Phonemic Awareness Knowledge Steven Rosenberg, Ed.D. EDU 573 School of Education University of Bridgeport

Oral Language Comes First

Vocabulary When most children enter kindergarten they can speak thousands of words. When most children enter kindergarten they can speak almost every grammatical structure they will ever learn in their entire lives.

Learning oral language is “natural;” it is part of our genetic inheritance and therefore does not require “conscious” attention to the elements of language. Like learning to walk.

Young children are not consciously aware that the words they speak are composed of sounds/phonemes in a precise order. Young children are not consciously aware that the phrases and sentences they speak are composed of individual words in a precise order.

Written Language Learning What do children entering kindergarten need to know about language over and above their ability to speak in order to learn to read and write?

Written language learning requires the beginner to become consciously aware of the structural elements of language. Like learning to dance.

English is an alphabetic language. This means the characters of the writing system –letters- represent sounds/phonemes In a precise order. This means the learner needs to be consciously aware of the sounds/phonemes words are composed of and their precise order.

Letters and letter order 1. Why do we call this object a /mop/? (spoken word) 2. Why do we spell the name of this object with the letters “m” “o” “p” and in that order. (written word)

We spell the word /mop/ with the letters “m” “o” “p” in that order because The oral word /mop/ is composed of the sounds/phonemes /m/ /o/ /p/ in that order.

Why is the name of this animal spelled “f” “r” “o” “g” ?

Because the oral word /frog/ is composed of the sounds/phonemes /f/ /r/ /o/ /g/ in that order.

Why is the name of this object spelled “g” “a” “t” “e” ?

Because the oral word /gate/ is composed of the sounds /g/ /a/ /t/.

Why is the name of this object spelled “s” “o” “a” “p” ?

Because The oral word /soap/ is composed of the sounds /s/ /o/ /p/.

The selected letters, and their selected order is completely arbitrary to the learner that is not consciously aware of the phonemes/sounds and their order in the word.

Since oral language development precedes written language development both for the child and in the culture (historically), children need to become conscious of the sounds/phonemes in words prior to (or simultaneously with) learning to identify written words just as did the inventors of the alphabet.

Beginning readers/writers can understand the reason they are learning that letters represent sounds/phonemes, only if they can consciously analyze oral words into sounds (phonemes).

Students who are learning the relationships between letters and sounds/phonemes without knowledge of the sound/phoneme structure of words would not be able to apply these relationships to identify or spell words.

1. Amount of television watched 2. Amount read to at home 3. Phoneme segmentation ability 4. Ability to recognize alphabet names and shapes 5. Prediction of former Kindergarten teacher 6. Score on oral vocabulary test 7. Whether or not student attended preschool 8. Ability to decode made-up words What are the 2 best predictors of 1 st grade reading achievement?

And the winners are: 1. The best predictor of success in first grade reading is being phonemically aware; the ability to identify, consciously, individual sounds (phonemes) in words. 2. The second best predictor is knowledge of letter names.

Why don’t we teach all beginning kindergartners how to analyze words into sounds/phonemes? What makes learning how to analyze words into sounds/phonemes difficult?

Allaphones Different sounds/phonemes that are considered the same in a language. A set of phonemes that are considered to be the same. /l/ in /lime/ /mile/ is different /e/ in /seed/ /seen/ is different /t/ in /time/ / later/ is different It is possible that these sounds/phonemes may be considered different in another language.

“Red” is a set of colors that are considered to be the same. Where does “red” end and “orange” begin?

Phonemic Awareness Activity

Dyslexia Dys-difficulty Lexia-words “Dyslexia is a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities. These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.”

Why don’t teachers always begin teaching beginning readers how to analyze words into sounds/phonemes in the beginning of kindergarten?

Learning to analyze words into sounds/phonemes may be too difficult for many beginners to learn. The teacher needs to begin teaching awareness of the sound structure of language by starting with easier skills.

1. Learning to produce rhyming words is easier; it requires the ability to be consciously aware of the vowel sound/phoneme and the sounds/phonemes that come after it. 2. Learning to analyze words into syllables is easier than analyzing words into individual sounds/phonemes.

Phonological Awareness The broad category of the awareness of the sound structure of language is called Phonological Awareness. Sound/Phonemic Awareness is only one type of phonological awareness; the most advanced and/or difficult phonological awareness test.

Phonological Awareness Phonological Sensitivity Phonemic Awareness

Phonological Awareness Phonological awareness is t he conscious awareness of the sound structure of language: Word Awareness ( John / eats / cake) -Syllable Awareness (Ro /sen/ berg) -Rhyme Awareness (cat/fat) -Onset/rime Awareness (c /at; st /ep) -Initial Sound Awareness (m/ap, m/at, milk) -Phonemic awareness (m-a-t; s-t-e-p)

Levels of Phonological Awareness 1.Word Awareness 2. Rhyme Awareness 3.Syllable Awareness (segmentation & blending) 4.Awareness of Initial Consonant Sounds 5. Alliteration 6.Onset-rime Awareness (segmentation & blending 7. Phonemic Segmentation 8. Phonemic Blending (synthesis) 9. Phonemic Manipulation (addition, deletion, substitution) Level 1 Easiest Level 2 Level 3 Hardest Dechant