This Topical Bibliography and Commentary examines recent studies on phonological awareness, finding the evidence conclusive that teaching phonological awareness to young children greatly facilitates the reading process. Researchers have studied problems children experience in reading for many years. The focus of research during the 1990s has been early detection of readers who are considered at-risk. The significance placed on early detection has led researchers to study the impact phonological awareness has on young children in their early reading activities. Smith defines phonological awareness as "sensitivity to sound structure of language and a conscious ability to detect, combine, and manipulate different sizes of sound units." To accurately understand phonological awareness, it is important to understand the difference between phonics and phonemic awareness--phonemic awareness places emphasis on oral language, while phonics places emphasis on written language but does not exclude the oral. (Contains 2 Internet addresses and 15 references.) (NKA)