Ask the Experts: What’s so Magic about Phonemic Awareness?
Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate the unique sounds (phonemes) that form a word. When we speak, sounds naturally fuse together. If you say the word “ship” the /sh/ and the /i/ and the /p/ all blend together. Yet, when children learn to read, they have to develop the ability to hear each of those sounds separately, so that they can connect each sound to its symbol (grapheme). Phonemic awareness is a foundational skill that is a necessary precursor to learning to read.
The human brain is hardwired for spoken language. Our species evolved to become natural storytellers and sensitivities for speech actually begin in utero! However, we are not born with the innate ability to read. Learning to read is an incredibly complex process that requires us to network together multiple areas of our brain, while also forming a new part altogether, the letterbox area. The letterbox recognizes and stores knowledge of alphabet symbols. Information then travels from the letterbox to the areas of the brain that deal with word pronunciation and meaning. If a child cannot hear different sound units within a word, this process quickly stalls out.
Phonemic awareness activities can help children recognize the individual sounds that blend together to make a word. The most impactful phonemic awareness activities for reading development include blending (putting sounds together) and segmenting (take sounds apart). Phonemic awareness becomes most meaningful for reading and writing when letter manipulation is included at the same time. This is recommended for children 4.5+ who already know many of their letter names/sounds.
Language Activities to Bolster Phonological and Phonemic Awareness
(Ages 0-5)
In your child’s earliest years, expose them to a rich and varied vocabulary, one of the strongest predictors of later reading comprehension. Use precise and specific language whenever possible (e.g., instead of “flowers,” say “hollyhock,” “daffodil,” “columbine,” etc.)
Read books and sing songs that feature rhyme and alliteration. This helps children develop their overall phonological awareness, the ability to discern and manipulate spoken sentences, words, and word parts.
Starting around age 3, you can guide children to identify the initial sound in a word. Say the sound, not the letter name. This video walks you through the correct pronunciation of the sounds of the English alphabet.
“I’m thinking of words that start with the sound /p/. Parrot. Poppy. Peanut. Penguin. Parachute.”
“I see something on our walk that starts with /d/. What starts with /d/?” Child: Dog! Dandelion! Daisy!
4. As children show increased sensitivity to sounds (ages 4+), play blending and segmenting games to promote phonemic awareness.
Use between 5 and 10 common objects or pictures. Name each item.
(turtle, doll, sunglasses, heart, shell)
Then say, I’m thinking of something on this rug that has the sounds /sh/e/ll/. What am I thinking of? Child: “Shell!”
A harder variation is to ask, What are the sounds you hear in ship? Child: /sh/e/ll/. Tapping sounds out on their arms or with their fingers can help.
Eventually, you can play this out and about, incorporate more items, and use more complex words. In Montessori, we call this the Sound Game and it’s played every day in the Casa.
5. Around the age of 4.5 or 5, depending on your child’s facility with letter recognition, you can include letter manipulatives (e.g. the Moveable Alphabet) with your phonemic awareness activities. Check out this video to learn how.
Zil Jaeger (they/them) is an experienced Montessori teacher, consultant, and coach, with a passion for literacy and a steadfast commitment to anti-bias, antiracist education. They are trained at the 3-6 and 6-12 ages, with multiple literacy certifications. They believe that classrooms should be spaces of joy, critical engagement, and community-minded learning. An advocate for the science of reading, Zil is devoted to translating the latest research into effective classroom strategies. They love supporting teachers, caregivers, and schools to empower children in their learning. You can learn more at their website or on Instagram.