The BIG SIX: Phonemic Awareness is KEY!

Phonological awareness and phonemic awareness or two very similar terms that I have a tendency to mix up. It helps me to remember that phonological awareness is a longer word because it represents the big umbrella for all skills that relate to the sounds in our spoken language. 

(https://www.therealogreadingtutor.com/blogs/phonological-awareness-the-ultimate-prerequisite-for-reading)

Phonemic awareness is a skill under the phonological awareness umbrella. Phonemic awareness relates to the smallest of our sounds units, the phoneme. The English language consists of 44-46 individual phonemes depending on the dialect. These phonemes are distinguished from each other based on various features describing where and how the sound is pronounced or articulated.

As you can imagine, phonemic awareness is the most advanced skill of phonological awareness. It is also the most important. Multiple studies have found phonemic awareness to be the best predictor of future reading success (G. Reid Lyon (1995), Dr. Sally Shaywitz (2003), Dr. Penny Chiappe (2002)). Phonemic awareness contains multiple skills, below is a brief example of how to teach each of these skills.

Isolating Sounds	What’s the first/last/middle sound in cat? /c/
Identifying Sounds	Which word has the same first sound as car: fan, corn, or map? (corn)
Categorize	Which word does not belong: bus, ball, house? (house)
Blend	What word am I saying? /b/ /i/ /g/ (big) /du/ /g/ (dug)
Segment	How many sounds are in big? (three) Say the sounds in big. /b/ /i/ /g/
Deletion	Say spark. Now say spark without the /s/. (park)
Addition	Say park. Now add /s/ to the beginning of park. (spark)
Substitution	Say mug. Now change /m/ to /r/. What is the new word? (rug)

Similar to the progression of phonological awareness skills, phonemic awareness is taught starting with the least complex skill to the most complex. Below is an example of phonemic awareness skill progression by AIMs Pathways to Proficient Reading.

 

Phonological awareness skills are often taught in the primary grades, however it may be beneficial to provide interventions for students who struggle to identify and manipulate the sounds in spoken language in the upper grades.

Teaching phonological skills are often short lessons or activities. In my intervention groups we call them sound games or sound riddles. They are a great opener to your small group and/or intervention lessons.