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Let's begin with the basics - a phoneme.  "A phoneme is the smallest unit of sound in a word.  For example, the word cat is made up of three phonemes (or three sounds): /c/ /a/ and /t/ (Learns, nd)."  From this we move into what phonemic awareness means.  Phonemic awareness is having the knowledge that words consist of different combinations of phonemes.  These phonemes are combined fluidly to make words.  Phonemic awareness is the knowledge of individual sounds in words in isolation as well as combining the sounds to fluidly making words.  It is the ability to put the sounds together to build words and to break the sounds apart into single sounds.  Having the ability to go back and forth between building words and breaking words into sounds fluidly is the biggest part of phonemic awareness (Learns, nd).  Phonemic awareness is an auditory task that students can do with their eyes closed (Semingson, 2014).  Another part of phonemic awareness that is important that should not be left out is rhyming (Johnson, 2017).  In a nutshell, "phonemic awareness it the ability to hear sounds in words, manipulate sounds, break words into sounds parts, and rhyme (Johnson, 2017)." Students that do well with phonemic awareness have an early exposure to words and text or print (Johnson, 2017).

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Phonemic Awareness Reading Reinforcement 

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Phonemic Awareness Reading Reinforcement 

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Playdoh Smash is easy and engaging phonemic awareness reading reinforcement.  This would be used for Kindergarten students which, as suggested in the video by Johnson, most students should have phonemic awareness criteria met by 1st grade unless extra intervention or ELL support is needed, so this is a perfect Kindergarten phonemic awareness activity.  Roll three small balls of Playdoh up as seen above in the picture.  Then students smash with their finger each individual sound per Playdoh ball (CVC word) for the word you are working on.  Repeat by rolling back up and doing another word.  This reinforcement supports writing because it is a building block to learning to spell words.  Later students will begin to write words in this same way by tapping and spelling words.  Tapping the sound on their finger and writing the sound down.  Then tapping the next sound and writing it.  Doing for each sound in their CVC word - same process, but tapping words.  This exact activity could be used smash and then write as well.  Students will hear the sounds and write the words.  This activity could be found I'm sure on TPT and teachable teacher, but a colleague shared with me.

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                                                                                    Phonics                                                                                                                    

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                                                                                    Phonics                                                                                                                    

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"Phonics is the relationship between a specific letter and its sound, only as it relates to the written word (Learn, nd)."  Tying the sounds and letters together.  If a child doesn't know how to read a word, he/she can focus on the individual sound knowledge of the written word as they are reading it to figure the word out.  Same applies for writing a word.  If a child doesn't know how to write a word, they can sound the word out and isolate the sound to write each sound and write to break the word apart and write it out (Learn, nd).  "An early phonics learner often achieves a close approximation of correct spelling rather than complete accuracy (Learner, nd)."  Students learn irregular sounds and spellings of sounds in phonics including digraphs, vowel teams, and much more.  Students learn sight words in phonics instruction as well due to irregular spellings of sight words (Semingson, 2014).  In a nutshell, "phonics is the letter sound association (Johnson, 2017) or mapping speech onto print.  Readers learn the alphabetic principle or that letters represent specific sounds (Semingson, 2014)."

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                                                                                    Phonics Reading Reinforcement                                                    

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                                                                                    Phonics Reading Reinforcement                                                    

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Building words is a wonderful reading reinforcement for phonics.  Students have letter tiles.  You give them a word, and they say the sounds (making a connection to that phonemic reinforcement of Playdoh smash).  They pull the sounds down one sound at a time to make a CVC word saying the sound as they pull the sound down.  After pulling the sound down, they check it by saying the sounds again slowly without stopping between the sound linking the sounds back together, so they hear the word again (building that word).  They are taking the word apart, building it, and putting it back together again.  Have them say the word fast/read it, so they hear the word as a whole word.  This is a wonderful reading reinforcement for reading words.  This is terrific as a writing support because students are seeing how to build those words one sound at a time.  This is so easy to add the step of writing the word and show them how to write the word one letter at a time just like they built it one letter at a time.  This activity I got from our research based reading program Fundations.

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                                                                                    Fluency                                                                                             

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                                                                                    Fluency                                                                                             

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"Fluency is the ability to read text accurately and smoothly. When fluent readers read aloud, their expression, intonation, and pacing sound natural — much like speaking. This does not mean that fluent readers never make mistakes. Fluency develops from reading practice (Learns, nd.)".   "It includes the rate at which the reads.  measured in terms of words per minute (Semingson, 2014)."  Fluency is developed through repetition and frequent practice.  When readers become fluent they develop more understanding and comprehension of the words they are reading because they spend less time decoding the words they are reading.  Practice can happen in many forms for students:  repeat readings, re-reading, choral or chant reading, unison reading, listening to modeled reading, listening to audiobooks, and independent reading with high success rates (Learner, nd).  In short, "fluency is helping to develop the ability to process text automatically, automaticity (Johnson, 2017)."

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An early primary fluency reading reinforcement is repeated chant reading.  Students hear a modeled fluent reading and repeat it chanting out loud practicing correct fluency.  I also am sure to have them watch the words they are reading and point to the words both the time I read them as a model and the chant reading that they read.  This is allowing them to practice fluency and see the words they are reading for the sight words we have practiced.  They are working on those and for some of my readers this is adding in some new vocabulary and sight words for their toolboxes.  This is a wonderful successful way for all students to practice fluency.  This reinforcement supports writing by seeing the words and adding the print to their vocabulary.  The modeling and sight word practice helps them with their writing of those sight words as well.  You could add an extension with a writing with a sight word from the text, too.

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Word Power - Understanding and Knowledge

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                                                                             Vocabulary                                                                                                               

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                                                                             Vocabulary                                                                                                               

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Vocabulary is understanding that words on the page correspond with words that are being spoke to us in our everyday life.  Understanding and learning to both read and know what new words in text mean is what expanding vocabulary is all about.  Students need vocabulary to be taught both direct and indirect.  Sometimes, it needs to be taught in explicit lessons throughout the day where it is necessary for the comprehension of the word and text.  While other times, it can be indirectly taught through listening and speaking to those around (Learns, nd).  Vocabulary is our "word knowledge (Johnson, 2017)."

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Vocabulary boxes/maps are a reading reinforcement that are a direct instruction reinforcement that help students understand and add new vocabulary to their list of words they know and understand.  In these boxes/maps, they write their words and make them in and artistic way to help them remember how to spell/write them.  They rely on their foundation of phonemic awareness and phonics to write the words.  Then, students use a dictionary to find the word and its meaning as well as read the word in a sentence and use context clues to see if the meaning matches.  Before writing down a definition, students and the class come up with a student friendly definition of the word, so they can actually remember what the word means.  Next, students draw a picture and act out the word.  Another way to personalize the meaning for the students.  Then, students make their own sentence using the word.  This process allows them to not only read the word, actually use writing as a reinforcement in learning as well.  I love that this reinforcement uses both reading and writing reinforcement hand in hand from the start to finish.

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                                                                     Comprehension                                                                    

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                                                                     Comprehension                                                                    

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"Text comprehension is the interaction that happens between reader and text. More than merely decoding words on a page, comprehension is the intentional thinking process that occurs as we read — it’s what reading is all about (Learner, nd)!"  "Comprehension is understanding what is read (Semingson, 2014)."  There are many strategies that good readers do when they read to help ensure they are actively thinking, reading, and comprehending the text they are reading:  monitoring comprehension, using prior knowledge, predicting, questioning, recognizing story structure, and summarizing(Learn, nd).  "Monitoring comprehension is when a reader knows when they understand the text and when they do not understand it (Learn, nd)."  Catching themselves when they do not understand it and finding other strategies to help them.  Using prior knowledge about the text to make connections and better understand what they are reading.  By making predictions throughout the text, students make connections with the text and with the information they want to get out of the text.  There are many story structures that students use to assists them with comprehension:  setting, plot, characters, theme, main idea, etc.  Through summarizing the text, students are wrapping up the main idea from all the ideas they find in the text helping them sort through all the information to the main points (Learner, nd).  The gist of comprehension is "how to create meaning within text (Johnson, 2017)."

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Focusing on one comprehension reading reinforcement at a time in Kindergarten is the best strategy because these are new concepts for them.  We will work on setting one day.  We will define setting as place and time.  Repeat that several times with them, so they understand that.  I will read an example for short story for them modeling and finding the setting showing them how to find the setting.  Then, I will read one where we will find the setting together, and I will draw it on the board and label.  Then I will read a short story to them, and have them draw a picture of the setting in their journals.  We will then share out the setting and check and discuss it together to be sure they understand.  We will practice this for a week with several stories until they understand.  Setting will spiral around again.  Student will connect to setting with a reinforcement in writing.  In their journals during writing, they will pick a character to draw, and then we will pick a setting for them to put their character in.  We will discuss several settings they could chose.  I will model on the board with a character I chose and a setting I pick to help them brainstorm.

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Fundations: Wilson Language. (2021). Wilson Language Training Corporation.

Johnson, D. A. (2017, October 7). National    Reading Panel and the 5 Pillars of Reading Instruct [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czLo0fD7k7Q

Learns. (n.d.). The National Reading Panel:        Five Components of Reading Instruction Frequently Asked Questions. Http://Www.Learninglandscape.Com/National_Reading_Panel_Reading_Instruction_FAQ.Pdf. Retrieved September 26, 2021, from http://www.learninglandscape.com/National_Reading_Panel_Reading_Instruction_FAQ.pdf

Semingson, P. (2014, May 9). Overview of the “Big Five” of Reading: Phonemic Awareness and More [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCGXhIjvE1Y