Definition
This is the first and most basic of the principles of reading. Each distinct sound that we make when we read is considered a phoneme. The sounds in the work rat are /r/ /a/ /t/ rrr aaa (short a) tttt. Phonemic awareness is the ability to decipher or discriminate between these sounds. This skill is necessary for students to learn to read by using phonetic structuring.
Students that are phonemically aware are able to isolate, identify, categorize, blend, segment, delete, add and substitute phonemes (Ellery, 2005). Phonemic awareness is so important that "A student's awareness of phonemes has been shown through extensive research to hold singular predictive power, accounting for as much as 50% of the difference in their reading proficiency at the end of first grade" (Ellery, p. 23, 2005).
Teaching Phonemic Awareness
Some students are strong in auditory skills and can pick up the subtle differences in words. Other children struggle when learning to differentiate between different sounds in words. Many will confuse /b/ with /v/ for example. The sounds of short /i/ and /e/ are very similar and must be heard repeatedly in the classroom. The most important technique that can be used in a classroom to help students with phonemic awareness is language. Classroom need to have a lot of auditory language sources in the classroom. Clear crisp music with words and sounds, audio books, toys that talk, reading aloud by teachers, parents, students of all grades, community leaders and especially administrators. When a principal takes the time to read to a class, they learn that they are important and that reading is important. Video record people reading poems, rhymes, books, letters, and jokes and make them available to play again and again. Just make sure that their copyright has expired.
Use Rhyme
Consistently have student use rhyme in the classroom. Start at calendar time. Today is Monday. Can anyone think of a word that rhymes with Mon? Do not discredit nonsense words if they rhyme. Simply state what they are and that it does rhyme. Tell rhymes and read books with rhymes. Show students how to change a letter or two and make a new word from the old. Use cute slides with the ending sound permanent on one side and a sliding strip that changes the first one or two consonants. Here is an example at abc teach.com http://www.abcteach.com/directory/childhood/reading/word_slides/ . Here are some more ideas for using rhymes from the book Creating Strategic Readers, Techniques for Developing Competency in Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension by Valerie Ellery.
Teacher Questioning
Does your rhyming word at the end of the sentence make sense? Why or Why not?How do you know that your words rhyme?
Draw what rhymes with _____. How did you know what to draw?
How are these two words alike?
What sounds do you hear at the end of these two words: ____ and ____?
What part of the word makes the rhyme?
Do rhymes always have to make sense? Explain your answer.
Say a word that sounds like _____
Which two words rhyme? (choose from 3) Why did you pick these two words?
Techniques
Use a rhyming jar : This is an early to emergent reading level activity. You will need a jar, rhyming sentences on strips of paper, chart paper. Write rhyming sentences on strips of paper; leaving out the final rhyming word. ( Example: I have a new cat. I will name him ____). Place strips in jar. Every day, pull a strip from the jar and read it aloud, emphasizing the first rhyming word. by whispering it. This first word becomes the rhyme of the day. Do not read the rhyming word at the end of the sentence. Have students work in pairs to generate rhyming words to complete the sentence. Questions for students can include #1 above. Have the students act throughout the day as detectives looking for other oral and written words that rhyme with the word of the day. Questions can include #2 above. Add the discovered rhyming words to a posted class-generated list. Adaptations: (1) Categorize large lists. (2) Have students create the rhyming sentence strips to place in the jar (Ellery, 2005).
Websites for Phonemic Awareness Activities
Link | |
Reading Resource.net | |
Patti's Electronic Classroom | |
Phonological Awareness. org | |
Free Reading - An open source free reading intervention program | |
Scholastic Teacher (#3 is an assessment that is for more advanced students | |
LD Online (Great in-depth article about phonemic awareness) | |
The EFL Playhouse | |
Core Knowledge | |
Literature for Literacy Tele-collaborative Project | |
The National Core Knowledge® Coordinator of Colorado | |
In the Classroom - Phoneme Segmentation | |
Phonemic Activities for the Preschool or Elementary Classroom | |
Phonemic Songs PBS | |
Sask Ed's Phonemic Awareness Activities | |
Sound Muncher Songs and Ideas | |
Phonemic Awareness Assessment | |
Starfall Movie for /sh/ | |
Starfall Movie for /wh/ | |
Starfall Movie for /th/ | |
Starfall Movie for /ch/ | |
Elmo Rhymes | |
Reggie the Rhyming Rhino | |
starfall sounds | |
Phonemic Awareness Activities for the Classroom | |
Phonemic Awareness Cards | |
Internet 4 Classrooms | |
IDEAS AND ACTIVITIES FOR DEVELOPING PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS SKILLS | |
How Now Brown Cow- Reading Rockets | |
Building Phonemic Awareness With Phoneme Isolation (Lesson Plan) | |
A Rhyme a week | |
Song that Build Phonemic awareness (pay site) | |
Tongue Twisters | |
Clifford Interactive sound game | |
George Mason University – Literacy at home and school | |
List of Interactive sites for whiteboard use | |
COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY RESOURCE FOR KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS (Great Resource for Learning about phonemic awareness) | |
Early Literacy- Phonemic Awareness | |
Mr. Wee and Boo – Phonemic Awareness activities | |
Phonemic Awareness is Child’s Play Young Children on the Web Article |
About Worksheets
Phonemic awareness cannot be measures with a worksheet. Students learn to compensate and visualize the difference between sounds but they may not be able to discriminate auditorily. Some worksheets may be able to be converted into activities that will work if the instructions are recorded on a tape recorder and the student hears the sound as part of the activity. Students who seem to be struggling more than most may have a learning disability or a slight hearing disorder. If you feel this is possible, speak with the supervisor over you to see what the procedures are to refer the child for disability testing as well as a hearing specialist.
Some Great Teacher Reference Books
Ellery, Valerie (2005) Creating Strategic Readers, Techniques for Developing Competency in Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension. International Reading Association, Inc.
ISBN – 0-87207-561-3
This book is a great resource for teaching beginning reading. Each Technique has a description of its purpose, level, ELL technique (yes or no), Multiple Intelligence, and Materials. It includes assessments, activities, instruction, and resource pages for students and teachers.
Spalding, R. (1986). The Writing Road to Reading. Quill, William Marrow. ISBN – 0-688-06634-8
If you are not familiar with phonics, this book will teach you all you need to know and more. Phonics are broken down into rules, teaching spelling and phonic rules in a writing based curriculum. Even if you do not use it to teach, it is a great reference for understanding phonics and spelling rules.
