# data[].attributes.body
By Sara Gomez

Phonemic Awareness: Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and manipulate the smallest sounds in spoken words, which are called phonemes. It’s part of phonological awareness, which includes rhyming, blending, and segmenting (Reading Rockets, n.d.). It involves listening and working with sounds orally, serving as a foundation for connecting sounds to letters later in reading (Early Literacy CI5823, n.d.).

Importance of the skill: Phonemic awareness is critical for early reading because it helps children connect spoken sounds to written letters. “Children who cannot hear and work with the phonemes of spoken words will have a difficult time learning how to relate these phonemes to letters when they see them in written words” (Reading Rockets, n.d., para. 3). Strong phonemic awareness supports reading fluency, spelling, and comprehension.

Example of the skill in action: During a kindergarten lesson, the teacher says the sounds /d/–/o/–/g/ and asks, “What word is this?” The student replies “dog,” showing blending skills. Such activities help children “manipulate sounds through rhyming, blending, segmenting, and substituting” (95 Percent Group, n.d.).

# data[].attributes.body
Milestone 1: Recognizing and blending phonemes to form simple words.

What it looks like when achieved: The child can listen to /c/–/a/–/t/ and say “cat.” According to the Early Literacy CI5823 resource, “Blending and segmenting are the first key indicators that a child is developing phonemic awareness” (Early Literacy CI5823, n.d., para. 4).

Milestone 2: Manipulating phonemes by adding, deleting, or substituting sounds.

What it looks like when achieved: The child can remove the /s/ in “sat” to make “at” or replace /m/ with /r/ in “man” to make “ran.” This level of manipulation demonstrates mastery of advanced phonemic awareness (Reading Rockets, n.d.).

# data[].attributes.body
Print Concept: Print concepts are the basic ideas about how print works and why it is important. They help children prepare to read and write by showing them how print is organized and used in everyday things, such as books, signs, and letters. Learning these skills builds a strong base for future reading and writing. (Print Concepts, 2025)

Importance of the skill: Print concepts help children understand how written language works. They teach that print has meaning, that we read from left to right and top to bottom, and that words are made up of letters. When children learn these ideas early, they are better prepared to become strong readers and writers.

Example of the skill in action: During a read-aloud, the teacher points to words while reading, asks students where to start, and talks about parts of the book like the title. Students might also help turn pages or point to the print they see in the classroom. These activities give children clear, hands-on practice with print concepts.

# data[].attributes.body
Phonological Awareness:

The ability to hear and work with the sound structures of the spoken language, making it a primarily auditory skill. This includes mastering skills such as syllable counting, rhyming, onset-rime, and segmenting words into sounds. Under the umbrella of phonological awareness, there is phonemic awareness. Under this section there are crucial skill such as blending, segmenting, isolation, addition, deletion, and substitution (Anthony & Francis, 2005).

Importance of Skill:

The importance of this skill is it teaches children how to hear and work the sound structures of the spoken language. Having these skills are crucial for children to understand the alphabet and letter sounds, along with decoding words (Anthony & Francis, 2005).

Example of the Skill in Action:

Phonological awareness is shown when students listen to and work with the sounds of spoken words. For example, when a teacher says, “Let’s clap the parts of the word banana,” and students clap three times while saying ba-na-na, they show they can hear and separate syllables. Similarly, recognizing rhyming words like cat and hat or blending sounds like /s/ /u/ /n/ to say “sun” demonstrates phonological awareness. These activities build a strong foundation for reading and spelling by helping students understand how sounds form words.

# data[].attributes.body
Milestone 1: Students understand how print works, including directionality and spacing.

What it looks like when achieved: Students track text from left to right and top to bottom, turn pages in order, point to individual words while reading, and recognize spaces between words (Shanahan, 2023).

Milestone 2:Children understand that print carries meaning, not the pictures.

What it looks like when achieved: Students point to or talk about the printed words during shared reading, explain what the words say, or focus on the text when asked questions about the story (Shanahan, 2023).

# data[].attributes.body
Milestone 1 expected age/grade: Children usually start to understand how print works around ages 3 to 5, in preschool. By kindergarten, most kids can follow basic print rules.

Milestone 2 expected age/grade: By kindergarten, most children understand that the words on a page carry meaning, not just the pictures

Support from research: Research shows that many preschoolers, ages three to five, begin to understand important print ideas. They may know some letters, recognize the front and back of a book, and understand that the words are read, not the pictures. Children learn these skills faster if they are read to often by parents or teachers (Typical Reading Development, 2025).

# data[].attributes.body
Assessment tool: The Concepts of Print Assessment is an Evidence-based tool used to check how well children understand print concepts (Concepts of Print Assessment, 2025).

How it measures progress: During the assessment, the child is given a book and asked to show a letter, a word, or a sentence, point to the front or back, show spaces between words, and name the title. The assessor watches if the child can follow words from left to right, hold the book correctly, and understand that words, not pictures, are read. The child’s answers are recorded, and progress is measured by how many print concepts they can do correctly.

# data[].attributes.body
Skill being taught: Following print from left to right, knowing that words tell the story, and practicing sounds in words (phonemic awareness).

Step-by-step description of implementation: The teacher reads a simple book and points to each word, showing the left to right direction. The teacher says, “I am reading the words, not the pictures.” Students practice by counting the words in a line, clapping for each word, and identifying sounds in words. They also practice with signs, labels, and short sentence strips. Over time, students do it on their own.

How it supports learning/mastery: This helps children understand print direction, see that words carry meaning, and hear sounds in words. It connects spoken and written words and builds skills for reading independently (Michigan's Mission: Literacy, 2025)

# data[].attributes.body
Letter Naming: Letter naming is the ability to look at a letter and say its name out loud. This skill involves recognizing both uppercase and lowercase letters and being able to recall the names of each one quickly. It works by helping children connect what they see (the letter shape) to what they say (the letter name). Through repeated practice and exposure, children begin to recognize letters automatically, which makes it easier for them to learn letter sounds and eventually read words (Alphabet Knowledge, n.d.).

Importance of the skill: Recognizing letter names is a crucial first step in learning to read. When children can easily name letters, they are better prepared to connect those letters to sounds and start sounding out words. This early confidence also helps build interest and excitement about reading and writing.

Example of the skill in action: Let's say the teacher shows a card with a lowercase b and asks, What letter is this? After a student replies, the teacher can ask the group to find the letter b in a short sentence on the board. Students will be able to name and spot the letter each time they see it in their books or around the classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
Milestone 1:

Word Awareness – The child understands that sentences are made up of individual words.
Example: The student can count or tap the number of words in a simple sentence like “The dog ran.” (Gunning, 2024)

Milestone 2:

Rhyme Awareness – The child recognizes and produces rhyming words.
Example: The student smiles and says “hat” when asked what rhymes with “cat.” (Gunning, 2024)

Milestone 3:

Syllable Awareness – The child can hear and separate words into syllables or “beats.”
Example: The student claps three times while saying ba-na-na (Gunning, 2024).

Milestone 4:

Onset and Rime Awareness – The child can identify the first sound (onset) and the rest of the word (rime).
Example: The student knows that in dog, /d/ is the first sound and /og/ is the ending (Gunning, 2024).

Milestone 5:

Phonemic Awareness – The child can hear, blend, and change individual sounds (phonemes) in words.
Example: The student blends /s/ /u/ /n/ to say “sun” or changes /m/ in “mat” to /s/ to make “sat.” (Gunning, 2024)

# data[].attributes.body
Print Concepts. Foundations A-Z. (2025). https://www.foundationsa-z.com/program-guide/research-rationale/print-concepts

Shanahan, T. (2025). Is print awareness part of the science of reading?. Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/blogs/shanahan-on-literacy/print-awareness-part-science-reading

Typical reading development. Reading Rockets. (2025). https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-101/how-children-learn-read/typical-reading-development

Concepts of print assessment. Reading Rockets (2025). https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/assessment-and-evaluation/articles/concepts-print-assessment#examples-of-assessment-questions

Michigan’s Mission: Literacy. (2025). Concepts of print: Ideas for teachers. Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/print-awareness/articles/concepts-print-ideas-teachers

International Dyslexia Association. (2025). Accommodating students with dyslexia in all classroom settings. Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/dyslexia/articles/accommodating-students-dyslexia-all-classroom-settings

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Phonological skill develops in a predictable progression. This concept is important, as it provides the basis for sequencing teaching tasks from easy to more difficult. Table 1 outlines the relative difficulty of phonological awareness tasks. Table 2 is a more specific synthesis of several research reviews and summaries (Adams et al., 1998; Gillon, 2004; Goswami, 2000; Paulson, 2004; Rath, 2001) that ties specific ages to the typical accomplishment of those phonological awareness tasks.

Prerequisite to phonological awareness is basic listening skill; the acquisition of a several-thousand word vocabulary; the ability to imitate and produce basic sentence structures; and the use of language to express needs, react to others, comment on experience, and understand what others intend.

Table 1. Phonological skills, from most basic to advanced

Word awareness

Tracking the words in sentences.

Note: This semantic language skill is much less directly predictive of reading than the skills that follow and less important to teach directly (Gillon, 2004). It is not so much a phonological skill as a semantic (meaning-based) language skill.

Responsiveness to rhyme and alliteration during word play

Enjoying and reciting learned rhyming words or alliterative phrases in familiar storybooks or nursery rhymes.

Syllable awareness

Counting, tapping, blending, or segmenting a word into syllables.

Onset and rime manipulation

The ability to produce a rhyming word depends on understanding that rhyming words have the same rime. Recognizing a rhyme is much easier than producing a rhyme.

Phoneme awareness

Identify and match the initial sounds in words, then the final and middle sounds (e.g., "Which picture begins with /m/?"; "Find another picture that ends in /r/").

Segment and produce the initial sound, then the final and middle sounds (e.g., "What sound does zoo start with?"; "Say the last sound in milk"; "Say the vowel sound in rope ").

Blend sounds into words (e.g., "Listen: /f/ /ē/ /t/. Say it fast").

Segment the phonemes in two- or three-sound words, moving to four- and five- sound words as the student becomes proficient (e.g., "The word is eyes. Stretch and say the sounds: /ī/ /z/").

Manipulate phonemes by removing, adding, or substituting sounds (e.g., "Say smoke without the /m/").

Table 2. Ages at which 80-90 percent of typical students have achieved a phonological skill

4

Rote imitation and enjoyment of rhyme and alliteration

pool, drool, tool
"Seven silly snakes sang songs seriously."

5

Rhyme recognition, odd word out

"Which two words rhyme:
stair, steel, chair?"

Recognition of phonemic changes in words

" Hickory Dickory Clock. That's not right!"

Clapping, counting syllables

5½

Distinguishing and remembering separate phonemes in a series

Show sequences of single phonemes with colored blocks: /s/ /s/ /f/; /z/ /sh/ /z/.

Producing a rhyme

"Tell me a word that rhymes with car." ( star)

Matching initial sounds; isolating an initial sound

"Say the first sound in ride (/r/); sock (/s/); love (/l/)."

6

Compound word deletion

"Say cowboy. Say it again, but don't say cow."

Syllable deletion

"Say parsnip. Say it again, but don't say par."

Phoneme segmentation of words that have simple syllables with two or three phonemes (no blends)

"Say the word as you move a chip for each sound."

6½

Phoneme segmentation of words that have up to three or four phonemes (include blends)

"Say the word slowly while you tap the sounds."

Phoneme substitution to build new words that have simple syllables (no blends)

"Change the /j/ in cage to /n/.
Change the /ā/ in cane to /ō/."

7

Sound deletion (initial and final positions)

"Say meat. Say it again, without the /m/."
"Say safe. Say it again, without the /f/."

8

Sound deletion (initial position, include blends)

"Say prank. Say it again, without the /p/."

9

Sound deletion (medial and final blend positions)

"Say snail. Say it again, without the /n/."
"Say fork. Say it again, without the /k/."

Paulson (2004) confirmed the hierarchy of phonological skill acquisition in 5-year-olds entering kindergarten. Only 7 percent of 5-year-olds who had not yet had kindergarten could segment phonemes in spoken words. The production of rhymes was more difficult for 5-year-olds than commonly assumed, as only 61 percent could give a rhyming word for a stimulus. Only 29 percent could blend single phonemes into whole words. Although some young students will pick up these skills with relative ease during the kindergarten year - especially if the curriculum includes explicit activities - other students must be taught these metalinguistic skills directly and systematically.

Moats, L, & Tolman, C (2009). Excerpted from Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS): The Speech Sounds of English: Phonetics, Phonology, and Phoneme Awareness (Module 2). Boston: Sopris West.

For more information on Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) visit Voyager Sopris .

For any reprint requests, please contact the author or publisher listed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Basic listening skills and "word awareness" are critical precursors to phonological awareness. Learn the milestones for acquiring phonological skills.

# data[].attributes.body
Milestone 1: The first observable skill showing progress is when a student can correctly identify and name most uppercase and lowercase letters. This skill can be measured by having the student name letters on flashcards or in print.

What it looks like when achieved: A child points to a letter, such as “M,” and correctly says its name. They may also recognize the same letter in different places, like in a book or on a classroom label (Basics: Alphabet Knowledge, n.d.).

Milestone 2: The second observable skill is when a student begins to match letters to their beginning sounds. This shows growth in phonemic awareness and understanding of letter-sound relationships.

What it looks like when achieved: A child can say the sound that a letter makes, such as “S and says "S", or match the letter “B” with a picture of a ball (National Center on Improving Literacy, 2020).

# data[].attributes.body
1. Word Awareness (Ages 5–6)
Students can identify how many words they hear in a sentence and manipulate whole words within compound words (Moats & Tolman, 2009).

2. Rhyme Awareness (Ages 4–5½)
Students can identify, match, and create rhyming words independently (Moats & Tolman, 2009).

3. Syllable Awareness (Ages 5–6)
Students can accurately clap, count, and manipulate syllables in words of varying lengths (Moats & Tolman, 2009).

4. Onset and Rime Awareness (Ages 5½–6)
Students can hear and combine beginning sounds with the rest of the word or identify the first sound in a spoken word (Moats & Tolman, 2009).

5. Phonemic Awareness (Ages 5½–9)
Students can isolate, blend, segment, substitute, and delete individual sounds within words—showing full phonemic control, which directly supports decoding and spelling (Moats & Tolman, 2009).

# data[].attributes.body
Milestone 1 expected age/grade: Typically develops in preschool–kindergarten (ages 4–6).

Milestone 2 expected age/grade: Strengthens in kindergarten–first grade (ages 5–7).

Support from research:

According to research, children “develop phonological and phonemic awareness skills during the preschool years and refine them in kindergarten and first grade” (Early Literacy CI5823, n.d.).

# data[].attributes.body
Milestone 1 expected age/grade: Most children start learning to name some letters between preschool and early kindergarten. At this stage, they can often point out a few familiar letters, like those in their name, and begin to recognize letter shapes.

Milestone 2 expected age/grade: By the end of kindergarten, students are expected to name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet.

Support from research: Research shows that most children develop strong letter-naming skills between ages 4 and 6, which helps build a foundation for learning to read (\Alphabet Knowledge, n.d.). The Arizona standards match this timeline, expecting complete mastery by the end of kindergarten to prepare students for first-grade reading instruction (Arizona Department of Education, 2021).

# data[].attributes.body
Assessment tool:

The Phonological Awareness Screening Test (PAST) measures how well students can hear and manipulate the sounds in spoken language. It helps teachers identify strengths and weaknesses in skills like rhyming, blending, and segmenting to guide early reading instruction and intervention (Kilpatrick, 2024).

How it measures progress:

The PAST test measures progress by tracking how accurately and quickly a student can perform phonological tasks over time. As students move from needing support to completing items independently. Such as blending, segmenting, and manipulating sounds. Their scores show growth in phonological awareness and readiness for reading instruction.

# data[].attributes.body
Assessment tool: Phoneme Segmentation Fluency from the DIBELS assessment or similar oral phoneme tasks.

How it measures progress: Students are asked to say the individual sounds in spoken words, such as breaking “ship” into /sh/–/i/–/p/. The number of correctly segmented phonemes indicates progress toward mastery (Reading Rockets, n.d.).

# data[].attributes.body
Assessment tool:
Teachers often use the Letter Naming Fluency (LNF) assessment from DIBELS to check how well students can name letters. It measures how quickly and correctly a child can say letter names, which is an important step in learning to read (The Alphabetic Principle, n.d.).

How it measures progress:
During the activity, the child looks at a page of mixed uppercase and lowercase letters and names as many as possible in one minute. The teacher counts how many letters are correct and notes any errors. Comparing scores over time helps teachers see if the child is improving in speed and accuracy (Sedita, 2024).

# data[].attributes.body
Skill Being Taught:

In this foundational phonological awareness skill, children learn to recognize, count, and separate words within a sentence (word awareness).

Step-by-step description of implementation:
The teacher introduces word awareness by reading a short, repetitive book and pointing to each word while moving left to right, saying, “I am reading the words, not the pictures.” The teacher models how each spoken word matches one written word. Next, students practice by clapping for each word in a simple sentence or using counters to mark each word as it’s spoken. They then identify and count words in signs, labels, and short sentence strips around the classroom. Over time, students begin to count and track words independently during shared reading, reinforcing print direction and sentence structure understanding (Scott & Nagy, 2004; McArdle, 2024).

How it supports learning/ mastery:

This strategy supports mastery by helping children understand that sentences are made of separate words. Pointing to each word builds one-to-one correspondence between spoken and printed words, while clapping or using counters reinforces this concept through movement. Using books, labels, and sentence strips helps students apply the skill in real contexts, strengthening their awareness of word boundaries and laying the foundation for reading and writing success (Scott & Nagy, 2004).

# data[].attributes.body
Skill being taught: Teaching phoneme blending and segmenting.

Step-by-step description of implementation:

Teacher models blending sounds (/b/–/a/–/t/ → “bat”).

Students use counters or motions to mark each sound.

Guided and independent blending/segmenting practice.

Add deletion or substitution tasks for challenge.

How it supports learning/mastery:

Multisensory activities make practice “fun and engaging” (95 Percent Group, n.d.). Explicit, structured instruction supports reading growth (Ritchey & Goeke, 2006).

# data[].attributes.body
Skills being taught: The focus is on helping students identify and name both lowercase and uppercase letters, building their alphabet knowledge, and preparing them for reading and writing.

Step-by-step description of implementation:To teach this skill, the teacher introduces only a few letters at a time, starting with ones that are meaningful to students, such as the first letter in their name. The teacher models how to say each letter’s name while pointing to its shape. Students then practice by tracing the letters with their fingers or saying the letter aloud. Next, students engage in fun, hands-on activities such as matching uppercase and lowercase letters or locating letters in classroom signs and books. Finally, students review independently using alphabet cards, magnetic letters, or digital games for extra practice.

How it supports learning/mastery: This step-by-step approach helps children connect each letter’s name, shape, and sound, which builds a strong foundation for reading. Repeating and practicing letters in different ways makes learning stick, while playful activities keep students motivated. Research shows that teaching letter names through clear, structured lessons improves early reading and spelling skills (Reading Rockets, The Alphabetic Principle, n.d.; Sedita, 2024).

# data[].attributes.body
Strategy 1. Multi-Sensory Sound Activities

Incorporate visual, auditory, and kinesthetic elements to enhance students’ awareness of sounds in language. For instance, students can clap, tap, or use counters to represent each syllable or sound in a word as they say it aloud. English learners benefit from visual aids like picture cards and repeated practice to link sounds with meaning, while students with dyslexia benefit from hands-on, movement-based activities that strengthen the brain’s connections between sounds and printed symbols (IDEAL Consulting Services, Inc., 2014).

Strategy 2. Explicit and Repetitive Modeling with Visual Supports

Deliver clear and structured instruction through consistent modeling and repetition. When introducing skills like rhyming or blending, the teacher can slowly articulate each sound, demonstrate mouth movements, and use color-coded word cards to emphasize sound patterns (e.g., “cat,” “bat,” “hat”). English learners benefit from visual and oral modeling that strengthens pronunciation and vocabulary understanding, while students with dyslexia gain from the systematic and repeated practice that enhances memory, decoding, and confidence in sound recognition (IDEAL Consulting Services, Inc., 2014).

How it supports students with dyslexia or other learning differences:

These strategies help students with dyslexia and other learning differences by providing explicit, structured, and multisensory instruction that connects sounds and language. Using visuals, movement, and repetition activates multiple learning pathways, improving recognition and memory. Modeling and guided practice reduce cognitive overload, while visual cues and repeated exposure support English learners in developing both phonological and language skills—making abstract patterns concrete and building lasting reading confidence. (IDEAL Consulting Services, Inc., 2014).

Explanation of why strategies are important:

These strategies are vital because they make literacy learning inclusive and effective for all students, especially those with dyslexia or learning English. Multisensory and explicit instruction helps students see, hear, and experience sounds, improving understanding and memory. Repetition and modeling build confidence and mastery, while visual supports and clear pronunciation help connect spoken and written language—laying the foundation for strong reading and spelling skills.

# data[].attributes.body
Strategy 1: For English Learners (ELs), use visuals and clear verbal support when teaching letter names. Show both uppercase and lowercase letters, say the letter name slowly, and connect it to a familiar picture or word (for example, “B is for ball”). Seeing and hearing the letter at the same time helps ELs understand and remember it (Alphabet Knowledge, n.d.).

Strategy 2: For students who learn best through hands-on activities, use multisensory tasks like tracing letters in sand, forming them with clay, or air writing while saying the letter name. These fun, active lessons keep students engaged and help them remember letters by using sight, sound, and movement (Sedita, 2024).

How it supports students with dyslexia or other learning differences: Students with dyslexia benefit from direct, multisensory instruction. Let them see the letter, say its name, and trace it at the same time. This helps them make stronger connections between what they see, hear, and feel, supporting their understanding of letters and sounds (Reading Universe, Students with Dyslexia and Other Learning Disabilities, n.d.).

Explanation of why strategies are effective: These approaches work because they teach through multiple senses, seeing, hearing, and touching. This makes learning more meaningful and helps all students, including ELs and those with learning differences, build confidence and master letter naming.

# data[].attributes.body
Strategy 1: For students who have trouble seeing, use large print books or text with high contrast. This helps them see the words clearly and follow the reading direction (Michigan's Mission: Literacy, 2025)

Strategy 2:For English Learners or students with a small vocabulary, use pictures, gestures, and read-alouds again and again. This helps them understand the words and follow along (Michigan's Mission: Literacy, 2025).

How it supports students with dyslexia or other learning differences: Use activities that involve more than one sense, like pointing to words while saying sounds, clapping for each word, or tracing letters in sand. These help students with dyslexia connect sounds, letters, and words. You can also use audio directions or stories and highlight key parts to make reading easier (International Dyslexia Association, 2025).

Explanation of why strategies are effective: These strategies work because they let all students access and practice reading in ways that fit their needs. They help students see, hear, and understand words, follow reading direction, and know that words carry meaning. This builds confidence and skills for reading.

# data[].attributes.body
Anthony, J. L., & Francis, D. J. (2005). Development of phonological awareness. Current directions in psychological Science, 14(5), 255-259. [PDF] sagepub.com

Gunning, T. G. (2024). Creating literacy instruction for all students (11th ed.). Pearson. ISBN-13: 9780138161637 https://shorturl.at/IqC95

IDEAL Consulting Services, Inc. (2014, July 29). Differentiating instruction: Phonemic awareness, phonemic decoding, & fluency (Levittown Public Schools K-3) [PowerPoint slides]. https://www.idealconsultingservices.com/pdf/Levittown_Phonemic_Awareness_Phonics_Fluency_Grades_K-3_PRESENTATION_WEBSITE_July_2014_PPTX.pdf

Kilpatrick, D. A. (2024). Phonological Awareness Screening Test (PAST) Form A [Assessment]. Adapted from the levels used in McInnis (1999) and Rosner (1973). https://thepasttest.com/

McArdle, J. (2024, June 24). 22 word awareness activities to develop phonological awareness. My Teaching Cupboard. https://www.myteachingcupboard.com/blog/word-awareness-activities-to-develop-phonological-awareness#:~:text=Provide%20each%20student%20with%206,line%20in%20front%20of%20them

Moats, L. C., & Tolman, C. A. (2009). Language essentials for teachers of reading and spelling (LETRS): The speech sounds of English—Phonetics, phonology, and phoneme awareness (Module 2). Sopris West. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/developmental-milestones/articles/development-phonological-skills

Scott, J. A., & Nagy, W. E. (2004). Developing word consciousness. Vocabulary instruction: Research to practice, 201, 217. http://www.communicationcache.com/uploads/1/0/8/8/10887248/developing_word_consciousness.pdf

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A simple, intuitive reader app that makes learning more effective

# data[].attributes.body
Early Literacy CI5823. (n.d.). Phonemic – Phonological awareness. http://earlyliteracyci5823.pbworks.com/w/page/62989566/Phonemic%20-%20Phonological%20Awareness

95 Percent Group. (n.d.). 14 phonemic awareness activities for students. https://www.95percentgroup.com/insights/phonemic-awareness-activities/

Reading Rockets. (n.d.). Phonological and phonemic awareness: In depth. https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-101/reading-101-learning-modules/course-modules/phonological-and-phonemic-awareness/depth

Ritchey, K. D., & Goeke, J. L. (2006). Orton–Gillingham and Orton–Gillingham–based reading instruction: A review of the literature. The Journal of Special Education, 40(3), 171–183. https://doi.org/10.1177/00224669060400030501

# data[].attributes.body
Arizona’s English language arts standards - kindergarten. (n.d.-a). https://www.azed.gov/sites/default/files/2021/07/Kinder%20ELA%20Standards%20Placemat.pdf

Basics: Alphabet knowledge. Reading Rockets. (n.d.-a). https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-101/reading-and-writing-basics/alphabet-knowledge#:~:text=Alphabet%20knowledge%20is%20the%20ability,groundwork%20for%20future%20reading%20success.

The alphabetic principle . (n.d.). Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/phonics-and-decoding/articles/alphabetic-principle#:~:text=Instruction%20might%20start%20by%20introducing,explicit%20and%20less%2Ddirect%20instruction.

Sedita, J. (2024). Systematic phonics scope and sequence. Keys to Literacy. https://keystoliteracy.com/blog/systematic-phonics-scope-and-sequence/#:~:text=The%20scope%20and%20sequence%20is,introduced%20based%20on%20student%20needs.

Dyslexia & other learning disabilities (2023), Reading Universe. Weta reading universe. Reading Universe. https://readinguniverse.org/essential-support/dyslexia-other-learning-disabilities

National Center on Improving Literacy. (n.d.). Alphabetic Principle & Phonics. https://www.improvingliteracy.org/alphabetic-principle-phonics

# data[].attributes.body
Strategy 1:: For students with auditory or processing difficulties, use tactile and visual supports such as Elkonin boxes or colored chips to represent each phoneme. This allows students to “see” sound changes (Ritchey & Goeke, 2006).

Strategy 2: For English Learners (ELs), provide clear modeling and repetition using familiar vocabulary. According to the 95 Percent Group (n.d.), “Repetition and consistent routines help all students—especially ELs—build confidence and recognize sound patterns.”

Support for students with dyslexia or other learning differences: Students with dyslexia benefit from Orton–Gillingham–based, multisensory phonemic instruction, which integrates seeing, saying, and moving with sounds (Ritchey & Goeke, 2006).

Why these strategies are effective: Using multisensory, explicit methods ensures that all learners—especially those with reading challenges—can access, practice, and master phonemic awareness. It builds strong auditory–visual connections that are critical for decoding and spelling (Ritchey & Goeke, 2006).