Phonological Awareness

One of the best predictors of reading success is phonemic awareness.  Phonemes are basic speech sounds that are represented by the letters of the alphabet. Phonemic awareness is the understanding that words are a sequence of phonemes.  Children can learn to blend individual  phonemes to make words as well as segment and manipulate the sounds in words.  Phonemic awareness activities are crucial in the kindergarten year to help children who are not equipped with this skill.  
    Most children gain an awareness through early interactions with their families and environments, however, approximately 20% of children will need additional and more explicit instruction. Engaging and fun activities like nursery rhymes, poems, interactive writing, chants, shared reading, and other specially designed activities are helpful in promoting  phonological awareness. Click on the links below for theoretical background and ideas to promote phonemic awareness.