The paper reports the results of a randomised control trial investigating the use of computer-aided instruction (CAI) for practising phonological awareness skills with beginning readers. Two intervention groups followed the same phonological awareness programme: one group undertook practice exercises using a computer and the other group undertook practice exercises using a paper-based format. A third, control group, experienced a practical maths programme, with no explicit literacy or CAI components. Children in all three groups were pre- and post-tested on phonological skills and their ability to apply those skills. Statistical analysis indicated a significant learning advantage accruing to children in the computer-based group compared with the other groups, particularly in relation to phonological awareness with a modest but significant effect size detected. The advantage was apparent but less strong for the orthographic application of their phonological skills. Analysis by gender indicated that girls in the computer group made more progress than boys.