Final Draft IJWC Fall 2022 copy


 

 

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International Journal of the Whole Child                                         
2022, VOL. 7, NO. 2            

                                                                       
Implementing Phonological Awareness in Saudi Arabia Kindergartens 
 
Riham Alsultana 
 
aPrince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University 
 
Riham Alsultan is a lecturer at Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University in the Early Childhood 
Education department. She has worked as a kindergarten teacher at the Kingdom American 
International School in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh. Alsultan currently is pursuing her doctorate in 
Early Childhood Education at University of Alabama at Birmingham. Alsultan’s interests 
research areas focus on literacy in early childhood, children’s literature, development reading, 
policy and practice in early literacy.  
 
Abstract  
 
Phonological awareness (PA) is a word that has recently gained currency in the field of early 
literacy instruction. There is a large corpus of research on how to teach PA to young language 
learners. In spite of these relevant data, there is a dearth of literacy information on PA in Arabic, 
especially targeting Saudi students. The focus of this discussion is to describe how to introduce 
phonological awareness activities into the curriculum to benefit kindergarten-aged Arabic 
speakers in Saudi Arabia. In addition, this research review describes PA abilities and the 
significance of rhymes, rhythms, and syllables. Finally, this paper will also provide examples 
illustrating how Saudi teachers may use the holistic language theory (i.e., whole language 
approach) to implement PA through the use of games, songs, and storyboards comprised of 
rhymes, rhythms, and syllables. The implications suggest PA is essential for young Saudi 
learners’ mastery of reading, speaking, and learning Arabic. 
 
Keywords: Arabic phonological awareness, rhythm, syllables, rhymes, kindergarten students, 
Whole Language Theory, Saudi Arabia literacy skills.  

 
Background 
 
A strong oral tradition serves as the foundation of children’s reading and writing abilities 
(Almehrizi et al., 2020). Phonological awareness (PA) promotes oral heritage and emphasizes 
the need of providing children with powerful oral experiences. A strong PA foundation is 
especially significant in the early years of schooling and this importance cannot be overstated. 
PA is crucial because it equips students with the linguistic foundation essential to read and write 
fluently. A child's phonological awareness is a basic skill for learning to read. As a result, 
fostering phonological awareness in young children can help with developing reading 
proficiency. Literacy development requires a solid understanding of phonology since written 



 

 

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words are identical to their spoken equivalents. The capacities to read or to transform spoken 
words into written ones depend on the reader's familiarity with the spoken sounds represented by 
individual letters and by letter combinations (spelling). For long-term retention, listening to 
speech is essential for learning letter-sound relationships, combining sounds to interpret words, 
and "mapping" words onto a visual lexicon.  
 
The four stages in the growth of phonological awareness include: phoneme, onset-rime, syllable, 
and word recognition (Ehri, 2022). Understanding the importance of phonological awareness is 
congruent with the goals of education; the focus is on improving upon students' linguistic 
proficiency by developing their phonological awareness. Research into enhancing students' 
phonological awareness is particularly useful in ensuring positive growth among primary school 
students (Antonio & Santillan, 2020; Peng et al., 2022). Not only is literacy development 
supported by phonemic awareness, but according to Antonio and Santillan (2020), a stronger 
sense of self-worth results from children’s ability to talk, read, and write which phonological 
awareness facilitates.  
 
Throughout the Arab world, the reading skills of Arabic students become a matter of concern for 
educators and parents (Shendy, 2019). In order to impact their students' reading levels, teachers 
understand the potential of phonological awareness through the delivery of high-quality reading 
instruction, which includes the use of PA. Current research focuses on the importance of 
developing phonological awareness and phoneme separation in young Arabic speakers 
(Almehrizi et al., 2020; Asadi & Abu-Rabia, 2019; Layes et al., 2019).  
 
Some of the Arabic findings describe how detecting the beginning sound of a word and spotting 
rhyme oddity were significantly simpler for youngsters to do than phoneme segmentation and 
deletion of syllables in Arabic words. The results from Arabic studies are corroborated by those 
from data of the English language, showing that longer syllables remain easier to learn compared 
to shorter ones. For example, the word ‘BANANA’ is relatively easier for children to learn as 
compared to ‘VERY’ even though it has a longer number of syllables. 
 
Issues surrounding PA become even more difficult for Arabic speaking kindergarten children in 
Saudi Arabia. According to (Shendy, 2019), Arabic is a dialect that is defined by diglossia, 
which renders a challenge for beginning readers. The term "diglossia" describes a situation in 
which two distinct forms of the same dialect coexist within a given speech community. 
Typically, one variety is the prestigious form of the literary language, while the other is the 
everyday language used by the majority of the people. There is a significant linguistic difference 
between the two forms of the language. This disparity makes it difficult for new learners to grasp 
certain components of the language such as writing, reading, vocabulary and most importantly, 
PA (Shendy, 2019). As a consequence of diglossia, implementing phonological awareness 
among kindergarten students in Saudi Arabia remains a challenge.  
 
Thus, this discussion explores the importance of phonological awareness and how to teach PA 
through the use of rhythm, rhyme, and syllables in Saudi Arabia. According to holistic language 
theory, classrooms represent places where each student is regarded as a unique individual; 
teachers and students both actively participate in the learning process (Clay, 2015; Doyle, 2018; 
Morrow, 2011; Piaget, 1950; Sriastuti & Masing, 2022). Many advocates of holistic 



 

 

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language learning argue fluency in a dialect develops organically in the course of daily life. The 
use of rhythm, rhymes and syllables provide this natural learning context (Sayakhan & Bradley, 
2019). The Whole Language approach also supports the use of rhythm, rhymes and syllables in 
implementing phonological awareness and is an example of holistic language and literacy 
learning (Geekie et al., 1999; Goodman, 1997, 2014; Turbill & Cambourne, 1998). 
 
Targeted questions 
 
The following questions constitute the particular inquiry to which this discussion responds. 
These questions remain crucial to a systematic review of the literature and aid in providing 
kindergarten teachers with strategies for best PA classroom practices.  

• What is phonological awareness? 
• How can one use phonological awareness in Saudi kindergarten classrooms, specifically  

in the Arabic language? 
• What are phonological awareness skills? 

 
Rationale  
 
This discussion supports the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Education and Saudi Arabian teachers in 
implementing phonological awareness in kindergarten. Despite the abundance of instruments 
testing phonological awareness in other languages, there remains a paucity of research 
concerning how to implement PA in Arabic, the native language of almost 401 million people. 
Teaching how to speak a language begins with building, growing, and strengthening the learner's 
sound system before introducing other aspects of the language such as letters.  Consequently, the 
primary objective of teachers working with young children in the early stages of language 
development is to enable students to actively manage the various sounds of the language by 
rhyming, merging, segmenting, inserting, and removing syllables. Successful teachers of Arabic 
with young children in Saudi demonstrate the ability to effectively employ phonetic awareness 
strategies to support children’s emerging reading and spelling proficiency. 
 
What is Phonological Awareness? 
 
Many people believe that decoding phonemes is the first step in the reading process. However, 
children become reading-ready well before they have a firm grasp on the idea that letters 
represent sounds. Learning phonological awareness is the first step in developing a fluent lexicon 
or word list (Ciesielski & Creaghead, 2020). The capacity to detect and alter the spoken 
components of words and phrases is what we refer to as phonological awareness. Some examples 
of such abilities include recognizing rhyming words, playing with alliteration, breaking down a 
phrase into component parts, distinguishing syllables, and mixing and splitting onset-rimes. 
Phonemic awareness is the highest level, yet it is also the one that takes the longest to develop. 
Phonemic awareness is the capacity to recognize, consider, and manipulate independent 
sounds (phonemes) of spoken words (Ehri, 2022). This includes activities such as fusing sounds 
together to form new words, breaking down words into their component sounds, and omitting 
and rearranging linguistic elements. 
 



 

 

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Phonological awareness (PA) is a sequence of abilities that progress across time and remain 
essential for both spelling and reading proficiency given that they are fundamental for learning to 
interpret and pronounce written words (Antonio & Santillan, 2020). Phonological Awareness 
(PA) becomes extremely important during the first few years of school, particularly in 
kindergarten. This method of language acquisition, along with other forms of linguistic 
development such as stories, rhymes, and songs, is typically incorporated into the curriculum of 
early childhood settings on a daily basis. Children will eventually develop the ability to generate 
rhythms on their own. Additionally, they learn to break phrases into their component sounds, and 
then, into their syllables. PA is an understanding that can be quickly and easily attained by the 
majority of children.  
 
Before starting kindergarten, approximately 75% of children have already developed strong pre-
reading and pre-writing skills (Dimova et al., 2020). However, the 25% of children across all 
demographics who demonstrate difficulty mastering these skills require explicit instruction in 
order to improve their ability to do so. Students who demonstrate a strong understanding of 
phonology are significantly more likely to develop into proficient readers, whereas students who 
do not evidence this level of understanding indicate greater difficulty with the reading process 
(Dimova et al., 2020). 
 
Literacy outcomes may be predicted with greater accuracy with PA than with other factors such 
as intelligence, socioeconomic background, and vocabulary awareness (Ciesielski & Creaghead, 
2020). Children who struggle with PA may have a reading disability such as dyslexia. Children 
who have dyslexia may benefit from specialized instruction in phonemic awareness and word-
building (Dimova et al., 2020). Many children who struggle to read later in life might benefit 
greatly from more explicit instruction in PA during these developmental years. PA training assists 
with problematic decoders of any grade, particularly those who show signs of difficulty mixing or 
segregating phonemes (Dimova et al., 2020). 
 
How Can One Use Phonological Awareness in Saudi Kindergarten Classrooms, specifically 
in the Arabic Language? 
 
Several ways exist to use or implement phonological awareness in Arabic speaking Saudi 
kindergartens. The holistic learning theory (Geekie et al., 1997; Goodman, 1997, 2014; Turbill & 
Cambourne, 1998) is recommended to Saudi teachers when implementing PA while teaching the 
language of Arabic to kindergarteners. In the whole language approach (Goodman, 1997, 2014; 
Turbill & Cambourne, 1998), language is not learned by rehearsing its individual elements; 
rather, real-life and relevant use and application are recommended (Riyanton et al., 2021). Many 
who advocate for the whole language approach to learning PA stress the importance of the term 
"natural" in regard to delivering the concept (Geekie et al., 1997; Goodman, 1997, 2014; Turbill 
& Cambourne, 1998). Literacy, in their view, is learned in a similar way as spoken language 
(Geekie et al., 1997; Goodman, 1997, 2014; Turbill & Cambourne, 1998). Those who support 
the use of holistic learning theory believe it is most effective when classroom instruction 
reinforces organic interactions and mastery of the native tongue. Educators highlight students’ 
achievements while, at the same time, document students’ expanding progress in literacy skills. 
Holistic language educators believe learning is a communal activity from which all children may 



 

 

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benefit (Riyanton et al., 2021). Additionally, teachers consider themselves similar to their 
students as they also continue to learn. 
 
Borrowing from the theoretical frameworks of whole language theory (Geekie et al., 1997; 
Goodman, 1997, 2014; Turbill & Cambourne, 1998), PA can be used in Saudi kindergarten 
classrooms through the use of natural concepts relatable to the children. Examples include the 
use of storyboards, rhythms, and rhymes (Ehri, 2022). For example, young readers learn best 
through images and other visuals. Storyboards are a group of pictures that tell a short story. 
Storyboards promote children’s PA development as educators devise a wide range of visually 
engaging pictures. Rhyming songs such as “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” or “Baa, Baa, Black 
Sheep” help children identify syllabic patterns in words (Morrow, 2011). Poetry, such as 
“Humpty Dumpty,” introduces children not only to language but also to rhyme as well.  
 
Holistic learning affords flexibility and creativity in the classroom. Teachers can create rhyming 
songs and poetry. It is important the songs be sung in Arabic and also be fun and rich with Saudi 
culture. When the kindergarten children recite these songs, they naturally construct phonological 
awareness as the whole language theory describes (Geekie et al., 1997; Goodman, 1997, 2014). 
When teaching youngsters Arabic in Saudi Arabia, games involving clapping along with the 
"rhythm" helps with syllable identification. Encouraging children to jump or bounce on each 
syllable also invites participation. 
 
What Are Phonological Awareness Skills? 
 
Phonological awareness refers to a wide range of skills and understandings about the building 
blocks of language and the phonetic symbols that comprise words (Almehrizi et al., 2020). It 
seems sensible to start with phonological awareness practices and conclude with phonemic 
awareness. Phonemic aware students can separate out particular sounds in speech, mix and 
combine them, and manipulate them in various ways. Phonological awareness is honed and 
refined to become phonemic awareness. It is simpler to retain new information if it can be related 
to what the student already knows. In order to develop phonological awareness, it is important 
for students to focus on the relationship between written letters and their corresponding 
phonemes. When children become able to "sound out" each word using only the letters they see, 
they are well on their way to becoming proficient readers. If a particular student attains this 
understanding of self-awareness, they indicate a solid starting point for developing their reading 
and vocabulary comprehension. The primary skills within an understanding of phonological 
awareness include: syllabification, onset-rime, rhymes, and alliteration, and phonemic 
awareness. 
 
i. Onset-rime 
 
There are two elements to an onset rime. An onset is the first audible sound in a word that is 
made when a word is spoken out loud. When the beginning is taken out of a word, what's left is 
called the rime. Onset-rime segmentation refers to the process of dividing the phrase into its 
constituent parts. The letter "A" in the word "Akbar" serves as the onset, while the letters "bar" 
serves as the rime. Understanding word families through onset and rime instruction provides a 
solid groundwork for beginning readers. It is critical for students to comprehend onset and rime 



 

 

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as they read in order to effectively decode words. If children can learn to read with the aid of 
chunking and blending, comprehending what they read will become easier if it is also embedded 
within the context of using “meaning” to guide their reading endeavors; reading is the act of 
“making meaning” not simply the act of decoding words (Geekie et al.,1997; Goodman, 1997, 
2014; Turbill & Cambourne, 1998). 
 
ii. Syllabification 
 
The ability to syllabify means that one is able to count the number of syllables contained in a 
word while spoken aloud. In order to assist students in remembering the syllables that make the 
word, teachers instruct children to "clap out" after each syllable of a word as it is spoken aloud. 
Combining syllables, as well as adding, removing, and replacing them, are all part of the process 
of syllabification. This is in addition to the process of breaking down words into their individual 
syllables. Reading fluency and spelling accuracy are both impacted by students' ability to 
decipher words quickly, which can be facilitated by teaching students how to break words down 
into syllables. Teaching students how to break words down into syllables can help students 
improve their reading fluency and spelling accuracy (Wells, 2019). 
 
iii. Rhymes and Alliteration 
 
In order to develop phonological awareness, the first and most important step is to learn to 
recognize phonological patterns. Some examples of these patterns include word combinations that 
rhyme or share an ending. Alliteration, on the other hand, is the term used to describe a situation 
in which two or more words share the same beginning sound. Take, for instance, the words 'CAT,' 
'CART,' and 'KHAT.' Reading to children and listening to them recite well-known nursery rhymes 
and fairytales is an excellent way to demonstrate the efficacy of the strategy of using repetition of 
simple sounds to help develop phonological awareness in children (Sayakhan & Bradley, 2019). 
 
iv. Phonemic Awareness 

 
The two concepts, phonemic awareness and phonological awareness, frequently become 
confused. Understanding phonemes, the smallest component of speech (Duncan, 2018), is the 
focus of phonemic awareness. Understanding the phonetics of language is a process that occurs 
in several steps. It all begins with the child learning to identify one sound among all the others in 
a word. After this initial step, children begin combining distinct phonemes into a unified whole. 
Assuming mastery of the prerequisite skills, the student will be able to alter phonemes. Students 
can create new words by modifying existing ones by adding, removing, or exchanging their 
sounds. Typically, the first two years of school are devoted to teaching students skills for 
phonemic awareness (mostly first grade and kindergarten). Rhyming, sound matching, and word 
mixing are some of the common types of simple oral activities in which kindergarteners 
participate. During the first grade, students participate in activities that require a higher level of 
phonemic awareness. These activities place an emphasis on the blending of sounds, such as 
mixing sounds like "bbb-aaaa-dddd," or separating the sounds contained within a word. It also 
involves rearranging phonemes, such as changing the sound that comes at the beginning of a 
word to another. All of these are instances of manipulating phonemes. For example, in the word 



 

 

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‘BANANA,’ children can isolate the first sound /B/ and add sounds /A/ and /D/ to it to come up 
with the word ‘BAD.’ 
 
Conclusion 
 
This discussion describes implications for future research and practice as it sheds light on the 
attitudes, beliefs, and practices of Arabic language kindergarten school teachers with respect to 
PA. Contributing to the expanding body of literature analyzing the implementation of PA on 
Saudi kindergarten readers' proficiency in Arabic, this discussion provides significant and 
practical relevance for fostering the necessary PA skills in order for teachers to support students' 
literacy levels in Arabic. In particular, the content stresses the need to continuously educate and 
train Arabic language instructors in the field of PA.  
 
Additionally, this review highlights the need for Arabic education to prioritize providing teachers 
with the time and flexibility to individualize students' unique learning styles by including more 
holistic learning experiences that build students' competency in PA abilities. Finally, it is 
important to create Arabic-language PA assessment tools through an understanding of holistic 
learning theory; then, teachers can monitor and support each child’s PA development. 
Assessments include observations, individual conferences, anecdotal notes, and portfolios. In 
contrast with traditional forms, these assessments serve to collect a range of individual and 
relevant data to support children’s ongoing literacy development. In congruence with the natural 
context of PA within holistic learning theory, it is critical assessments as well be relevant, 
natural, and holistic.   

 
         
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 



 

 

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