At Home Phonemic Awareness

What is Phonemic Awareness?

Phonological awareness is the ability to identify and manipulate words, parts of words and individual sounds in spoken words.  No print is involved.  It is completely out loud. 

Why is it important?

Phonemic awareness is the foundation for later phonics learning.  When a child can hear sounds in a spoken word, he or she is more prepared for sounding out and blending written words.

What can we do at home?

Beginning Sounds - Play "I'm going on a camping trip..." Start the game by saying, "I am going on a camping trip, and I am going to bring a dog and a dinosaur.  What are you going to bring?"  The child should think of something that also starts with the d sound.  Remember this game is all about sounds not letters.

Segmenting/Blending -  Choose a word with three sounds (cat).  Say each sound separately.  Have your child touch his head when saying the first sound (cc), touch his waist when saying the middle sound (aa) and touch his toes when saying the last sound (tt).