Phonological awareness is …
…knowledge of the structure of oral language, including the awareness that
language comprises sounds and the understanding of the relationship of those
sounds.
Skills to develop:
Kindergarten
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Sound and word discrimination:
– Tell whether sounds or words are same/different.
– Tell which words are different in groups of three or more words.
– Produce different speech sound.
•
Rhyming:
– Identify whether words rhyme.
– Produce a word that rhymes with another word.
•
Blending:
– Orally blend syllables or onset rimes.
– Orally blend separate phonemes.
– Blend 3–4 phonemes into a whole word.
•
Sound isolation:
– Identify initial, medial, and final sound in one-syllable words.
•
Segmentation:
– Clap once for each word in a sentence.
– Clap once for each syllable in a word.
– Say syllables in a word.
– Segment three- to four-phoneme words into individual phonemes.
•
Manipulation:
– Add, delete, and substitute syllables and/or individual sounds in words.
First Grade
•
Blending:
– Blend 3–4 phonemes into a whole word.
•
Sound isolation:
– Identify initial, medial, and final sound in one-syllable words.
•
Segmentation:
– Segment three- to four-phoneme words into individual phonemes.
•
Manipulation:
– Add, delete, and substitute syllables and/or individual sounds in words
Second and Third Grades
Students at higher grade levels struggling with decoding words may indicate
insufficient understanding of PA or the alphabetic principle. As necessary,
instruction should target the skills listed above in a small-group setting.
©2008 University of Texas System/Texas Education Agency
Effective strategies and grouping formats
Whole Group and Teacher-led Small Group
•
Explicit and systematic instruction: Teacher introduces different
PA skills in a systematic order and only one or two skills at a time.
Teacher’s pacing is brisk. Teacher uses explicit instructional strategies
such as modeling oral manipulations using think alouds, visuals (e.g.,
tiles, Elkonin boxes), and kinesthetic connections (e.g., segmenting
word using arm, clapping syllables).
•
Continue review of skills: Teacher reviews previously learned skills
frequently (e.g., doing a daily review of letter sounds or a PA “warmup” before introducing new skills).
•
Sufficient guided practice: Teacher provides multiple opportunities
for student practice, using varied strategies such as repeated reading
of rhyming songs and poems; “my turn, your turn” format; and “turn
to your partner” activities.
•
Connections to print: PA instruction is often connected to print as
soon as students can manipulate sounds orally.
•
Providing corrective feedback: Teacher provides corrective feedback
as students complete PA skills.
Centers/Work Stations (Mixed-ability Groups)
Activities to reinforce learning:
• Oral PA activities:
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Classify picture cards by initial/medial/final sound.
Blend phonemes into words using manipulatives (e.g.,
counters, boxes).
Segment/blend words using whisper phones.
Segment by clapping (e.g., syllables in words, words in
sentences).
Review songs and poems (find the rhymes).
PA activities connected to print:
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Match letters and sounds.
Play onset-rime pattern games (change the beginning
sound to /f/).
Play word wall games (find word that begins with /h/
sound or ends with an s).
Use sand trays (draw letter/say sound).
©2008 University of Texas System/Texas Education Agency