What is phonological awareness? Well in short it is a set of various skills that help your child's literacy development by targeting short term memory and language.
Rhyming
For example, rhyming is one first step towards being able to access the first stages of phonological awareness. Children often first need to be able to distinguish if the given words rhyme; when successful challenge them with words that are categorical and ask if they rhyme (i.e. do "Dog and puppy rhyme?"). Many children will say, "Yes," when first learning about the qualities of a rhyme because they are organizing the relationships of words and ideas.
After your child can distinguish if a set of words rhyme or not, then consider challenging your child to find the word that doesn't rhyme in the group.
Then ask your child to produce words that rhyme. These can be nonsense words, remember the key is whether or not your child can hold on to a particular word, isolate the rhyming qualities, identify a new initial sound and then produce the new rhyming word.... This parallels reading and sounding out unfamiliar words.
A reader must identify the sounds in and unfamiliar word, hold onto these sounds, blend them to make a word, and produce the word fluently. We often take these steps for granted as readers so here are a few ways to help your child dissect these skills into more tangible series of sub-skills to help them be more prepared readers.
Alliteration
Creating words that begin with the first same sound: "Silly Sally sang a song to Sam that sounded sweet." Have your child try and create their own sentences, and you too! Have your child identify what sound s/he hears at the beginning of most of your words to isolate the initial sounds.
Segmentation
This skill begins by segmenting words in a sentence. You can use popsicle sticks and put a stick down for each word (be careful that your child doesn't gloss over the small words like "a" or "the").
Then try segmenting compound words into two words (i.e. mailbox --> Mail Box)
Next try syllables. A syllable is easily defined as, "a word or part of a word with one talking vowel sound." Don't just try clapping out syllables try tapping them on your arm, putting your hand under your chin (every time your chin goes down a new syllable is made...), etc.
Now you are ready for the harder parts... Sounding out words also know as phonemic segmentation of words. Below are several easy games/activities you can share with your child. Remember many of the ideas can be modified so you don't need to have a printout or game board. Rather think about what works for your lifestyle. Many can be used even when you're at the grocery store and s/he is helping you down the isles.
Isolation-Deletion-Subsitution
This skill comes in various forms. It can be isolating a part of a compound word like: "'sailboat" take-off/delete "sail" what do you have?'--> "boat..."
Take the first sound in the word: "'Dog" change it to have a /f/ sound...' --> "fog..."
Take the last syllable in the word: "'Baton" change it to "man"' --> "Batman..."
Again nonsense words are acceptable and encouraged at times to help increase our focus on the goal which is the skill: step by step. Have fun with it!
Below are some activities for you to try at home. Enjoy, and if you have a great activity please share with us! :)
Rhyming
For example, rhyming is one first step towards being able to access the first stages of phonological awareness. Children often first need to be able to distinguish if the given words rhyme; when successful challenge them with words that are categorical and ask if they rhyme (i.e. do "Dog and puppy rhyme?"). Many children will say, "Yes," when first learning about the qualities of a rhyme because they are organizing the relationships of words and ideas.
After your child can distinguish if a set of words rhyme or not, then consider challenging your child to find the word that doesn't rhyme in the group.
Then ask your child to produce words that rhyme. These can be nonsense words, remember the key is whether or not your child can hold on to a particular word, isolate the rhyming qualities, identify a new initial sound and then produce the new rhyming word.... This parallels reading and sounding out unfamiliar words.
A reader must identify the sounds in and unfamiliar word, hold onto these sounds, blend them to make a word, and produce the word fluently. We often take these steps for granted as readers so here are a few ways to help your child dissect these skills into more tangible series of sub-skills to help them be more prepared readers.
Alliteration
Creating words that begin with the first same sound: "Silly Sally sang a song to Sam that sounded sweet." Have your child try and create their own sentences, and you too! Have your child identify what sound s/he hears at the beginning of most of your words to isolate the initial sounds.
Segmentation
This skill begins by segmenting words in a sentence. You can use popsicle sticks and put a stick down for each word (be careful that your child doesn't gloss over the small words like "a" or "the").
Then try segmenting compound words into two words (i.e. mailbox --> Mail Box)
Next try syllables. A syllable is easily defined as, "a word or part of a word with one talking vowel sound." Don't just try clapping out syllables try tapping them on your arm, putting your hand under your chin (every time your chin goes down a new syllable is made...), etc.
Now you are ready for the harder parts... Sounding out words also know as phonemic segmentation of words. Below are several easy games/activities you can share with your child. Remember many of the ideas can be modified so you don't need to have a printout or game board. Rather think about what works for your lifestyle. Many can be used even when you're at the grocery store and s/he is helping you down the isles.
Isolation-Deletion-Subsitution
This skill comes in various forms. It can be isolating a part of a compound word like: "'sailboat" take-off/delete "sail" what do you have?'--> "boat..."
Take the first sound in the word: "'Dog" change it to have a /f/ sound...' --> "fog..."
Take the last syllable in the word: "'Baton" change it to "man"' --> "Batman..."
Again nonsense words are acceptable and encouraged at times to help increase our focus on the goal which is the skill: step by step. Have fun with it!
Below are some activities for you to try at home. Enjoy, and if you have a great activity please share with us! :)
Sometimes these skills are still tricky and children struggle for a variety of reasons. Often people throw around different concepts that may complicate a child's ability to process such information. If you are concerned about auditory processing challenges please note that your child's pediatrician is the one who would have to diagnose and assist the school in finding the best approaches, but below are a few strategies to help.