"What are sounds?" – Data on the metaphonological competence of future teachers

Abstract

This study investigates the performance levels of undergraduate and master’s students enrolled in teacher education programs on tasks involving phonological awareness, with the aim of identifying gaps in initial teacher training in the area of Phonology. The sample includes 98 students who responded to an online questionnaire with questions on syllabic and phonemic awareness, phoneme-grapheme correspondence, and explicit phonological knowledge. The results reveal significant limitations in metaphonological knowledge, particularly in the identification of word stress, syllables, sounds, and rhymes, as well as in the explicit justification of phonological phenomena. The responses show an influence of orthography, and a slightly higher performance among master’s students. The findings point to an urgent need to strengthen explicit instruction in Phonology within teacher education.