consideration my students as sensory
learners. Hence, to capture their interest, I engaged them to sound and touch the instruments. With these activities their understanding
of syllable will be more enhanced. “
The least percentage of teacher respondents applied skills imply that at times they were inept in teaching syllables in a word. Their
deficiencies were manifested by their lack of repeated exposure to syllables throughout their time in school. With this circumstance,
students must be engaged with fun syllable sort. It has been crucial that they work on themes such are- Back to School, Christmas,
Valentine, Nutrition, Book Month, United Nations, etc.
10. Dictation. Measures the ability to spell and use grammar in a grade-level sentence. Words can be scored for partial representation.
For this aspect, 145 are Beginners; 0 are Developing but only 1 is under Consistent level.
Reading skills, when fully-developed, is not only beneficial in terms of academics, though, as Dolch explains. It can also help in the
improvement of relationships with other people across interests and cultures, as readers come across books that “put on into the life
and feelings and experiences of men and women of all occupations” ((Kaefer, Neuman, & Pinkham, 2015 p.303).
Kindergarten learners who have well-developed phonological skills generally learn to read with more success. These abilities are
important in learning about the language and provide the foundation for learning the sound-print connection. An effective reading
program includes many components, including syllable awareness (Talbert, Parrish, & Elleman, 2016). From the interviews and
observations from the respondents, the Teacher Respondents in developing phonological awareness competency among kindergarten
learners in terms of Recognition of rhyming words Leads to Phonological Awareness.
The challenges encountered by the teacher in teaching phonological awareness
Table 3. Challenges Encountered by the Teacher in Teaching Phonological Awareness
Kindergarten Teachers Responses Emerging Themes
Honestly, several of my learners do not have parental enhancement in their houses. The
KT1
parents are busy, or they are just relying on teachers.
Parents are busy with their respective jobs and they have no time to help their children at
KT2 Parental Indifference
home.
Most of the parents have no skills or know-how in helping their children read at home or
KT3
do their assignments.
The learners have short memory, and this plays a crucial role in sounding of words and
KT4
recall of objects. Lack of student
Learners are so much focused on their gadgets and that makes them lose their interest in Interest
KT5
doing their homework.
I believe some teachers who resort to punishment indirectly push children away from
KT6 learning. I suspect too that fear of strict teachers make learners lose interest in their
studies. Lack of
The teachers are not really making the most of the teaching and learning time with the Professional
KT7
learners. Experience
KT8 Some teachers are not trained in teaching phonological awareness.
Napapansin ko po na natatagalan siyang masabi ang mga salitang may mga magkakasing
KT9
tunog at walang ritmo
Mabagal po ang pagkilala niya sa mga pantig sa isang salita. Marahil nabanggit koi to
KT10 dahil hindi kop o siya maturuan sa kakulangan ko ng karanasang propesyonal sa larangan
Students Unreadiness
ng pagbigkas.
The study of phonological awareness is important for the development of prereading
KT11
skills in young people who are not yet developmentally ready to read.
Absenteeism systemic problem affects the quality of the educational experience. It is a
fact that school attendance is a key foundation of student learning. Moreover, chronic
KT12 absenteeism missing 10% of enrolled school days can seriously undermine the learning
process. In this manner, students’ poor attendance has therefore serious implications for
later outcomes as well. Students Absenteeism
Most of my learners came from the far-flung areas and that impedes them from coming
KT13
to school especially on rainy days.
KT14 Some of the learners are poverty-stricken so that is also a factor from being absent.

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Parental Indifference and Lack of Involvement. Parental involvement in the education of their children is undoubtedly of great
significance in the academic achievement of the student. Uninvolved parenting, sometimes referred to as neglectful parenting, is a style
characterized by a lack of responsiveness to a child's needs. Uninvolved parents make few to no demands of their children and they are
often indifferent, dismissive, or even completely neglectful. During the 1960s, psychologist Diana Baumrind described three different
parenting styles based on her research with preschool-age children: authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive parenting.
In later years, researchers added uninvolved parenting. Baumrind characterized her parenting styles in terms of two key dimensions:
parental responsiveness and parental demandingness. Uninvolved parents are low on both dimensions. They do not respond well to the
needs of their children and provide little affection, support, or love. They also make very few demands on their children. They rarely
set rules and do not offer guidance or expectations for behavior.
As observed by Bryan (2005) it is very likely for students to perform below their potential if parents are not actively involved in their
academic progress. However, despite this problem parents are seen still not to be fully involved in their children’s school activities. As
revealed by Wanat (1992), this problem is mainly a result of lack of time or expertise on the side of the parent.
Based on the reviewed literature there is a significant correlation between parent involvement and student education performance
(Cooper et al, 2000). This is because the involvement of the parents acts as a motivation and inspiration in the side of the students who
in turn work hard and eventually realize better school grades.
Parental involvement in children’s schooling is acknowledged as vital by teachers and decision/policymakers equally. The US
Department of Education, aim is that all schools shall encourage partnership that will raise parent contribution and attachment in
enhancing the social, emotional, and intellectual development in children (Hill, 2001).
Education is not only the task of the educators but also of learners, parents, and the society. Schools alone cannot sufficiently
accomplish helping learners conquer the impediments they encounter every day. Parental involvement declines as students transit from
elementary to middle school level. Several factors explain this decline ranging from financial levels, parent occupation, parent level of
education, surrounding environment, time availability, and school factors (Constantino, 2007).
Several studies have investigated the effects of parent involvement in children’s education and socio-economic role in determination
of parents’ involvement levels, but little has been done to investigate the impacts of lack of parental involvement in children’s
education. This research gives a more thorough look at parental involvement in their children’s education and the impacts the absence
of parental involvement has on children’s academic success.
Academic success can be associated with many factors ranging from the teacher’s factors, the learner’s factors to the parental factors.
Studies have revealed that parent participation in their children’s education both at school and out of school contributes significantly
towards good performance. However, parents don’t always take this responsibility either because of valid reasons such as limited time,
lack of a certain needed level of education, having an unsuccessful history in school (Brink and Chandler, 1993, p. 26; Smith, 1991, p.
700) or even lack interest.
Lack of Professional Experience in Teaching Beginning Reading. Education systems therefore seek to provide teachers with
opportunities for in-service professional development to maintain a high standard of teaching and to retain a high-quality teacher
workforce. As OECD’s comparative review on teachers noted (OECD, 2005): Effective professional development is on-going, includes
training, practice, and feedback, and provides adequate time and follow-up support.
Successful programs involve teachers in learning activities that are similar to ones they will use with their students, and encourage the
development of teachers’ learning communities. There is growing interest in developing schools as learning organizations, and in ways
for teachers to share their expertise and experience more systematically.
The development of teachers beyond their initial training can serve a number of objectives (OECD, 1998), including: • to update
individuals’ knowledge of a subject in light of recent advances in the area; • to update individuals’ skills, attitudes and approaches in
light of the development of new teaching techniques and objectives, new circumstances and new educational research; • to enable
individuals to apply changes made to curricula or other aspects of teaching practice; • to enable schools to develop and apply new
strategies concerning the curriculum and other aspects of teaching practice; • to exchange information and expertise among teachers
and others, e.g. academics, industrialists; and • to help weaker teachers become more effective.
Professional development is defined as activities that develop an individual’s skills, knowledge, expertise and other characteristics as
a teacher.” The definition recognizes that development can be provided in many ways, ranging from the formal to the informal. It can
be made available through external expertise in the form of courses, workshops or formal qualification programs, through collaboration
between schools or teachers across schools (e.g. observational visits to other schools or teacher networks) or within the schools in
which teachers work. In this last case, development can be provided through coaching/mentoring, collaborative planning and teaching,
and the sharing of good practices.

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Students Unreadiness. Readiness is different from ability or intellectual capacity. Readiness is a student’s entry point relative to a
particular concept or skill at a given time. Teachers who are thinking about students' readiness ask themselves, "How ready is this
student, for this task, today?" To differentiate responses to student readiness, a teacher constructs tasks or provides learning choices at
different levels of complexity.
It is important that all students have the same learning targets or goals that they are working toward, that students are matched to tasks
based on some sort of pre-assessment data, and that all groupings are flexible—that is, that students can move to different groups at
different points in time, and that readiness for one concept or skill is not necessarily indicative of readiness for another. Some ways in
which teachers can adjust for readiness include:
Adjusting the degree of difficulty of a task to provide an appropriate level of challenge.; Adding or removing scaffolding such as
teacher or peer coaching, use of manipulatives, or presence or absence of models for a task.; Adjusting the context of the task to make
it more or less familiar based upon students’ prior knowledge.; Creating tiered tasks for students.; and, Varying direct instruction by
individual or small group need.
When differentiating instruction based on student readiness, tasks and learning activities should always be just in advance of each
student’s current level of mastery. That is, teachers should create lessons and learning experiences that are within each student’s zone
of proximal development. When content is presented or tasks are required that are at or below a student’s current mastery level, no
growth will occur.
A similar relationship exists if content or tasks are well above a student’s mastery level—frustration and confusion will result, but no
growth will occur. Students respond to learning within their zone of proximal development because it represents the next logical step
in their ongoing knowledge or skill development.
Teachers, parents, and even students themselves can identify one’s zone of proximal development by knowing one’s current
developmental level related to a concept or task and understanding what concepts or skills will develop next. Asking and answering
questions, administering a pre-test or survey, and conducting careful observations are all ways to help determine the zone of proximal
development for different students/participants. The concepts of scaffolding and tiering clarify how targeting instruction within a
student’s zone of proximal development can promote his/her learning.
Students Absenteeism. Chronic absenteeism is a significant problem in K-12 education. According to the most recent statistics, 7.3
million regular school students were chronically absent over the 2015–16 school year. That number comes out to approximately 15
percent of students nationwide. Moreover, absenteeism is trending the wrong way. There was a 900,000 student increase in chronic
absenteeism compared to the 2021-2022 school year.
Chronic absenteeism is commonly defined as missing 10 percent or more of school days per year, or about 15-18 days, depending on
your state. These absences can be both excused and unexcused. Absenteeism is not to be confused with truancy. Although some people
use the terms interchangeably, truancy is defined as five or more unexcused absences per month or missing ten unexcused days in a
school year. Absenteeism reflects all absences, including those due to truancy, illness, family issues, etc.
Chronic absenteeism is high in early elementary school, decreases for a few years into middle school, and then rises until it peaks
during high school. One in five students in high school is chronically absent nationwide.
Physical health conditions, including asthma, obesity, pain and oral health play a large role in school absence. Additionally, mental
health issues often fuel absences. For example, students with social anxiety have hesitations about going to school because they are
forced to be around peers in social situations. Kids with ADHD and behavioral difficulties often have a very negative experience at
school, which makes them want to stay home.
Similarly, children who are frequently bullied or have a disability may have a highly negative view of school and would rather avoid
it. According to the Brookings Institution, students with disabilities are nearly 1.5 times more likely to be chronically absent than their
peers. This can be the beginning of a vicious cycle: missing school causes several problems which, in turn, causes more school
avoidance.
Children living in poverty are two to three times more likely to be absent than students with a higher socioeconomic status. Unstable
housing arrangements and a lack of sufficient food make school attendance a secondary concern.
Absenteeism in preschool is linked with poorer social skills. The importance of school attendance and the consequences of absenteeism
need to be clearly expressed to students and parents. Communication can be achieved through the student handbook, electronic means
(e.g, the school website, texts, e-mails), written materials, and using face-to-face communication. When a pattern of absences begins
to occur, parents / guardians need to be promptly notified. There are multiple programs across the country that seek to improve parent
involvement. Many of these use home visits to keep parents engaged.
Lack of student interest. Passive learners usually do not have the kind of instrumental motivation and determination to learn English.

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A sample dictionary definition of passive is “accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or
resistance”. Passive learners take in new information and knowledge quietly, but they typically do not engage with the information
they get. This behavior can negatively impact the learning experience.
Passive learners find themselves very uncomfortable when they are forced into self-paced and active learning. Therefore, English
lessons must be fun and rewarding. Teachers should engage passive learners to group work or other strategies to cultivate students’
critical thinking skills. Highly visual aids with interactive lessons that rely less on written text will provide accessible support for such
learners to become critical thinkers.
Critical thinking includes the component skills of analyzing arguments, making inferences using inductive or deductive reasoning. It
involves both cognitive skills and dispositions. Teachers are urged to provide explicit instruction in critical thinking, to teach how to
transfer to new contexts, and to use collaborative learning methods and constructivist approaches that place students at the center of
the learning process.
Proposed Instructional Plan to improve the phonological awareness of Kindergarten learners
An instructional plan is a guide for teaching a course or a lesson. It contains information on the learning objectives, content, activities,
strategies, and assessments. It also addresses the needs and goals of the students, especially those with exceptionalities. An instructional
plan helps teachers to organize and align their teaching methods with the curriculum and the desired outcomes or goals. Educational
goals provide a sense of mission and purpose in teaching. This output of the study is dedicated to all kindergarten teachers to help them
become more aware of their mission and purpose in teaching phonological awareness. The teachers’ ability to articulate goals conveys
to learners a sense of purpose, from which they can make a commitment to learning.
Conclusion
In view of the findings of the study, the following conclusions are advanced:
(1) The level of phonological awareness of kindergarten learners along with the ten components of Early Grades Reading Assessment
(EGRA) such as Orientation to Print; Letter Name Knowledge; Letter Sound Knowledge; Initial Sound Identification; Familiar Word
Reading; Invented Word Reading; Oral Passage Reading; Reading Comprehension; Listening Comprehension; and Dictation is
developing. This means that teacher support is very significant to ensure phonological awareness and reading development for effective
instruction. (2) The challenges encountered by the teacher in teaching phonological awareness Parental Indifference are: a) Lack of
Professional Experience; b) Students unreadiness; c) student absenteeism and Lack of student interest. (3) An Instructional Plan was
proposed to improve the phonological awareness of kindergarten learners.
In the light of the foregoing conclusions, the following are recommended:
(1)The teacher should design ways to uncover the knowledge, skills, interests, attitudes, and beliefs of every learner. Learner-centered
teachers know that students are not blank slates—that a conceptual understanding, or misunderstanding, of a subject, is based on what
they bring with them, including the students’ social and cultural traditions and experiences. (2) Give children time to read. Reading is
a skill, and like many other skills, it takes time to develop. A beginning reader should spend at least 20 minutes a day reading to or
with someone. The books read during this time should be relatively easy for your child. (3) Let them reread the same books. Rereading
the same words over and over again helps build fluency. Over time, you’ll notice that your child will stop less often to decode words.
(4) Encourage attention to the print. If your child is stuck on a word, help him look at the first letter(s) and encourage him to sound it
out. If it’s a difficult word, or one that can’t be sounded out, simply supply the word and continue reading. (5) Take turns reading. By
listening to your fluent reading, your child will hear what good readers sound like. After you’ve read a short passage, ask your child to
reread the same passage. This provides a chance for her to practice reading with expression. (6) Learner-centered teaching encourages
collaboration. It sees classrooms (online or face-to-face) as communities of learners. Learner-centered teachers recognize, and research
consistently confirms, that students can learn from and with each other. (7) Learner-centered teachers work to develop structures that
promote shared commitments to learning. They see learning individually and collectively as the most important goal of any educational
experience. The learner-centered approach is dynamic and personalized. (8) Future researchers may delve into this topic with different
variables.
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Affiliations and Corresponding Information

Eloisa N. Arceo – Elemento

Urdaneta City University – Philippines
Maria Beatriz C. Capinpin
SDO Urdaneta City – Philippines

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