Phonological & Phonemic Awareness
Teach students to hear, recognize and manipulate sounds in words.
Teach students to hear, recognize and manipulate sounds in words.
These are auditory (“ear skills”) — no books or letters are required to practice. Your child’s teacher works on these skills daily; a few minutes of sound play at home multiplies the effect.
In the car or the bath: “What sounds do you hear in sun? /s/…/u/…/n/.” Stretch words out slowly, then push the sounds back together. Two minutes of practice counts!
“Say cat. Now change /c/ sound to a /h/ sound. What word did you make?” Practicing this skill supports future reading success.
If you are using printed letters or words, you are practicing phonics, not phonological or phonemic awareness. This skill is entirely auditory and is sometimes called an “in the dark skill” (as you could practice it in the dark by verbally playing with words/syllables/sounds and no letters are needed).
By end of first grade most children can pull apart and swap single sounds in short words. If that stays hard, mention it to the teacher — it is very fixable with the right practice.
Phonemic awareness (also called phoneme awareness) is an advanced subskill of phonological awareness. Both phonological awareness and phonemic awareness are auditory skills that are often called "in the dark" skills, meaning they could even be practiced in the dark and you practice both without the use of any letters. Detailed definitions for both terms are below:
Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate the spoken parts of sentences and words. Examples include being able to identify words that rhyme, recognizing alliteration, segmenting a sentence into words, identifying the syllables in a word, and blending and segmenting onset-rimes. The most sophisticated — and last to develop — is called phonemic awareness.
Research outlines the importance of employing Structured Literacy Principles to teach phonemic awareness in a systematic, structured, cumulative, explicit and diagnostic fashion.
Research is clear that literacy is taught best when instruction follows the four Structured Literacy Principles. Here is what each one looks like for phonological & phonemic awareness.
Instruction follows a logical order, begins with the easiest concepts, and progresses to more difficult concepts (EX: Teachers introduce easier phonological or phonemic awareness tasks prior to shifting to harder ones. For instance, in the scope and sequence outlined later in this document, skills like isolation/identification/categorization are easier phonemic awareness skills that should be taught prior to blending/segmenting/manipulating phonemes.).
Each step must be based on concepts previously learned and continual review until mastery must be a part of practice. Systematic, sequential and cumulative learning enhance explicit instruction (EX: Even if a student demonstrates mastery at a particular sound level one day, a teacher may continue practicing phonemic awareness at that sound level for a while prior to transitioning to the next sound level. A student may show skill one day in manipulating CCVC or CVCC words, but a teacher may continue practicing at four sounds for a while prior to trying to move to the five sound CCVCC level).
Teachers use approaches such as gradual release of responsibility models (I Do, We Do, You Do) where the teacher models and students have multiple opportunities to practice with support and independently (EX: A teacher may model tapping out each phoneme in a word and attempting to segment the phonemes in a word. Then, students will get an opportunity to practice as a class with the teacher guiding and providing corrective feedback as needed. Finally, students may work independently to segment words at their desk followed by the class reviewing the words together to ensure accuracy).
Teacher assesses where students are, progress monitors as frequently as possible, diagnoses where skill gaps exist, and adapts instruction as needed (EX: To start the year, a teacher administers a phonological/phonemic awareness test such as the Phonological Awareness Screening Test (PAST). Based on overall classroom data, the teacher picks which sound level to start at and which skill in the phonological/phonemic awareness scope and sequence to start with. In addition, the teacher may use individual student data to plan which sounds to practice one-on-one or in small groups based on student needs.).
Findings below are drawn from What Works Clearinghouse educator practice guides published by the Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education.
The What Works Clearinghouse (2016) report, "Foundational skills to support reading for understanding in kindergarten through 3rd grade: Educator's practice guide," (pg. 14-21) indicates strong evidence" for developing awareness of the segments of sound in speech (phonological/phonemic awareness) and how they link to letters (phonics). Specific strategies for phonological/phonemic awareness were identified such as isolating, identifying, categorizing, segmenting, blending, and manipulating first larger and then smaller units of sound (moving from larger units like words or rhyme or syllables and then moving to smaller units such as onsets/rimes, phonemes). For instance, teachers of younger students or students with poor phonological awareness skills can start by dictating a sentence and having students listen and count the number of words in a sentence and then move to identifying rhyming words, identifying alliteration, blending/segmenting/manipulating compound words, blending/segmenting/manipulating multisyllable words, blending/segmenting/manipulating onsets/rimes, and blending/segmenting/manipulating phonemes. Using visuals or manipulatives to represent sounds can be particularly helpful. For instance, a teacher/student hold up the left fist to say the first part of a compound word ("wheel"), the right fist to say the second part of a compound word (chair), and then blend the two words together while bumping their right and left fist together to say the full compound word (wheelchair). Or, a teacher uses Elkonin boxes to represent each phoneme in a word and students must touch each box with their finger as they segment each sound in the word. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/WWC/Docs/PracticeGuide/wwc_foundationalreading_040717.pdf
The What Works Clearinghouse (2009) report, "Assisting students struggling with reading: Response to intervention and multi-tier intervention in the primary grades." (pg. 19-) indicates strong evidence" for providing intensive, systematic instruction on up to three foundational reading skills in small groups to students who score below benchmark on universal screening. Table 3 in this document outlines areas to screen and progress monitor includes phoneme segmentation (See Table 3 below) and Table 4 identifies phonemic awareness as a foundational skill (particularly for K-1). Further, the document Tier 2 instruction should take place in small homogenous groups ranging from three to four students using curricula that address the major components of reading instruction (comprehension, fluency, phonemic awareness, phonics, and vocabulary). The areas of instruction are based on the results of students' scores on universal screening. Instruction should be systematic—building skills gradually and introducing skills first in isolation and then integrating them with other skills. Explicit instruction involves more teacher-student interaction, including frequent opportunities for student practice and comprehensible and specific feedback. Intensive instruction should occur three to five times per week for 20 to 40 minutes. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/Docs/PracticeGuide/rti_reading_pg_021809.pdf#page=17
The progression of skills from most basic to most difficult is as follows:
Each skill is outlined below, with sample activities to target each skill. A more comprehensive list of sample activities is available via the "phonemic awareness" tab on the literacy portal along with sample videos of specific phonemic awareness skills. For more basic skills in the phonological awareness scope and sequence (for students in Pre-k or in K-1 with deficient skills) see the Emergent Literacy Evidence-Based Practices documents for the Birth-Five Comprehensive Literacy Development grant referenced above (including activities focused on words, blending/segmenting/manipulating compound words, blending/segmenting/manipulating syllables, rhyme identification/judgement/elimination/production, alliteration identification/judgement/elimination/production, onset/rime blending). Heggerty is an excellent resource that starts with earlier phonological awareness skills (rhyme, compound word blending, etc.) and progresses to the most advanced phonological awareness skill, phonemic awareness (the curriculum even includes manipulating phonemes at an advanced level).
Students are asked to isolate the beginning, middle and ending sound in words in a spoken word. The scope of instruction from easiest to most difficult is:<br>- beginning sound<br>- last sound<br>- middle sound | Sample Activity 1: Brown Bag Sort: Pick a sound and put a picture representative of that sound on a bag. Ex: Use a picture of pizza for /p/. Students are then given pictures or objects, some of which begin with /p/ and some that do not. Students will place objects that start with /p/ in the bag, while the other objects stay out. | Sample Activity 2: Beginning, Middle, Last: Teacher says a word and prompts students to repeat the beginning, middle or ending sound. Ex: A teacher could say "Beginning sound! The word is mash" and students would say /m/. You can watch a video of a teacher doing initial phoneme isolation for a demonstration. |
Brown Bag Sort: Pick a sound and put a picture representative of that sound on a bag. Ex: Use a picture of pizza for /p/. Students are then given pictures or objects, some of which begin with /p/ and some that do not. Students will place objects that start with /p/ in the bag, while the other objects stay out. | Sample Activity 2: Beginning, Middle, Last: Teacher says a word and prompts students to repeat the beginning, middle or ending sound. Ex: A teacher could say "Beginning sound! The word is mash" and students would say /m/. You can watch a video of a teacher doing initial phoneme isolation for a demonstration. |
Students are given a set of words and are asked to identify which sound is the same. The scope of instruction from easiest to most difficult is:<br>- beginning sound<br>- last sound<br>- middle sound | Sample Activity 1: What's the Same?: Teacher says three words and asks what sound is the same. For example, "hat, hand, helmet. What sound is the same? (the first sound, /h/)" or "What sound is the same? men, hen, wet?" (the middle sound /ĕ/). You can watch a reading specialist practice phoneme identification with an adult learner for a demonstration. | Sample Activity 2: Sound Bag: Students are given a bag of pictures or objects that all have either the first, middle or last sound in common. (ex: pen, bed, desk). Students say each word and decide which sound is the same in all the words. |
What's the Same?: Teacher says three words and asks what sound is the same. For example, "hat, hand, helmet. What sound is the same? (the first sound, /h/)" or "What sound is the same? men, hen, wet?" (the middle sound /ĕ/). You can watch a reading specialist practice phoneme identification with an adult learner for a demonstration. | Sample Activity 2: Sound Bag: Students are given a bag of pictures or objects that all have either the first, middle or last sound in common. (ex: pen, bed, desk). Students say each word and decide which sound is the same in all the words. |
Students are asked to eliminate a word/picture/item from a group that does not have the same sound as the other words. The scope of instruction from easiest to most difficult is:<br>- beginning sound<br>- last sound<br>- middle sound | Sample Activity 1: Odd Man Out: Students are given three objects and the teacher asks, "Which of these is the odd man out?", explaining that this means which does not belong/does not contain the same sound. Choose words that do not have multiple sounds in common. The set should only share a beginning, middle or last sound. You can watch a reading specialist practice phoneme categorization with an adult learner for a demonstration. | Sample Activity 2: Circle Up: Students form a circle and are each given a picture to share with the group. Students work together to figure out which picture/word does not have the same sound as the others. |
Odd Man Out: Students are given three objects and the teacher asks, "Which of these is the odd man out?", explaining that this means which does not belong/does not contain the same sound. Choose words that do not have multiple sounds in common. The set should only share a beginning, middle or last sound. You can watch a reading specialist practice phoneme categorization with an adult learner for a demonstration. | Sample Activity 2: Circle Up: Students form a circle and are each given a picture to share with the group. Students work together to figure out which picture/word does not have the same sound as the others. |
Blending is combining two or more sounds to form a word. The more sounds, the more challenging the task. Blending may include:<br>- Two sound words (like "no" /n-ō/ or "it" /ĭ-t/)<br>- Three sound words with a consonant - vowel - consonant (CVC) pattern, like "bat" /b-ă-t/ or "shot" /sh-ǒ-t/<br>- Four sound words with a CCVC or CVCC pattern, like "stem" /s-t-ĕ-m/ or "risk" /r-ĭ-s-k/<br>- Five sound words with a CCVCC pattern, like "blend" /b-l-ĕ-n-d/ or "stomp" /s-t-ǒ-m-p/ | Sample Activity 1: What's My Word?: Teacher orally segments a word without saying the word itself, asking students to blend the sounds together and identify the word. Ex: "I'm going to say a word sound by sound. You listen and see if you can blend the sounds back together to form a word! /f-ĭ-sh/ (fish)." This task can be done with real or nonsense words. | Sample Activity 2: Stick Together: Students are each given manipulatives (such as Unifix cubes, colored tiles, blocks, etc.). The teacher says three sounds aloud and asks students to repeat those sounds separately, placing one manipulative out for each sound. Once each sound is represented with a manipulative, students are asked to connect them together and blend the sounds into a word. |
What's My Word?: Teacher orally segments a word without saying the word itself, asking students to blend the sounds together and identify the word. Ex: "I'm going to say a word sound by sound. You listen and see if you can blend the sounds back together to form a word! /f-ĭ-sh/ (fish)." This task can be done with real or nonsense words. | Sample Activity 2: Stick Together: Students are each given manipulatives (such as Unifix cubes, colored tiles, blocks, etc.). The teacher says three sounds aloud and asks students to repeat those sounds separately, placing one manipulative out for each sound. Once each sound is represented with a manipulative, students are asked to connect them together and blend the sounds into a word. |
Segmenting can be thought of as the opposite of blending. Rather than combining sounds into words, segmenting involves splitting a word into its individual sounds. The more sounds, the more challenging the task. Segmenting may include:<br>- Two sound words (like "no" /n-ō/ or "it" /ĭ-t/)<br>- Three sound words with a consonant - vowel - consonant (CVC) pattern, like "bat" /b-ă-t/ or "shot" /sh-ǒ-t/<br>- Four sound words with a CCVC or CVCC pattern, like "stem" /s-t-ĕ-m/ or "risk" /r-ĭ-s-k/, respectively.<br>- Five sound words with a CCVCC pattern, like "blend" /b-l-ĕ-n-d/ or "stomp" /s-t-ǒ-m-p/ | Sample Activity 1: Heads, Knees, Toes: Teacher says a word and students segment the word into its individual phonemes while touching their heads (first sound), knees (second sound) and toes (third sound). For four-sound words, like "mask", you'd use head, shoulders, knees and toes for /m/-/a/-s/-/k/, respectively. | Sample Activity 2: Race Car: Each student is given a toy car. The teacher says a word and students must segment the word into its individual sounds, moving the car forward (from left to right) one bit at a time for each sound. Once all sounds are segmented, students should move the car fast from left to right while blending the whole word back together. |
Heads, Knees, Toes: Teacher says a word and students segment the word into its individual phonemes while touching their heads (first sound), knees (second sound) and toes (third sound). For four-sound words, like "mask", you'd use head, shoulders, knees and toes for /m/-/a/-s/-/k/, respectively. | Sample Activity 2: Race Car: Each student is given a toy car. The teacher says a word and students must segment the word into its individual sounds, moving the car forward (from left to right) one bit at a time for each sound. Once all sounds are segmented, students should move the car fast from left to right while blending the whole word back together. |
Students are asked to manipulate sounds in a word. There are three basic types::<br>- Deletion: removing one or more sounds. Ex: "What is "tad" without the /d/?" (/tă/)<br>- Substitution: replacing a sound. Ex: "My word is time. What do I get if I replace /t/ with /l/? (lime).<br>- Addition: Adding a sound. Ex: "My word is sat. What do I get if I add in /p/ after the /s/? (spat) A reversal is an advanced manipulation task where students swap the first and last sounds in a word. Ex: What do I get if I swap the first and last sounds in the word "dough"? (ode) | Sample Activity 1: Sound Change: Students say a word, and then the teacher prompts them to substitute either the beginning, middle or last sound in a word chain. Ex: Say dog. Now change the /d/ to /l/ (log). Great, now say log. Change the /o/ to /e/. (leg). Say leg. Now change the /g/ to /t/ (let). | Sample Activity 2: Color Encoding: Students have different color manipulatives such as cubes, construction paper squares, magnet tiles, etc. The teacher says a word and students build it with manipulatives, one sound at a time, using a different color for each sound. The teacher then prompts students to substitute/delete/add a sound in the beginning, middle or end. Students do so by swapping out one color block for another. Ex: "Show me fad. Now change /f/ to /t/." Students would swap the first color, representing /f/, for another color to represent /t/. During this activity, the instructor can add, delete, or substitute one sound at a time when going from the old word to the new word. This can be done at the 2 sound (cv, vc), 3 sound (cvc), 4 sound (ccvc, cvcc), or 5 sound level (ccvcc). The Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing (LiPS) program uses this technique and you can view it in action here: color encoding. Please note, the teacher in the above video eventually shifts from phonemic awareness (using the blocks to represent sounds) to phonics (using actual letters to represent sounds) over the course of her practice. The Really Great Reading website also has a free set of virtual blocks. After clicking on the link, click on the "basic tiles" tab in the lower left corner. The colored blocks will appear in the lower left corner and can be pulled up instead of letters on a Smartboard to practice phonemic awareness in the classroom. |
Sound Change: Students say a word, and then the teacher prompts them to substitute either the beginning, middle or last sound in a word chain. Ex: Say dog. Now change the /d/ to /l/ (log). Great, now say log. Change the /o/ to /e/. (leg). Say leg. Now change the /g/ to /t/ (let). | Sample Activity 2: Color Encoding: Students have different color manipulatives such as cubes, construction paper squares, magnet tiles, etc. The teacher says a word and students build it with manipulatives, one sound at a time, using a different color for each sound. The teacher then prompts students to substitute/delete/add a sound in the beginning, middle or end. Students do so by swapping out one color block for another. Ex: "Show me fad. Now change /f/ to /t/." Students would swap the first color, representing /f/, for another color to represent /t/. During this activity, the instructor can add, delete, or substitute one sound at a time when going from the old word to the new word. This can be done at the 2 sound (cv, vc), 3 sound (cvc), 4 sound (ccvc, cvcc), or 5 sound level (ccvcc). The Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing (LiPS) program uses this technique and you can view it in action here: color encoding. Please note, the teacher in the above video eventually shifts from phonemic awareness (using the blocks to represent sounds) to phonics (using actual letters to represent sounds) over the course of her practice. The Really Great Reading website also has a free set of virtual blocks. After clicking on the link, click on the "basic tiles" tab in the lower left corner. The colored blocks will appear in the lower left corner and can be pulled up instead of letters on a Smartboard to practice phonemic awareness in the classroom. |
The video library has clips of real K–3 classrooms modelling every one of these practices, and the printables library carries materials for the same skills.
Seven evidence-based literacy practices for kindergarten through third grade — the research, the teaching sequence, and the materials, free for teachers and families.