How to teach phonemic awareness?
Phonemic awareness is a critical early literacy skill that allows children to learn to read. As teachers, we play a vital role in developing phonemic awareness in young students. In this article, we will provide comprehensive, research-backed methods for teaching phonemic awareness effectively.
What is phonemic awareness?
Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify, isolate and manipulate the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. It is an auditory skill that children need to develop before learning to read.
Phonemic awareness enables children to:
- Recognize words that rhyme (cat, bat)
- Clap out syllables in words (ba-by, e-le-phant)
- Blend sounds together to form words (/c/ /a/ /t/ = cat)
- Segment words into individual sounds (dog = /d/ /o/ /g/)
- Manipulate sounds by adding, deleting or substituting phonemes (bat becomes brat by substituting /r/ for /b/)
Strong phonemic awareness skills in kindergarten and early grades provide the foundation for learning to decode print later on.
Why teach phonemic awareness?
- Phonemic awareness is the best predictor of future reading success. Children who enter school with strong skills read more fluently.
- It facilitates decoding and spelling. When children understand that words are made up of sounds, they can sound out and spell new words.
- Phonemic awareness instruction significantly improves children’s word reading and reading comprehension. It is effective for children at risk of reading difficulties.
- Teaching phonemic awareness helps narrow achievement gaps for disadvantaged students. It enables effective literacy instruction for English language learners.
In short, strong phonemic awareness is absolutely vital for learning to read proficiently. As teachers, honing this skill in students should be a top priority.
When to teach phonemic awareness
Experts recommend introducing phonemic awareness instruction in preschool and kindergarten before children learn to read. Continue reinforcement in 1st and 2nd grades.
The ideal window for teaching phonemic awareness is ages 3-7. However, struggling older readers can still benefit from targeted instruction.
Ideally, lessons should be brief (15-20 mins daily) and engaging. Focus on one or two key skills per lesson. Build up difficulty gradually over time.
How to teach phonemic awareness effectively
Follow these research-based tips to teach phonemic awareness successfully:
1. Start with easier skills
Young children find it easier to recognize and produce rhymes and alliterate sounds. E.g. identifying words that start with /b/ sound.
Progress to blending and segmenting 2-3 phoneme words like c-a-t. Manipulating sounds is most challenging.
2. Use engaging, interactive activities
Props, puppets, songs, movement, and games make lessons fun. Manipulatives like tokens help isolate sounds.
3. Take it step-by-step
Isolate and blend continuous sounds like /m/ first. Then, move to stop sounds like /t/. Finally, teach consonant blends like /st/.
4. Give ample practice opportunities
Lots of repetition trains the ear and engrains skills. Scaffold support, then gradually remove it.
5. Address multiple literacy goals
Teach letter names/sounds, introduce new vocabulary, and model reading strategies along with phonemic instruction.
6. Monitor and assess regularly
Check for understanding during lessons. Re-teach skills if needed. Give quick assessments to identify children needing more help.
7. Make it multisensory
Saying, seeing, writing and manipulating letters adds kinesthetic reinforcement.
8. Embed in daily routines
Practice phoneme skills during transitions. Blend sounds to form classmates’ names at roll call.
9. Collaborate with families
Send home rhyming games and books. Post videos modeling lessons to help families support learning.
Effective phonemic awareness activities
Here are some engaging phonemic awareness activities to try:
- Rhyming: Read rhyming books. Sing rhyming songs. Do nursery rhymes with fingerplays. Play rhyming bingo.
- Alliteration: Use puppets or props for tongue twisters. Sort objects by first sound (buckets for things starting with /b/).
- Blending/Segmenting: Use Elkonin boxes with tokens to blend/segment sounds. Play Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes replacing sounds.
- Isolating sounds: Students stand when they hear target sound in words. Play “What’s Missing?” by saying a word, then removing a sound.
- Manipulating sounds: Change consonants or vowels to make new words. Play ‘Silly Name Game’.
- Writing/Drawing sounds: Write letters for sounds heard. Color code phonemes. Draw pictures representing phonemes.
With engaging, systematic and differentiated instruction, we can ensure all students develop this vital early reading skill. Consistent assessment allows us to provide scaffolds and interventions when needed. Strong phonemic awareness provides the foundation for literacy success.
Conclusion
Phonemic awareness – the ability to identify and manipulate the distinct sounds in words – is an essential precursor to reading proficiency. As teachers, fostering strong phonemic awareness through developmentally-appropriate, research-backed instruction in the early grades is one of our most important responsibilities. Lessons should focus on simpler skills first, like rhyming and isolating initial sounds, before tackling more advanced phoneme manipulation. Interactive games, songs, movement and props build engagement and motivation. We must provide students with ample, multisensory practice to train their ears and engrain skills. By taking a comprehensive approach, assessing regularly, and collaborating with families, we can ensure all children gain the phonemic awareness needed to become confident, skilled readers.
FAQs about Teaching Phonemic Awareness
Q1: What are some good phonemic awareness games?
A: Fun phonemic awareness games include: rhyming bingo, head-shoulder-knees-toes with sound substitution, blending puzzles, sound sorting with manipulatives, sound dominoes, and Elkonin boxes to blend and segment sounds.
Q2: How can I involve parents in teaching phonemic awareness?
A: Send home rhyming word games and books to read, along with a note explaining their importance. Share videos of phonemic awareness lessons so families can practice skills. Explain activities they can do, like making sound effects for stories.
Q3: What if a student is struggling with phonemic awareness concepts?
A: Work in small groups to reteach skills using multisensory strategies. Provide extra practice through one-on-one activities and support. Arrange a follow-up assessment to see if interventions are working. If difficulties persist, consider an evaluation for reading disabilities.
Q4: Is phonemic awareness the same as phonics?
A: Phonemic awareness involves hearing and manipulating sounds in spoken language. Phonics connects sounds to written letters. Students need phonemic awareness before learning phonics and decoding print.
Q5: How do I make phonemic awareness lessons fun and engaging?
A: Use puppets, props, songs, chants, movement, and stories to pique interest. Turn activities into games by adding elements of play and friendly competition. Incorporate phonemic skills into transitions and daily routines to provide natural practice opportunities.
