# data[].attributes.body
"Phonemic awareness is an important skill for children who are getting ready to learn to read, or for those who are struggling to get the hang of basic reading" (Wise, 2022).

# data[].attributes.body
1. Clapping it out: Identify syllables in simple spoken words by clapping each syllable. Students use their hands to take turns clapping out the syllables in their names and other words.

2. Guess-That-Word: Lay out a few items or words using alphabet letters in front of the child. The child has to guess the name of the item or word before the teacher finishes saying the word.

Differentiation: Pictures can be used instead of words for lower level readers. Hands-on activities and writing activities are included for differentiated instruction.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Letter Sorting: Three different letters of the alphabet will be cut out from print resources . The children will identify the target letters and sort them out on a sorting letter worksheet using glue.

2. ABC Book: During story time, an ABC book will be read to the class. The teacher will name and point out each letter. The students will repeat the names of the letters.

Differentiation: Provide activities that will have different outcomes for different students. For example, providing a picture sort worksheet for the students to glue pictures that do and do not begin with the letter.

# data[].attributes.body
"I Spy": Pick words with easy-to-hear beginning sounds such as soap or and brush. For example, find an item on sight and say "I spy something "color" that starts with the "letter " sound.

# data[].attributes.body
Read Expressively: Vary the pitch of your voice throughout the story to make it fun, make sound effects, and different face expressions.

# data[].attributes.body
1. Color in the beginning sounds: On the worksheet, the children will color in the words that start with the matching sound.

2. Letter formation using play dough: Using play doh, we create letters and spell words such as their names.

Differentiation: "Begin with a very simple, plain alphabet font like Zaner Bloser. As children become more familiar with letter shapes, progress to different fonts that may present letters slightly differently. For example, consider how the letters /a/, /g/, /t/ appear in different fonts" (Reading Rockets, n.d.).

# data[].attributes.body
1. I Spy: We spot an object in the classroom and describe the object briefly to the class. The children look around and guess what the object is. The children will have a turn if they want to spy something.

2. A squirrel climbs: Choose an animal, person, or object (e.g. a squirrel). Every child will have a turn to think of something that a squirrel does and will take turns choosing words.

Differentiation: Provide clues or pictures to differentiate. The teacher can provide an answer for the students who are unable to answer and have the children repeat after the teacher.

# data[].attributes.body
1."Simon says": It is a listening game that tells the children what to do or how to act. For example, Simon says, touch your toes. This is a fun game to play on the rug so that everyone has space to participate in the listening game.

2. Dramatic Play: The lead teacher and teacher assistant take on imaginary roles and perform for the class. For example, the teachers use puppets to tell a story to the class.

Differentiation: Allow children to participate if they wish to take on imaginary roles and tell their own story. Taking turns, every child gets a chance to tell the class what to do for "Simon says".

# data[].attributes.body
"One of the most effective ways to help children become readers and writers is to show them through your own example that you value literacy - and that reading and writing have useful purposes" (North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, n.d.). The resources provides videos of different strategies that parents can use to practice reading to their child at home. Reading expressively to any child is so much fun!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
What is Fluency?

Reading fluency refers to the ability to read text accurately and automatically so that one understands what is being read. ( Definition from University of Oregon)

In pre-k, fluency is observing and listening to adults read aloud and model fluent reading. Pre-k children are developing early reading behaviors and are not expected to be reading words independently at this stage.

What Does it Look Like?

How can reading behaviors be supported?

What does it look like to model fluency?

Practice Activities

Model Reading Fluency: Use the following tips for Reading With Expression

Read expressively: talk the way the story's characters would talk; make sound effects and funny faces; and vary the pitch of your voice throughout the story to make it more interesting.

Expressively reread when you notice words like "shouted", "cried" or "laughed".

Expressively reread when you notice punctuation such as ! and ?.

Enjoy the time reading together! Do not rush.

Watch Reading Fluency.

ABC Books: Read ABC books to the child. Take time to name and point to each letter. Have the child repeat the name of letters. Read the books several times and notice the number of letters the child can identify increase!

ABC Cookie Cutters: Use letter shaped cookie cutters with play dough and/or cookie dough. Take time to name and point to each letter. Have the child repeat the name of letters.

Letters Everywhere: Name letters on signs, license plates, and more when you are riding in the car or taking a walk! Watch Letters Everywhere.

Be a Role Model: Don't forget to be a reader and writer yourself. One of the most effective ways to help children become readers and writers is to show them through your own example that you value literacy - and that reading and writing have useful purposes. Keep books and writing materials in the home, and talk about what you are doing when you read and write.

Practice Activities (with Printables)
If you don't have a printer, your child's school will print these for you.
Letter Sorting: Sort letters using magazines, empty boxes, junk mail, and more. This activity is written for teachers, but can be easily adapted for use at home. Letter Sorting

Pick and Write: Pick, name, and write letters with the Letter Tree activity. This activity is written for teachers, but can be easily adapted for use at home. Pick and Write

Play to Read: Use a subset of the NC Office of Early Learning Play to Read with a Caregiver resource to focus on letter naming. Print 4 slides per page for cards on the go! Play to Read: Letter Knowledge

Online Activities

Models of Fluent Reading: This resource provides opportunities to see illustrations and listen to books read fluently.

Naming Letters While Moving: This capital letter video and this lowercase video make learning fun by activating the child's brain through song and movement.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Reading fluency refers to the ability to read text accurately and automatically so that one understands what is being read. ( Definition from University of Oregon) In pre-k, fluency is observing and listening to adults read aloud and model fluent reading.

# data[].attributes.body
This resource will meet the reading needs of young learners with and without exceptionalities because it provides many strategies and tools that can be practiced with children on different levels at home. The at-home activity, "I Spy", can be done by using books with pictures or simple handouts.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Phonemic awareness is an important skill to teach kids who are getting ready to learn to read or who are struggling to get the hang of basic reading. Phonemic awareness is an understanding of phonemes and how they work together to create words.

Phonemes are the smallest units of sound that can be differentiated in a word. For instance in the word "cat," the phonemes are the "c" sound, the "short a" sound, and the "t" sound. A child who possesses phonemic awareness can segment sounds in words (for example, pronounce just the first sound heard in the word cat) and blend strings of isolated sounds together to form recognizable word forms.
Side Note: I am aware that phonemic awareness is not the only approach to teach reading or the best approach for every child. Some children never develop an understanding of how letters make certain sounds or how those sounds blend together to make whole words. Some children who read, learn through memorization of word shape, order of letters, etc. However, research indicates that early teaching of phonemic awareness before actual reading is introduced, and explicit instruction in phonemic awareness for children who are struggling to get the basics, is highly beneficial and can actually prevent reading problems down the road. If phonemic awareness training is not working, we naturally try other approaches.
What is the difference between phonemic awareness and phonics?
Phonemic awareness is an understanding about spoken language. Children who are phonemically aware can hear the word (b - a - t) said in three separate sounds and tell you it is bat. They can tell you all the sounds in the spoken word dog. They can tell you that, if you take the last sound off cart, you would have car.

Phonics, on the other hand, is knowing the relation between specific, printed letters (including combinations of letters) and specific, spoken sounds. You are asking children to show their phonics knowledge when you ask them which letter makes the first sound in bat or dog or the last sound in car or cart.

Recent longitudinal studies on reading have demonstrated that the acquisition of phonemic awareness is highly predictive of success in learning to read, and to decode (i.e., sound out a word, blend it together to figure it out) in particular. If children understand that words can be divided into individual phonemes and that phonemes can be blended into words, they are able to use letter-sound knowledge to read and build words. To read more about phonemic awareness and how it relates to reading acquisition see Phonemic Awareness and the Teaching of Reading A Position Statement from the Board of Directors of the International Reading Association.

Below are helpful strategies for teaching phonemic awareness.
1-Show printed material to your child and talk about the sounds and structure of the words:

Research suggests that the greatest impact on phonemic awareness is achieved when there is interaction with print, along with paying specific attention to phonemes, sound/word structure. Seeing the words, hearing the sounds, and studying the structure with a coach (parent, teachers, etc.) allows them to make the connection between what they see and hear, a crucial skill for reading. It is also helpful to point to each letter and say each sound.

2 - Play letter games/phoneme substitution games:
Research shows that letter/sound games help develop phonemic awareness. Here are some game ideas:

Take turns thinking of a word. Have the adult and child work together to say each sound in the word. Write down the word (adult or child) and say each sound individually pointing to the letter(s) that make that sound.

Pick a word and take turns switching the first sound in the word to see how it changes the word or switch the last sound to see how it changes the word and sound (e.g., turn cat into bat or pop into pod).

Put letters on index cards (e.g., give your child a, t, and c and ask them to arrange them into cat, and talk about each sound-you can do this with a variety of words-rat, pot, bed, mat, etc.).

Play a rhyming game. Take turns thinking of words that rhyme with cat, dog, big, etc. Look at the words, talk about the structure and what makes them rhyme.

Play the song lyric game by changing a phoneme in a song to see how it changes the meaning of the lyrics. For example, "Pop Goes the Weasel" could be changed to "Hop Goes the Weasel." After changing the lyrics talk about how changing a phoneme gives the song a different meaning.

Related Article: 10 Fun Activities to Teach Your Child Letter Sounds 3 - Use auditory, visual, tactile (touch), and kenisthetic (movement) representations of sounds to teach phonemic awareness:
Many successful training studies include concrete representations of sounds to help children understand how to manipulate sounds in a word (e.g., Ball & Blachman, 1991). For instance, auditory cues are in play when children are asked to clap the number of syllables they hear in a spoken word. (Let's clap the sounds in cat!)

Or you could use visual/tactile cues like blocks or chips to represent each sound in a word (e.g., writing each sound or letter on each chip and seeing how you could manipulate the chips to change the words or letters). How about making letters out of play-doh and using those letters to create words, switch sounds around, etc.).

Kinesthetic cues are used when children jump as they repeat sounds, say a rhyming word, or say each sound in a word. How about using your body to make letters (give me a C, give me an A, give me a T!).

Model for your child how to clap the sounds or syllables in a word, jump while saying letter sounds, or use play-doh or blocks to manipulate or change words around.

4 - Provide Early Writing Activities:
Research also indicates that early writing activities are helpful for developing phonemic awareness. Let your child guess how to spell words. If they are correct, talk about why. If they are incorrect, provide guidance on what letters need to be changed and why.

If they can't write letters yet, have them tell you what letters they think would make up a word, or use play-doh, magnetic letters, blocks or the computer to make words. Show your child how to take your thoughts and put them on paper. Use simple sentences like "I am hungry" or "I love cats!" I also love using dry erase boards for writing practice!

5 - Practice at Home Before School Starts (if you didn't do this it is okay-just start practicing now):
Research shows that children who are frequently exposed to print and phonemic awareness activities at home prior to starting school have higher levels of phonemic awareness. Parents can model phonemic awareness by reading aloud to their children, talking about the spelling, structure, and sounds in a word; showing their child how to write a word while saying the sounds; or leading games that incorporate letter and language play. Give your children opportunities to practice early reading skills by talking, singing, rhyming, and playing guessing games.

We also know that many kids love the IPAD and do well with fun, interactive computerized games! A great app to practice phonemic awareness is Kindergarten Reading,Tracing, and Spelling-Learn to Read First Words School Adventure!
Keep Your Cool
Remember to always stay calm when working with a child or student, even if you think they should be getting something that they are not getting. If you get frustrated with them, they may start to feel anxious, angry, inferior, stupid, etc. which will lead to a less productive learning session. Keep practice sessions short (5 to 10 minutes for younger children or children who get easily frustrated and 10 to 15 minutes for older children or children who can work for longer periods without frustration), unless the child is eager to keep going. For suggestions on ways to encourage children to complete tasks or activities they do not want to do, read 3 Ways to Use Timers to Encourage Homework and Chore Completion and How to Use Schedules to Improve Children's Behavior.
Video Presentation
Do you teach phonemic awareness? What strategies do you like to use?
Thank you for visiting educationandbehavior.com. We are a free resource for parents/caregivers, educators, and counselors. Browse our topics/categories from the navigation bar above! Receive our updates on Facebook.
You might also like these articles: Recommended Tools for Teaching Phonemic Awareness

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Fun Research-Based Reading Strategies to Teach Phonemic Awareness: An Early Reading Skill

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Phonemic awareness is an important skill to teach kids who are getting ready to learn to read or who are struggling to get the hang of basic reading. Phonemic awareness is an understanding of phonemes and how they work together to create words. Phonemes are the smallest units of sound that can be differentiated in a word.

# data[].attributes.body
Make letters: Make letters with your child using different types of materials like paint, sticks, sand, and play dough.

# data[].attributes.body
Categories: Choose a category (fruit, clothes, vegetables, etc). Taking turns, add a word each to create a long string of words that belong in the category.

# data[].attributes.body
Story Sequencing: Pick and read a short story and include picture cards (you can print out picture cards that relate to the story). After reading the story, let the child retell the story by putting the picture cards in order (beginning, middle, and end).

# data[].attributes.body
This resource shares information for parents on how to practice phonics with kids at home that support their understanding in this component. The hands-on activity provides a variety of options for kids to chose from to do the activity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How to Practice Phonics With Kids at Home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Support your child’s reading success at home with these 6 tips on how to teach phonics to kids.

# data[].attributes.body
This resource shares different ways for parents to help their children enhance their vocabulary by using movement, having conversations, involving your child in activities, and using art. The activity can also be a hands-on activity using objects for children who do not understand the words yet.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Building vocabulary is key to helping children make sense of the words they are reading. Learning new words starts when babies are born and continues throughout life. A strong vocabulary helps to increase a child's chance for academic success.

Below you will find 9 tips families can use at home to build a young reader's vocabulary.

Have Conversations

Talk with your child every day. By talking and listening, your child will build oral language and vocabulary.

Example: Talk about your child's school day. Ask her to describe the highs and lows of her day at school. Prompt her to explain details of what happened, how she felt, and the ways her classmates or teacher reacted.

Involve Your Child

Cooking, gardening, or other activities around the house provide opportunities for children to learn new vocabulary words.

Example: If your child is helping make cookies, you can introduce cooking terms (measure, cups, teaspoons, etc.) while showing him what the words mean.

Use Big Words

You don't always have to use "easy" words when speaking with your child. Show him there are different, fancier ways of saying words he already knows.

Example: Descriptive words such as "heartbroken" and "upset" can be used in place of the word "sad."

Go for a Walk

The great outdoors provide many opportunities for children to discover and learn. Going for a simple walk around your neighborhood can help your child learn and use new words.

Example: Point out different vehicles you might see. You can discuss types of cars, different sizes (mini, large, humongous), or the purpose of each type of vehicle (delivery vehicle, bus, ambulance, family vehicle).

Talk About Books

While reading with your child, make sure to discuss the story.

Example: Use a variety of words to describe characters or events from the story. If your child comes to a new word, talk about the meaning and try to explain it in a way your child can understand.

Tell Stories

Telling stories is an engaging way to get your child talking and asking questions, which is also strengthening her vocabulary.

Example: Tell your child about when you were young. Talk about trips you might have taken or how school might have been different when you were young.

Sorting and Grouping Objects

By putting objects in groups, children can learn new words that label the category. You also can discuss the ways in which items in the groups are similar or different. Toys are great for sorting and grouping.

Example: Ask your child to group a set of toys by color. Next, ask him to arrange the toys by size. Other examples include sorting clothing for the laundry or items in your recycling bin. Ask what the items have in common, what he would name the groups, and how he would tell the groups apart.

Keep Track of New Words

Help your child be aware of learning new words, by keeping track of them at home.

Example: One way to keep track of words is to keep a running list of them. You might do this by creating a word wall at home. Simply write new words on index cards and display them on a wall in your home where you are likely to see them often and be reminded to use them when talking with your child.

Make Meaning of Words through Art

Use drawing, painting, or acting to help your child learn new words.

Example: Have your child create a drawing to represent a new word she has learned. Also, have your child act out the meaning of the word. These are fun ways to help your child remember new words.

Building vocabulary is critical to your child's reading success. You can use these 9 tips to help your child learn new words in fun and easy ways.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
9 Tips to Build Your Child's Vocabulary at Home

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Building vocabulary is key to helping children make sense of the words they are reading. Learning new words starts when babies are born and continues throughout life. A strong vocabulary helps to increase a child's chance for academic success. Below you will find 9 tips families can use at home to build a young reader's vocabulary.

# data[].attributes.body
The resource provides sections that share what parents can do if they feel that their child is needs additional help. Every child loves to listen to books so it is a great way to make it as an every day activity and discuss the sequence of the story, as an alternative.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Comprehension is the understanding and interpretation of what is read. To be able to accurately understand written material, children need to be able to (1) decode what they read; (2) make connections between what they read and what they already know; and (3) think deeply about what they have read.

One big part of comprehension is having a sufficient vocabulary, or knowing the meanings of enough words. Readers who have strong comprehension are able to draw conclusions about what they read - what is important, what is a fact, what caused an event to happen, which characters are funny. Thus comprehension involves combining reading with thinking and reasoning.

Target the Problem: Comprehension

What the problem looks like

A kid's perspective: What this feels like to me

Children will usually express their frustration and difficulties in a general way, with statements like "I hate reading!" or "This is stupid!". But if they could, this is how kids might describe how comprehension difficulties in particular affect their reading:

It takes me so long to read something. It's hard to follow along with everything going on.

I didn't really get what that book was about.

Why did that character do that? I just don't get it!

I'm not sure what the most important parts of the book were.

I couldn't really create an image in my head of what was going on.

A parent's perspective: What I see at home

Here are some clues for parents that a child may have problems with comprehension:

She's not able to summarize a passage or a book.

He might be able to tell you what happened in a story, but can't explain why events went the way they did.

She can't explain what a character's thoughts or feelings might have been.

He doesn't link events in a book to similar events from another book or from real life.

A teacher's perspective: What I see in the classroom

Here are some clues for teachers that a student may have problems with comprehension:

He seems to focus on the "wrong" aspect of a passage; for example, he concentrates so much on the details that the main idea is lost.

She can tell the outcome of a story, but cannot explain why things turned out that way.

He does not go behind what is presented in a book to think about what might happen next or why characters took the action they did.

She brings up irrelevant information when trying to relate a passage to something in her own life.

He seems to have a weak vocabulary.

She cannot tell the clear, logical sequence of events in a story.

He does not pick out the key facts from informational text.

He cannot give you a "picture" of what's going on in a written passage; for example, what the characters look like or details of where the story takes place.

How to help

With the help of parents and teachers, kids can learn strategies to cope with comprehension problems that affect his or her reading. Below are some tips and specific things to do.

What kids can do to help themselves

Use outlines, maps, and notes when you read.

Make flash cards of key terms you might want to remember.

Read stories or passages in short sections and make sure you know what happened before you continue reading.

Ask yourself, "Does this make sense?" If it doesn't, reread the part that didn't make sense.

Read with a buddy. Stop every page or so and take turns summarizing what you've read.

Ask a parent or teacher to preview a book with you before you read it on your own.

As you read, try to form mental pictures or images that match the story.

What parents can do to help at home

Hold a conversation and discuss what your child has read. Ask your child probing questions about the book and connect the events to his or her own life. For example, say "I wonder why that girl did that?" or "How do you think he felt? Why?" and "So, what lesson can we learn here?".

Help your child make connections between what he or she reads and similar experiences he has felt, saw in a movie, or read in another book.

Help your child monitor his or her understanding. Teach her to continually ask herself whether she understands what she's reading.

Help your child go back to the text to support his or her answers.

Discuss the meanings of unknown words, both those he reads and those he hears.

Read material in short sections, making sure your child understands each step of the way.

Discuss what your child has learned from reading informational text such as a science or social studies book.

What teachers can do to help at school

As students read, ask them open-ended questions such as "Why did things happen that way?" or "What is the author trying to do here?" and "Why is this somewhat confusing?".

Teach students the structure of different types of reading material. For instance, narrative texts usually have a problem, a highpoint of action, and a resolution to the problem. Informational texts may describe, compare and contrast, or present a sequence of events.

Discuss the meaning of words as you go through the text. Target a few words for deeper teaching, really probing what those words mean and how they can be used.

Teach note-taking skills and summarizing strategies.

Use graphic organizers that help students break information down and keep tack of what they read.

Encourage students to use and revisit targeted vocabulary words.

Teach students to monitor their own understanding. Show them how, for example, to ask themselves "What's unclear here?" or "What information am I missing?" and "What else should the author be telling me?".

Teach children how to make predictions and how to summarize.

More information

Find out more about comprehension issues with these resources from Reading Rockets, The Access Center, and LD OnLine:

Other recommended links:

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Comprehension is the understanding and interpretation of what is read. To be able to accurately understand written material, children need to be able to (1) decode what they read; (2) make connections between what they read and what they already know; and (3) think deeply about what they have read.