Phonemic Awareness

Definition - the ability to hear the distinct, individual sounds in a word, and to work with them (match, blend, separate or change).

Implication - to read and spell words, a child must be able to blend sounds they hear when sounding out, or isolate separate sounds to identify letters to write.

Activities -

  1. Identify words that begin with the same sound ("Which words start with the same sound - ball, car bat?")  (What words start with /s/?)y -

  2. Identify the first sound or last sound (harder) in a word (what sound is at the beginning of banana?") (What sound is at the end of elephant?")

  3. Blend separate sounds to produce a word ("What word is this - /r/ /a/ /t/?")

  4. Segment a word into separate sounds - (Say 'mop' slowly - /m/ /o/ /p/.)

  5. Add, delete or substitute sounds in a word (what word do you have if you add /s/ to 'mile'?) 9"Sat 'sick' without the /s/.) ("Say 'bug'.  change the first sound to /r/.)

Phonics

Definition - our system for recognizing and representing sounds in print by using the letters of our alphabet.

Implications - Rapid recognition of the link between letters and sounds results in fewer struggles to recognize/spell words, increasing oral fluency, reading comprehension and written communication.

Activities -

  1. Practice identifying letters of the alphabet (" Can you find another 'm'?")  ("Point to the 't'", or "What letter is this?")

  2. Practice writing letters, their name, familiar words (They trace or copy your writing using pencil, highlighter, paint, chalk, water and brush, stick in the sane, etc.)

  3. Start developing the link between letters and sounds (Start with the first letter in their name, or other familiar words - "Matt, muffin, and marble all start with the sound /m/.  the letter 'm' goes with the sound /m/.  Letter 'm' looks like this.")  (Name, collect or "I Spy" items that start with the letter of the specific letter.)  (Cut out pictures from a magazine and glue those that start with the same letter on a page.  have you child write the letter.)

  4. Have you child start writing stories, letters, e-mail, etc.  (Let them dictate to you, and read it back together.  Have them tell you the first letter for the words they want you to write.  (Encourage them to try hearing the sounds in words and writing their own stories or letters, or labeling their own pictures.)

Fluency

Definition - Oral reading with automatic word recognition, expression (changing tone of voice) and phrasing (grouping text into meaningful phrases.)

Implications - Research indicates a close link between fluency and comprehension.

Activities -

  1. Read aloud often, giving many models of expressive, fluent oral reading.

  2. Encourage your child to join you in "reading" repetitive parts of stories you read together.

  3. Give your child opportunities to read text to you that is easy for them.

  4. Listen to your child practice repeated reading for fluency (3-4 times is most effective) and give them feedback.

Vocabulary

Definition - Oral vocabulary consists of the words a child knows and can use when speaking/listening.  Reading vocabulary consists of the words a child recognizes or can use in print (reading/writing).

Implications - Readers use words in their oral vocabulary to recognize and read words in print (to develop their reading vocabulary).  It is much more difficult to read words that are not in our oral vocabulary.  Readers cannot understand what they read if they don't know the meaning of most of the words. 

Activities -

  1. Spend lots of time talking; use and explain new, rich vocabulary.  Interrup reading to discuss new words, relate them to familiar words.

  2. Read books with more developed vocabulary.

  3. Encourage your child to use new words you discuss.

  4. Develop their awareness/appreciation of rich word usage.

Comprehension

Definition - Knowledge/understanding of what is read, and the ability to use the information in different ways.

Implications - Comprehension is the purpose of reading, the result of good reading, and the tool to help readers during reading.  Students with poor comprehension will struggle with all academic areas.

Activities - Your child needs to be an active reader/listener.

  1. Interrupt reading to think out loud about the text and discuss it.  ("That reminds me of.....") ("Why do you think he/she.....?)

  2. Ask questions about what has been read. (literal - about specific details clearly stated in text) (inferential - use information from text to figure out answers) (evaluative - persona; opinion with no single right answer)

  3. Encourage your child to ask questions, and discuss them.

  4. Interrupt reading to share predictions about what will come next.

  5. Discuss story elements/structure.  ("Who are the characters?  Where does the story happen?") ("Is theis story real or make believe?")

  6. Demonstrate how you go back and reread something confusing, or you have reread a word.

  7. Look at the pictures together to gather information about the story (before and during reading.)

    Final Thoughts and Suggestions

  1. Read, read, read.

  2. Talk and talk and talk.

  3. Read and talk about it.

  4. Talk about reading.

  5. Read some more.

This page was last updated on 11/13/2004