Final answer:
Phonics may not be effective with a student who lacks phonological awareness, as phonemic awareness is the foundation for decoding skill.
Step-by-step explanation:
Phonics may not be effective with a given student if that student's phonological awareness is seriously underdeveloped because phonemic awareness is the foundation for acquiring decoding skill. Phonics is a method of teaching reading and spelling by correlating sounds with letters or groups of letters. It relies on the understanding of phonemic awareness, which is the ability to recognize and manipulate individual sounds in words, in order to decode and read words accurately.