What is Phonemic Awareness?
Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate sounds (phonemes) that make up words. Phonemic awareness does not utilize visual letters. It is done completely through listening and speaking. These skills get stronger through repeated exposure and practice.
What are skills to help my child start?
- Recognize (hear) rhyming words
- “Clap out” syllables in words (U-ni-corn)
- Blend two words to form a compound word. (“foot” and “ball” make “football”)
- Tap/clap and count words in a sentence
