Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) Practice Test

What role does phonological awareness play in literacy?

1. It encourages reading fluency.

2. It aids in recognizing smaller language units.

3. It is primarily focused on writing skills.

4. It is unrelated to reading comprehension.

The correct answer is: It aids in recognizing smaller language units.

Phonological awareness plays a crucial role in literacy by helping children recognize smaller language units, such as sounds (phonemes), syllables, onsets, and rimes. This awareness is foundational for developing reading and spelling skills because it allows children to break down words into their constituent sounds and manipulate these sounds to form new words. For example, a child who can identify the individual sounds in a word is better equipped to decode that word when reading or to write it correctly. This foundational skill supports the learning of phonics, where children learn the relationship between sounds and letters. As children become more proficient in recognizing these smaller units of sound, they are also better prepared to tackle more complex literacy tasks, such as reading fluently and comprehending texts. By developing phonological awareness, educators can help students strengthen their overall literacy skills. The other options do not accurately represent the primary function of phonological awareness in literacy. While phonological awareness can contribute indirectly to reading fluency, its main purpose is to support the recognition of smaller sound units. It is not primarily focused on writing skills, nor is it unrelated to reading comprehension; instead, it is a crucial building block for both.