Relationship of Urdu Oral Narrative and Phonological Awareness of Typically Developing Children

Abstract

Background: Phonological awareness is essential for early literacy, yet its specific relationship with oral narrative skills and the influence of environmental factors are underexplored in Urdu-speaking children. Objective: This study investigated the association between Urdu oral narrative abilities and phonological awareness in typically developing children aged 5.0–7.11 years and identified the role of demographic and familial predictors in shaping these outcomes. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study recruited 156 children from public and private schools in Lahore, Pakistan, using purposive sampling. Children with average intelligence and normal language development were included; those with neurodevelopmental or medical conditions were excluded. Data were collected through validated oral narrative and phonological awareness assessments, along with detailed demographic questionnaires. Analyses were performed using SPSS, employing Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression to identify significant associations and predictors. Ethical approval was obtained in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration. Results: Oral narrative ability was strongly associated with phonological awareness (r = 0.80, p < 0.001). Key predictors included maternal education, family income, story-listening habits, private school attendance, and academic achievement. Children exposed to enriched linguistic and literacy environments consistently demonstrated higher phonological awareness. Conclusion: Findings support a robust, theory-driven model wherein oral narrative and phonological awareness co-develop under the influence of stage theory, auditory processing, ecological, and emergent literacy frameworks. Early exposure to storytelling and literacy-rich activities fosters both skills, offering actionable insights for assessment, intervention, and curriculum planning across clinical, educational, and policy domains.