Which cognitive skill is primarily targeted in phonemic awareness training?

Phonemic awareness training specifically focuses on the cognitive skill of hearing, identifying, and manipulating sounds. This skill is foundational to reading development since it involves the ability to recognize that words are composed of individual sounds or phonemes. Through phonemic awareness activities, students learn how to break down words into their individual sounds, blend sounds to form words, and manipulate sounds within words. This training is crucial for developing decoding skills, which directly influence a child's ability to read fluently and comprehend text. By honing this skill, students are better prepared to connect letters and sounds during reading, making it a vital component of early literacy education.