m2 - Phonological - Awareness - Skills - JUST TO READ

M2 PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

Companion Document
“Phonological Awareness is the ability to think about the sounds in a word (its sound and
structure) rather than just what the word means—that is, the ability to recognize that a word
consists of syllables, rimes, and individual sounds. Fitzpatrick says, it is “the ability to listen inside
a word” (Trehearne, 2000, p. 117).
This companion document is one in a series of six companion documents complimenting the
Building Blocks of Reading Continuum. The companion documents provide an overview of
research pertaining to reading instruction and the building blocks of reading:
• Research and Reading Instruction
• Phonological Awareness
• Phonics
• Fluency
• Vocabulary
• Reading Comprehension
New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2021

Phonological Awareness and
the Building Blocks of Reading
1
Phonological awareness is an awareness of
the spoken sounds of speech and an umbrella
term used to describe word awareness, syllable
Despite there being just 26 letters
awareness, rhyme awareness, awareness of
in the English language, there are
onset and rime, and phonemic awareness
approximately 44 unique sounds,
(awareness of the smallest units of sound). The
also known as phonemes. The 44
goal of teaching phonological awareness is to
sounds help distinguish one word
ensure all learners have a strong understanding
or meaning from another. Various
of spoken sound structure within words.
letters and letter combinations
known as graphemes are used
Research suggests that alphabetic knowledge
to represent the sounds. (See
and phonological awareness, “particularly the
Appendix A for a list of phonemes.)
awareness of sounds within words, are causally
related to both early decoding and spelling. In The 44 English sounds fall into two
other words, directly teaching the alphabet and categories: consonants and vowels.
phonological awareness helps children learn
to read and spell words” (Gentry & Ouellette,
2019, p 21).
It is important to remember that phonological awareness is a necessary skillset on the Building

Blocks of Reading Continuum, but it does not work in isolation and must be taught alongside
vocabulary and phonics at a rate appropriate for each learner’s development. “As students
gain knowledge of the alphabet and important phonological awareness, they become able to
decode or sound out simple words. Over time, students start to create brain-based spelling
representations, their brain words, to make reading and writing more fluent and efficient” (Gentry
and Ouellette, 2019, p. 3-4).
Phonological awareness consists of five major areas:
Word Awareness
Rhyme Awareness
Phonological Awareness Syllable Awareness
Onset and Rime Awareness
Phonemic Awareness
2
Word Awareness
Word awareness is an understanding of Young writers initially stream
the concept of a word and the fact that together random letters to convey
words are placed together into sentences to a message. Eventually as they learn
communicate. Isolating words in a sentence the letter sounds, they begin to write
is an important early activity in phonological the first sound, the last sound, and
awareness. eventually add the middle sound.
For example: Clap on each word in this The skill of isolating words
sentence (e.g., I-like-to-sing...). in a sentence orally, through
phonological awareness activities,
Segmenting (breaking apart) and blending helps them to naturally remember to
compound words together is also an important put spaces between written words.
skill in word awareness. Sometimes longer Looking at a reader’s writing tells
words are made up of smaller words. Those us a lot about their understanding
words are called compound words. of word awareness.
For example: Let’s clap on the two parts in the

word upstairs. (up...stairs) What word does swim
+ suit make? (swimsuit)
Rhyme Awareness
Sometimes learners enter school with an ability to recognize rhymes (e.g., “Do these two words
rhyme?—cat...hat.”). However, generating a rhyme is more difficult and often requires a lot of
practice, along with a strong vocabulary and knowledge of rhyming words (e.g., Name two words
that rhyme with frog). If a learner has difficulty recognizing or generating a rhyme, it is a good
indicator that the learner needs to further develop their phonological awareness skills.
Syllable Awareness
Syllable awareness supports segmenting (breaking apart) parts of a word. Many learners can
recognize the rhythm of a word and learn to isolate syllables by assigning a beat to a syllable
(e.g., umbrella > um-brel-la = 3 beats). Working with syllables helps learners identify word parts
and eventually word families. It is very important to practice this stage first before identifying
individual (phonemes) sounds in a word.
Onset and Rime Awareness

The onset of a word represents an initial consonant or consonant cluster while the rime
represents the vowel, or vowel and consonant(s) that follow the initial consonant or consonant
cluster. In the word sail, s is the onset and ail is the rime. In the word clap, cl is the onset and ap
is the rime. Segmenting and blending onset and rime helps learners work towards phoneme
segmentation and blending.
3
Phonemic Awareness
Phonemic awareness is the most advanced skill under the umbrella term of phonological
awareness. Here learners work with the smallest units of sound (phonemes). They learn to
identify and discriminate sounds in the beginning, medial, and final positions in words as
well as segment and blend sounds in words. The final and most advanced skill is the ability
to manipulate sounds in a given word by substituting sounds, adding sounds, and deleting
sounds to make new words. Research strongly supports the concept that teaching learners
to manipulate phonemes significantly improves their reading and spelling abilities (National
Reading Panel, 2000). Failure to develop this awareness is a major stumbling block in learning
how to read (Blachman, Tangel, Ball, Black, & McGraw, 2000).
Phonemic awareness can be further broken down as follows:
Identification and Discrimination
Phonemic Awareness Segmenting and Blending
Manipulation
Identification and Discrimination

• Identification refers to recognizing words with the same sounds in the beginning, final, and
medial position.
• Discrimination refers to recognizing words that have different sounds at the beginning,
medial, and final position.
Segmenting and Blending

• Segmenting refers to breaking sounds apart in a word (e.g., big > /b/-/i/-/g/).
• Blending refers to putting sounds together (e.g., /b/-/i/-/g/ > big).
Manipulation
This is the final and most difficult skill, which involves:
• Substituting or changing sounds in words (e.g., change the /c/ in cat to /b/ = bat).
• Adding sounds (e.g., add /h/ to and = hand).
• Deleting sounds (e.g., delete or take away the /s/ from the word sit = it).
4
Supporting Phonological
Awareness Skill Development
5
As with other building block skill areas, learners must
master a variety of prerequisite skills to prepare for
phonological awareness skill development. Prerequisite
skills include listening and word play.
Listening
Listening skills sharpen children’s ability to attend
selectively to sounds (Adams, 1999). This skill is
necessary as they learn how to distinguish between
different sounds and learn that sounds make words and
words form sentences in spoken and written speech.
Phonological awareness relates to the sounds we

hear, not the printed word. Listening skills should be
encouraged throughout the day in fun and engaging
ways with songs, actions, nursery rhymes, and games
(see Appendix B for a list of activities that support the
strengthening of listening skills).
Word Play
Word play is the playful use of words/verbal wit.
For young children it usually means tongue twisters
(alliteration), silly rhymes, and sometimes puns. Word
play can also mean creating silly words that rhyme with
real words or inserting silly words into a familiar poem
and then asking children to identify the word. Word play
encourages children to attune to the sounds of speech
and helps develop listening skills.
In her book, Multiple Paths to Literacy, Miriam Trehearne

draws on research to highlight the importance of play in
early literacy. Trehearne explains that:
• play develops children’s oral language,

comprehension, and oral storytelling abilities.
• pretend play provides practice in early literacy

processes.
• word play develops phonological awareness.
• play in a literacy-enriched setting increases

literacy behaviours.
• play helps build background knowledge.
6 • play makes reading and writing fun.

Phonological Awareness
in a Classroom
7
Phonological awareness activities should be interspersed throughout the day. They should
be part of read alouds, circle times, reading and writing activities, and learning centres. They
can even be integrated into gym, recess and when learners are lining up to go to another
activity. Most of all, activities should be thoughtful and intentional and not haphazard. Teaching
phonological awareness must be a part of the daily plan and needs to be “incorporated with
other efficacious teaching to truly reap its maximum benefit” (Gentry and Ouellette, 2019, p. 52).
When it comes to direct and explicit instruction, phonological awareness teaching begins to
reach a ceiling effect after about fifteen minutes per day (Ehri et al., 2001).
To effectively teach phonological awareness,

educators need to be intentional but also
creative. They also need materials that
• Pronounce words clearly and slowly
are easy to access. Many children benefit
to allow children to attend to the
from engaging rhyming books, movement
phonological aspects of speech.
activities, songs, and manipulatives (e.g.,
sound boxes, blocks, counters, small toys) • Attach meaning to the activities
when learning phonological awareness skills. and carefully model each step.
A pencil and paper are not usually required. • Review daily. Warm up each new
phonological awareness activity
Learners benefit from phonological with a short review of the day
awareness activities structured for: before.
• Provide language experiences with
• whole group instruction. phonological awareness activities
• small group instruction. (i.e., reading aloud big books,
storybooks, storytelling, etc.).
• individual instruction.
• Use multisensory techniques
Young children learn best by “doing” and such as gestures, movement and
“talking.” Our New Brunswick Speaking and manipulatives.
Listening Achievement Standards state that • Play regularly. Ten minutes a day
educators must strive for a classroom where can make a world of difference.
time is planned throughout each day for
children to talk, question, and think through
their understandings.
8
Planning for Instruction
Phonological awareness develops from awareness of words, to syllables, to individual sounds.
Instruction needs to be sequential and developmentally appropriate. Because phonological
awareness goes hand-in-hand with alphabet fluency, both need to be taught in tandem.
“Students need to know the alphabet. They need to know the sounds associated with the letters,
and they need to know this at mastery level to develop fully specified lexical representations”
(Gentry & Ouellette, 2019, p. 53).
Phonological awareness instruction does not require a lot of materials. Manipulatives are helpful,
but resources can easily be found in a classroom, such as linking blocks, counters, or rhyming
books. Activities and suggested materials to support each of the phonological awareness phases
of word reading have been provided later on in this document.
Sound Boxes—Elkonin Boxes

Sound boxes are valuable tools. Sometimes
they are called Elkonin Boxes. They are used for
learning how to break apart compound words, D.B. El’konin was a Russian
syllables, and sounds in words. In the early psychologist in the 1960s who
phases of word reading (i.e., pre-alphabetic studied ways to help young children
phase) using sound boxes, counters, blocks, hear individual sounds in words.
or pictures can be helpful (see below and He created the idea of sound
Appendix D). boxes. Children place a counter or
slide their finger into each box as
they say the words, word parts, or
individual sounds in a word.
9
Sequence of Activity Activity
Words in a Sentences Draw a picture or share a short sentence with the

learners (e.g., “I like dogs.”).
Educator says, “I like dogs” and asks learners to
place a block or counter in each box for each word.
I like dogs.
Compound Words Draw or show a picture of a snowman.
Educator says, “snowman.”
Have learners identify the two words in the

compound word, snowman.
Draw or place a picture card down in each box as the learner says
each part of the word.
Educator repeats, “snow... man... snowman.”
Sounds in Words Draw or show a picture of a cat.
Educator says, “cat.”
Have learners segment the sounds within the word.
Educator repeats, “/c/ /a/ /t/.”
Place a block or counter on each box for each sound in the word, cat.
c a t
Eventually letters will be used in the boxes, but remember, phonological awareness is
more about hearing the sounds.
10
Big Picture Ideas—Phonological Awareness
As suggested by David Chard and Shirley Dickson (1999), when teaching phonological
awareness—it is important to work from BIG to small—from the largest unit to the smallest unit,
beginning with sentence segmentation, word awareness, and whole word rhyming. From word
awareness and whole word rhyming, move to segmenting and blending of syllables, onset, and
rime. Once learners can segment and blend syllables (using onset and rime), introduce more
complex phonemic awareness skills such as identification and discrimination, segmenting and
blending, and manipulation (addition, deletion, and substitution) of individual phonemes.
For example:
Less complex
Rhyme sail > hail boat > coat
Syllable sailboat > sail-boat sail-boat > sailboat
Onset and Rime /s/ ail /b/ oat
Identification boat bat bat cat cot hot
Discrimination boat coat coat coal cot cat
Segmenting sail > s-ai-l boat > b-oa-t
Blending s-ai-l > sail b-oa-t > boat
Addition /b/ + oat boat
Deletion boat - /b/ oat
Substitution boat /b/ > /c/ coat
More complex
Phonological Awareness and Phonics

Are phonological awareness and phonics the same? No. Phonological awareness is an oral skill
and involves sounds in spoken words, while phonics relates to the relationship between sounds
and written symbols. Gentry and Ouellette (2019) explain that “phonological awareness refers
to an understanding that words are made from syllables and sounds; it is the ability to hear and
manipulate these units of sound. Phonics, on the other hand, is an instructional method that
teaches letter-sound correspondence” (p. 7). In fact, the Atlantic Canadian English Language Arts
Elementary Curriculum, K–3 uses the term “sound/symbol knowledge” to describe phonics.
Both phonics and phonological awareness are necessary to learn how to read and write. As
children become more skilled in phonological awareness, phonics and phonological awareness
work hand-in-hand as necessary skills for each child’s reading toolbox.
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Phases of Word Learning
Linea Ehri, an educational researcher, proposed the phases of word learning in 1995. This widely
recognized theory helps us to understand the phases learners move through towards proficient
reading. Each phase is characterized by a learner’s understanding and use of the alphabetic
system in their word reading. Phases range from pre-alphabetic, to partial alphabetic, to full
alphabetic, to consolidated, to skilled reader.
Next we will examine each of the developmental phases of word learning, phase outcomes, and
suggested learning activities.
As with the other Building Blocks of Reading skill areas, the scope and sequence of phonological
awareness outcomes can be found on the Building Blocks of Reading Continuum, organized by
developmental phase progression.
12
Pre-alphabetic to Partial Alphabetic Phase: Phonological Awareness
Pre-alphabetic to Partial
Alphabetic Phase:
13
Teaching Goal:
To develop early phonological awareness skills in rhyming and segmenting to progress learners
to the partial alphabetic phase.
End Outcomes
• Begins to identify rhyming words
• Begins to produce rhyming words
• Segments words in a sentence
• Segments compound words
Checklist of Teaching “Must Haves”

• Big books with simple, repetitive language and rhyming words
• Nursery rhyme and song books
• Musical instruments—rhythm sticks, drum for tapping
• Multi-coloured blocks
• Phonological Awareness—Activities to Use on the Run! (See Appendix E)
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Activities to Encourage End of Phase Outcomes

Suggested learning activities for the pre-alphabetic to partial alphabetic phase are described below.
Outcome: Begins to identify rhyming words
Activity: Songs and Nursery Rhymes

Fill your classroom with books about nursery rhymes, poems as well as stories with simple
language where children can “chime in.” Read-alouds and simple nursery rhymes are a great way
to practice phonological awareness skills as a group. Use songs and rhymes to transition from
one activity to another. Encourage the children to chime in and notice rhyming words.
“Hey Diddle, Diddle”
Hey, diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle,

The cow jumped over the moon...
The little dog laughed to see such a sport
And the dish ran away with the spoon.
Hey diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle

The cow jumped over the mat...
And the dish ran away with the cat.
Hey diddle, diddle, the cat and the fiddle

The cow jumped over the rim...
Now it’s time to go to gym.
Activity: Rhyme and Song Book

Create a poem and song book that learners can take home weekly to share with parents.
Activity: Act it Out!

Perform actions with poems or nursery rhymes. This not only reinforces listening skills but also
provides opportunities to move while reciting and identifying words that rhyme. In addition to
acting out rhymes, learners can repeat and read rhymes by putting rhymes in a pocket chart and
using a pointer stick or their finger to track the words.
15
Rhyming with actions examples: “Eency, Weency Spider,” “I’m a Little Teapot” and “Humpty Dumpty.”
Eency, weency spider,

Climbed up the garden sprout. (make climbing upward motion with fingers)
Down came the rain, (wiggle fingers downward)
And washed the spider out. (move hands to side)
Out came the sun, (make a round sun with hands)
And dried up all the rain.
And the eency, weency spider,
Climbed up the spout again. (make climbing upward motion with fingers)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I’m a little teapot short and stout, (put hands on hips, make the shape of a teapot)
Here’s my handle, here’s my spout. (put one hand up for spout)
When I get all steamed up, hear me shout, (hands around mouth)
Tip me over and pour me out. (make shape of teapot and lean sideways)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall, (sit down)
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall, (touch toes)
All the King’s horses and all the King’s men, (arms wide)
Couldn’t put Humpty together again. (arms together)
Outcome: Begins to produce rhyming words
Activity: Rhyming Song — Did You Ever See a _in a _?

Use the song “If You Are Happy and You Know It” to create a rhyming completion activity.
For example:
Did you ever see a bear in a __________ (chair)?
No, I never, no, I never, no, I never, no, I never
No, I never saw a bear in a chair.
Other sample words to use:
• Mouse / House
• Dog / Fog
• Moose with a Goose
• Cat with a Rat
Try nonsense words with this activity as well (e.g., zebra with a lee bra / horse with a borse).
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Activity: Follow the Rhyme

Read the rhyme. Ask the children to identify the rhyming word and complete the actions.
1. Tap your head. Now find something... red.
2. Wiggle your hips. Now lick your... lips.
3. Walk to the door. Now sit on the... floor.
4. Put your hand on your knee. Now count to... three.
5. Find a picture on the wall. Now find something really... small.
6. Make a sign for stop. Now stand in one place and take a big... hop.
7. Put your elbow on your knee. Now say what you can... see.
8. Pretend you’re a bear. Now sit in a... chair.
Activity: Stand-up Rhyme Time

1. Say pup. Now please stand... up.
2. Say red. Now find your... head.
3. Say bye. Now find your... eye.
4. Say peck. Now find your... neck.
5. Say south. Now find your... mouth.
6. Say rip. Now find your... lip.
7. Say best. Now find your... chest.
8. Say charm. Now find your... arm.
9. Say funny. Now find your... tummy.
10. Say dips. Now find your... hips.
11. Say bee. Now find your... knee.
12. Say meat. Now find your... feet.
13. Say hose. Now find your... toes.
14. Say clown. Now please sit... down.
Adapted from J. K. Montgomery’s Building Phonological Awareness Skills in Young Readers.
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Outcome: Segments words in a sentence
Activity: Clap the Word

Have learners clap on each word of a familiar rhyme.
“Pease, Porridge, Hot”
Pease, porridge, hot,

Pease, porridge, cold.
Pease, porridge in the pot,
Nine days old.
Some like it hot,

Some like it cold.
Some like it in the pot,
Nine days old.
Once the learners have clapped the words, have them stand in a circle with both fists in front
of them and chant the rhyme together. One child who is “it” moves around the circle and gently
pounds out each word on the fists of the children in the circle, first the left and then the right of
each child. (This reinforces left to right progression direction, a beginning reading skill.) The child
whose fist is pounded on the last word gets to be “it” next.
Activity: Word Block Towers

Give learners 5–7 connecting blocks. Ask them to snap the blocks together. One block for each
word. Start with simple sentences.
• I am happy. (3 blocks)
• I like my dog Zoey. (5 blocks)
• Tomorrow we play outside on the climber. (7 blocks)
Count the number of blocks (words in a sentence).
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Activity: Rolling Words

Materials: A ball for rolling
Have learners sit in a circle. Share a sentence (e.g., “I like dogs.”). The goal is to segment the
words in sentence and roll the ball to a different person for each word.
• Educator says, “I like dogs.” Educator rolls ball to first child.
• Learner says, “I”, and rolls the ball to a second child.
• Another learner says, “like”, and rolls the ball to a third child.
• Another learner says “dogs”, and rolls the ball to a fourth child.
• Another learner says the complete sentence—”I like dogs.”
Continue this activity with other short sentences. Here are some examples:
• I have ten fingers. • Will you play with me?
• Where do you live? • We have art today.
• I like to swim? • My new shoes are red.
• Today is Monday. • Can you run fast?
• I have a pet fish.
Outcome: Segments compound words
Activity: Compound Word Play

Compound words should be introduced after word awareness or segmenting words in
sentences. Compound words are two words combined to make one word and can be taken apart
(segmented) and put back together (blended). Once learners are comfortable with segmenting
and blending compound word parts, ask them to create new compound words from word parts
(e.g., spaceship > space/ship; snowman > snow/man; space + man = spaceman).
Common Compound Words

snowman / snowball butterfly sunshine / sunflower
fireworks footprint / football bedtime
bathtub backpack raincoat / raindrop
rowboat grasshopper playroom / playground
flagpole outside hamburger
starfish cupcake spaceship
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Partial Alphabetic to
Full Alphabetic Phase:
20
Teaching Goal:
Partial Alphabetic to Full Alphabetic Phase: Phonological Awareness

To develop phonological awareness skills in rhyming, segmenting, and blending syllables, and
to progress learners towards awareness at the level of the phoneme.
End Outcomes
• Identifies rhyming words
• Produces rhyming words
• Segments spoken multisyllabic words into syllables
• Blends spoken multisyllabic words
• Deletes a syllable in a multisyllabic word including compound words
• Segments words into onset and rime
• Blends onset and rime
• Identifies some words or nonsense words that start with the same initial consonant sound
• Produces a word starting with a given sound
• Produces the first sound in a given word or nonsense word
• Begins to identify words that end with the same final consonant sound

• Big books with simple, repetitive language and rhyming words
• Picture cards for rhyming
• Picture cards for compound words
• Multi-coloured cubes
• Elkonin sound boxes (See Appendix D)
• Counters for sound boxes
• Small toys that begin with the same sound (e.g., cat /car, pencil / paper, tractor / tiger)
• Ball for rolling
• Old suitcase
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Please note that some activities in the pre-alphabetic to partial alphabetic phase are similar to
activities in the partial alphabetic to full alphabetic phase. The activities in support of a learner’s
ability to identify rhyming words and produce rhyming words can be modified to meet phase
outcomes in both phases.
Outcome: Identifies rhyming words
Activity: I Spy... Game

I spy with my little eye, something that rhymes with...
Repeat the rhyme and have children identify what they see.
Outcome: Produces rhyming words
Activity: Draw-a-Rhyme Story

Directions: Give each child a piece of paper and a pencil. Read each rhyme with the underlined
words left out. Have the children fill in the blanks orally and then add those parts to their
drawings.
When you draw a monster, it is said, you always begin with his head.
She’ll be able to see when she flies, if you draw two bright eyes.
To tell which way the cold wind blows, your monster will need a great big nose.
Look to the north and look to the south, now we can give our monster a mouth.
Some up above and some beneath, our monsters have lots of teeth.
Now, under his chin, let’s just check, that’s where we should put his neck.
So she won’t be tipsy-toddy, let’s give her a polka-dot body.
If he really, really begs, I guess we could give him some legs.
To make our monsters nice and neat, we’ll have to teach them to wipe their feet.
A notice sent by air mail, we can’t forget the monster’s tail.
They aren’t fierce. They aren’t hairy, but don’t you think they are a little scary?
Adapted from Jo Fitzpatrick’s Phonemic Awareness Playing with Sounds to Strengthen Beginning Reading Skills.
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Outcome: Segments spoken multisyllabic words into syllables
Activity: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”

1. Use or create picture cards of items with 1, 2, 3, or 4 syllables (i.e., cat / trac-tor / straw-ber-
ries / cat-er-pil-lar). Start with 1 and 2 syllable words first before moving to more complex 3
and 4 syllable words.
2. Pull a picture card from the bag and show the learners (e.g., trac-tor).
3. Sing the song:

If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands—trac-tor
If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands—trac-tor
If you’re happy and you know it and you really want to show it
If you’re happy and you know it clap your hands—trac-tor
4. Continue drawing cards from the bag and singing the song, clapping the syllables of each
picture card.
Activity: One Potato, Two Potatoes

Have the learners stand in a circle with both fists in front of them and chant the rhyme together.
One learner who is “it” moves around the circle and gently pounds out each syllable on the fists
of the children in the circle, first the left and then the right of each child. (This reinforces left to
right progression, the way we read.) The child whose fist is pounded on the last syllable gets to
be “it” next.
One potato, two potatoes, three potatoes—four

Five potatoes, six potatoes, seven potatoes—more
Eight potatoes, nine potatoes, ten potatoes—all
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten
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Outcome: Blends spoken multisyllabic words
Outcome: Deletes a syllable in a multisyllabic word including
compound words
Activity: Get to Know Your Syllables

Frequent exposure to common syllables will support syllable blending and segmentation. Use the
following syllables regularly in oral storytelling and create syllable cards to support syllable play
and syllable blending and segmentation.
Common Syllables
One Two Three Four
cat zip-per el-e-phant ca-ter-pil-ler
dog pen-cil um-brel-la tel-e-vi-sion
sit rab-bit ba-na-na wa-ter-mel-on
bug nap-kin di-no-saur hel-i-cop-ter
lunch bas-ket oc-to-pus al-li-ga-tor
bird tea-cher win-ter mac-a-ro-ni
up dough-nut Mon-day
bus car-rot bas-ket-ball
sun ta-ble cal-en-dar
Outcome: Segments words into onset and rime

Outcome: Blends onset and rime
Activity: Onset and Rime Play

Encourage the segmenting and blending of onset and rimes regularly to reinforce identification of
initial sounds (consonant and consonant blends) as well as medial and final sound combinations
making up the remainder of the word.
Knowing rimes helps learners become familiar with other words. For example, the ability to hear
and separate /c/ from -at, helps a learner to segment the rimes in words like: sat, mat, flat, splat
(see Appendix G for a list of 37 rimes that are used to make up over 100 words).
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Samples of Onset and Rime
Onset Rime
p an
r an
r ock
bl ock
d ip
sl ip
h ut
n ut
p et
m et
Outcome: Identifies some words or nonsense words that start with

the same initial consonant sound
Activity: Sing a Song of Sounds

1. Have children sing the following song to the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It.”
If your name begins with the /b/ sound, stand up,
If your name begins with the /b/ sound, stand up,
If your name begins with the /b/ sound, turn around and take a bow,
If your name begins with the /b/ sound, stand up.
2. Add verses where the children can clap, jump, or stomp. Make up your own verses.
3. As a variation to this song, you can have the children draw animal pictures from a bag and
sing, ”If your animal picture begins with the /t/ sound, clap your hands...”.
Adapted from J. Fitzpatrick’s Phonemic Awareness Playing with Sounds to Strengthen Beginning Reading Skills.
Activity: What’s in the Bag?

1. Place three small toys or items in a paper bag (i.e., ball, boat, crayon / cow, cat, eraser /
tractor, tiger, marble).
2. Ask a child to reach into the bag, feel one of the items, and guess what it is.
3. Pull it out of the bag and make sure you name the item (i.e., cat). Be clear with the naming
of the items in the bag. Depending on the shape of the cat, someone might call it a lion.
Repeat this process with the other two items and place all three items from the bag in a row.
25
4. Ask the children if any of the items start with the same sound:
• Which things start with the same sound? Ball / Crayon, Boat / Crayon, Ball / Boat
• Which things start with the same sound? Cow / Eraser, Cat / Eraser, Cow / Cat
• Which things start with the same sound? Tiger / Marble, Tractor / Marble, Tiger / Tractor
Outcome: Produces a word starting with a given sound
Activity: Suitcase Game

Encourage production of words, beginning with a given sound by practicing identification of initial
sounds and initial sound sorting. Use an empty suitcase and pretend you are packing for a trip.
1. Model how you will be adding pictures or real items and that together, you will determine
the initial sounds of each item.
2. Encourage learners to bring in pictures from home or provide a “cut and paste” activity
where learners cut items from magazines.
3. When the suitcase is ready for the trip, ask the learners which sounds they have to add to
the suitcase. Ask each learner to repeat the sentence: “We are going to Grandma’s house
and I’m going to bring a...” (e.g., toothbrush). “It starts with the...” (e.g., / T/ sound). Have
each learner choose their own item and identify the initial sound.
4. As a follow-up activity, ask learners to sort the pictures or items under the appropriate
sound categories.
Outcome: Produces the first sound in a given word or nonsense word
Activity: The Name Game

Build awareness of initial sounds using names and other familiar words.
Preparation:
1. Write all learners’ names on strips of paper in clear block writing. You may use existing
name tags or name cards.
2. Tack each name to the board.
3. Tell the learners that they are about to play the Name Game!
4. Show the learners the list of all of the names of the learners in the class.
5. Explain that they will be given clues about one of the names on the list and that they are
going to have to guess which name it is. Give the two clues for a name:
• Identify the initial sound in the name: “I’m thinking of a name that begins with the
___ sound.”
26
• Identify the number of syllables in the name: “When I clap it out, it has ___ syllables,”

and clap the number of syllables as you say the number.
• If your clues could identify more than one learner, you can add a third clue, such as
their hair colour or another identifying feature.
6. Ask the learners to identify whose name it is by pointing to it on the list.
7. Once the learner has selected the correct name, remove it from the board.
8. Repeat steps 4 to 6 with a few of the other names.
Adapted from Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.
Outcome: Begins to identify words that end with the same final
consonant sound
Activity: It’s in the Bag

Give each child a paper bag to take home.
1. Ask them to bring one thing from home, hidden in the bag, that ends with a certain sound.
2. Ask the caregivers to work with their child to help identify and write clues about the name
of the item in the bag (e.g., it ends with a “r”, it lives in the forest, it’s a type of cat, it rhymes
with the silly word—sliger).
3. Go through each of the bags with the children and work together to guess what is in the
bag—(tiger).
This activity can also be done with initial sounds.
Activity: Tails
Draw or paint a side view of an animal with a tail. Have children put their fingers on the nose and
slide their fingers down the animal to the tail, where they emphasize the final sound.
Activity: Can You Say the Last Sound?

Use the tune of Happy Birthday for this activity.
Can you say the last sound?

Can you say the last sound in monkey?
27
Full Alphabetic to Consolidated
Alphabetic Phase:
28
Teaching Goal:
Full Alphabetic to Consolidated Alphabetic Phase: Phonological Awareness

To develop phonological awareness skills in identification, discrimination, segmenting, blending,
and manipulation to progress learners towards the consolidated phase.
End Outcomes
• Orally blends two to four sounds to make a word
• Segments one syllable words into separate sounds
• Identifies final sounds
• Produces a word ending with the same final sound
• Identifies medial sounds
• Identifies phoneme location
• Says the new word when asked to delete one phoneme
• Says the new word when asked to add one phoneme
• Substitutes initial, medial, and final sounds in words with two to four sounds

• Books with simple, repetitive language and rhyming words
• Familiar storybooks
• Alphabet/sound storybooks
• Phonological Awareness — Activities to Use on the Run! (See Appendix E)
• Phonemic Awareness — Activities to Use on the Run! (See Appendix F)
29
Suggested learning activities for the full alphabetic to consolidated alphabetic phase are described below.
Outcome: Orally blends two to four sounds to make a word

Outcome: Segments one syllable words into separate sounds
When blending sounds, start with 2, then move to 3, and eventually progress to 4 or more. Make sure
a learner is proficient at each level before moving forward. When a child blends sounds together in a
word, it requires their working memory. Working memory is like a mental jotting pad for the mind and
it holds information for a short period of time. After a child segments the sounds in a word, they need
to remember those sounds in sequence in order to blends them back together.
Activity: Say It and Move It (See Appendix D for Elkonin Boxes)

1. Put manipulatives (e.g., bingo chips, counters or blocks) on the picture (e.g., train, boat, car, etc.).
2. Tell learners that one sound is represented by one manipulative. Model how this is done and
then put the manipulative back in the (e.g., train, boat, car). For example, say, “This is the sound
/c/. As I say the sound, I move it out of the (i.e., train, boat, car) and into the box.”
3. Do this with each of the sounds:
• “This is the sound /a/. As I say the sound, I move it out of the ________ and into the box.”
• “This is the sound /t/. As I say the sound, I move it out of the ________ and into the box.”
4. Once all the sounds are in the box, encourage the children to blend the sounds together (e.g.,
c-a-t / cat).
Adapted from Miriam Trehearne’s Kindergarten Teacher’s Resource Book.
Important to note: working memory capacity develops as children grow and not every learner is
ready to blend sounds. It depends on their birthdate, vocabulary, and language development, along
with prior experiences. If a learner is experiencing difficulty in this area, give them lots of time to
practice with blending words in a sentence, compound words, and syllables first before attempting
individual sounds.
Try using a manipulative such as slinky or a rubber band when teaching children how to segment
words into separate sounds. Pull the slinky or rubber band apart as you segment the word.
30
Full Alphabetic to Consolidated Alphabetic Phase: Phonological Awareness
Outcome: Identifies final sounds
Outcome: Produces a word ending with the same final sound
Outcome: Identifies medial sounds
Outcome: Identifies phoneme location
Use sound boxes before expecting a child to be proficient with phoneme manipulations. They
need a lot of experience segmenting and blending sounds with manipulatives before identifying,
discriminating, and manipulating phonemes (see Appendix D for Elkonin Boxes).
Activity: Zippity-Bibbity
1. Teach children the following verse to the tune of “Zippity-Do-Dah.”
Zibbity-do-dah, zippity-ay.
My, oh my, what a wonderful day.
Plenty of sunshine coming our way.
Zibbity-do-dah, zippity-ay.
2. Repeat the song several times with different final and medial sounds. Example: Ziddity-do-
dah, Ziddity-ay / Zibbitoo-doo-doo, zibbitoo-oo, etc.
3. Repeat the song, changing final and medial sounds and have learners identify phoneme
location of the changed sound.
Outcome: Says the new word when asked to delete one phoneme
Activity: Guess My Word

Say the word sit. Take away the /s/ sound. What is the word?
Say the word mat. Take away the /m/ sound. What is the word?
Say the word cup. Take away the /c/ sound. What is the word?
Outcome: Says the new word when asked to add one phoneme

Say the word it. Now add /s/ to the beginning of the word. What is the word?
Say the word rip. Now add /d/ to the beginning of the word. What is the word?
Say the word lip. Now add /s/ to the beginning of the word. What is the word?
31
Outcome: Substitutes initial, medial, and final sounds in words with
two to four sounds
Activity: Zippity-Bibbity
1. Teach children the following verse to the tune of “Zippity-Do-Dah.”
Bibbity-bo-bah, Bippity-Bay.
My, oh my, what a wonderful day.
Plenty of sunshine coming our way.
Bibbity-bo-bah, Bippity-Bay.
2. Repeat the songs several times with different initial, medial, and final sounds. Example:
Libbity-lo-lah, Libbity-Lay / Tippity-to-tah, Tippity-Tay etc

Choose a few words from a poem or story the children are familiar with and use those words to
practice substituting sound in the initial, medial, or final position.
Clifford the Big Red Dog
Say the word dog...now change the /d/ to /l/...say the new word. (log)
Say the word dog...now change the /g/ to /t/...say the new word. (dot)
Pete the Cat: I Love My White Shoes
Say the word cat...now change the /t/ to /p/...say the new word. (cap)
Say the word cat...now change the /a/ to /u/...say the new word. (cut)
Don’t Let the Pidgeon Drive the Bus
Say the word bus...now change the /b/ to /f/...say the new word. (fuss)
Say the word bus...now change the /u/ to /a/...say the new word. (bass)
32
Consolidated Alphabetic to Skilled Reader Phase: Phonological Awareness
Consolidated Alphabetic
to Skilled Reader Phase:
33
Teaching Goal:
To develop later phonological awareness skills in segmenting, blending, and manipulation to progress
learners to the skilled reader phase.
End Outcomes
• Orally blends four or more sounds to make a word
• Substitutes initial, medial, and final sounds in words with four or more sounds

• Books with repetitive language and rhyming words
• Familiar storybooks
• Phonemic Awareness—Activities to Use on the Run! (See Appendix F)
34
Consolidated Alphabetic to Skilled Reader Phase: Phonological Awareness

Suggested learning activities for the consolidated alphabetic to skilled reader phase are
described below. For additional activities, refer to the activities in the partial-alphabetic to full
alphabetic, the full alphabetic to consolidated phases, and Phonemic Awareness—Activities to
Use on the Run (see Appendix F) to support learning in orally blending words with four or more
syllables and substituting initial, medial, and final sounds in words with four or more sounds.
Outcome: Orally blends four or more sounds to make a word

Outcome: Substitutes initial, medial, and final sounds in words
with four or more sounds
Activity: The Word Ladder Game

Show the bottom and top of the word ladder on the board.
rash
____
____
____
____
cast
How do we get from cast to rash? Have learners do the following:
1. Say cast, but without the /s/ sound to get a type of pet (write cat on next rung once figured out).
2. Now say cat, but change the /k/ to /m/ to get something on the floor (write mat).
3. Now change the end sound from a /t/ to a /th/ to get a subject at school (write math).
4. Change the /th/ to /sh/ to get something you do to potatoes (write mash).
5. Now what do we change to get to the word rash?
35
Assessment of
Skills and Knowledge
36
Screeners
Phonological awareness screeners provide “Speech-language pathologists have
simple ways to quickly assess a learner’s foundational knowledge and training
phonological awareness ability and identify in the language, phonology, literacy
needs moving forward. The screeners link. They have frequently developed
referenced below can be found online and in programs and worked on phonological
Appendix C. awareness with preschool and
school aged children who present
• The Phonological Awareness with language and phonological and
Screening Test (PAST) can be used articulation delays and disorders, but
both as a formative and summative also with kindergarten children as a
screening resource. Use the PAST as preventative measure.”
a quick reference to identify which
phonological awareness skills a learner The Canadian Association of
has already mastered to determine next Speech-Language Pathologists and
steps, or as a summative assessment. Audiologists, Information Brief, March
Be sure to read all instructions prior to 2009
administration.
• The Yopp Singer Test of Phoneme

Segmentation should only be used if
learners are expected to have the ability
to segment individual phonemes in words.
Effective Intervention
Approximately 20% of learners will have difficulty in developing phonological awareness skills
and will struggle through school in figuring out how sounds work in print. They will not be able to
use sound knowledge effectively because they will not have the underlying ability to “listen inside
a word” and “play with the sounds” they hear. These learners are often able to develop phonics
skills and knowledge, but have difficulty using this knowledge effectively as they try to sound
out words for reading and spelling. They may be able to tell what sound goes with what letter
(phonics) but cannot break the words apart or put them back together (phonological awareness)
(Trehearne, 2000).
Effective intervention:
• generally, occurs on a daily basis (15–20 minutes).
• involves working with individuals or a small group (depending on the needs of the learners).
• involves spending time in direct teaching (modeling, explaining, and demonstrating).
• provides opportunities for learners to apply immediately the strategies that have been shared.
• provides daily ongoing assessment.
• involves frequent home communication about how parents can help.
37
Phase Observation
“Phase observation is the practice of monitoring a child’s progress through five research-based
word reading and developmental spelling phases: (1) pre-alphabetic, (2) partial alphabetic,
(3) full alphabetic, (4) consolidated/automatic alphabetic and (5) conventional spelling. Phase
observation indicates, at a particular time in early development, how children are using their
knowledge of the alphabet and sounds and how they are making oral language connections to
read words or write using invented spellings” (Gentry & Ouellette, 2019, p. 64).
Some learners may need more support than others and may be unaware that spoken language
is segmented into individual words and sounds. Refer to phase observation, the phonological
awareness continuum, and screening resources to identify learner needs.
38
39
References
Adams, M. (1999). Phonemic awareness in young children. Irwin Publishing.
Adams, M., Foorman, B., Lunberg, I. & Beeler, T. (1998). Phonemic awareness in young children.
Irwin Publishing.
Armstrong, B., Lehr, F. & Osborn, J. (2001). Put reading first: The research building blocks for
teaching children to read. Centre for the Improvement of Early Reading Achievement (CIERA).
Blachman, B., Ball, E., Black, R. & Tangel, D. (2000). Road to the code: A phonological awareness
program for young. Brookes Publishing.
Chard, D. & Dickson, S. (1999). Phonological awareness: Instructional and assessment guidelines.
Intervention and School Clinic, 34(5), 261-270.
Ehri, L. (2014). Orthographic mapping in the acquisition of sight word reading, spelling memory,
and vocabulary. Scientific Studies of Reading, 18(1), 5-21.
Ehri, L. C. & McCormick, S. (1998). Phases of word learning: Implications for instruction with
delayed and disabled readers. Reading & Writing Quarterly: Overcoming Learning
Difficulties, 14(2), 135–163.
Ehri, L. C., Nunes, S.R., Willows, D. M., Schuster, B. V., Yaghoub-Zadeh, Z., & Shanahan, T. (2001).
Phonemic awareness instruction helps children learn to read: Evidence from the National
Reading Panel’s meta-analysis. Reading Research Quarterly, 36, 250–287.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, NIH,
DHHS. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel: Teaching Children to Read: Reports
of the Subgroups (00-4754). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Fitzpatrick, J. (1997). Phonemic awareness playing with sounds to strengthen beginning reading
skills. Creative Teaching Press.
Florida Centre for Reading Research. (n.d.). Pre-kindergarten. https://www.fcrr.org/student-

center-activities/pre-kindergarten.
Florida Centre for Reading Research. (n.d.). Kindergarten and first grade. https://www.fcrr.org/
student-center-activities/kindergarten-and-first-grade.
40
Florida Centre for Reading Research. (n.d.). Second and third grade. https://www.fcrr.org/
student-center-activities/second-and-third-grade.
Fox, M. (2001). Reading Magic: How Your child can learn to read before school—and other read-
aloud miracles. Pan MacMillan.
Gentry, R. & Ouellette, G. (2019). Brain works how the science of reading informs teaching.
Stenhouse Publishers.
Gough, P. and Tunmer, W. (1986). Decoding, reading, and reading disability. Remedial and Special
Education, 7, 6–10.
Hiebert, E. H., Pearson, P.D., Taylor, B.M., Richardson, V. & Paris, S.G. (1998). Every child a reader:
Applying reading research to the classroom. Center for the Improvement of Earl Reading
Achievement. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan School of Education.
Laing, S. P., & Espeland, W. (2005). Low Intensity phonological awareness training in a preschool
classroom for children with communication impairments. Journal of Communication
Disorders, 38(1), 65-82.
Lane, H. (n.d.). How children learn to read words: Ehri’s phases. University of Florida Literacy Institute.
Montgomery, J.K. (2002). Building phonological awareness skills in young readers
Munger, K. (2016). Steps to success: Crossing the bridge between literacy research and practice. SUNY.
Prelutsky, J. (1986). Read-aloud rhyme for the very young. Knopf books for Young Readers.
Stiggens, R. (2008) Assessment manifesto: A call for the development of balanced assessment
systems. ETS Assessment Training Institute.
Trehearne, M. (2000). Kindergarten teacher’s resource book. Scarborough, Nelson Thomson Learning.
Trehearne, M. (2004). Language arts grades 1-2 teacher’s resource book. Nelson Education.
Trehearne, M. (2016). Multiple paths to literacy. Nelson Education.
Wylie, R. E. & Durrell, D. D. (1970). Elementary English, 47, 787-791.
41
Appendix A:
The 44* Phonemes
Source: Orchestrating Success in Reading by Dawn Reithaug (2002).
42 Appendix A: The 44* Phonemes

Appendix A: The 44* Phonemes 43

44 Appendix A: The 44* Phonemes

Appendix B:
Activities to Strengthen Listening
Activity: Fingerplay
Ten Fingers
I have ten fingers (hold up both fingers and spread them wide)
And they belong to me (point to self)
I can make them do things (hold up hands and wiggle fingers)
Would you like to see?
I can shut them up tight (make a fist)

I can open them wide (open hands)
I can put them together (place palms together)
I can make them hide (place hands behind back)
I can make them jump high (raise hands over head)

I can make them jump low (touch hands to the floor)
I can fold them up quietly (fold hands in lap)
And hold them just so!
-Anonymous-
Read-Aloud Rhymes for the Very Young, selected by Jack Prelutsky, Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 1986
Activity: When the Drum Says Move, You Move

1. Borrow a hand drum from the music room. Create a very steady beat:
Tap, Tap, Tap.
2. Ask the children to move to the beat of the drum.
3. Step, Step, Step (Model how to do this.)
4. Tap the drum a little faster.

Ask the children to move to the beat of the drum.
5. Use verbal directions to begin and stop the listening activity:

BEGIN:
When the drum says move you move...
STOP:
When the drum says stop you stop...
Appendix B: Activities to Strengthen Listening 45

Activity: Mousey, Mousey, Where Are You?
1. Have children sit in a circle. Ask them to close their eyes.
2. Choose one person to be a mouse. Tell them to go somewhere in the classroom where they
can hide (i.e., under desk, behind door, near coat rack etc.).
3. Choose another child. Ask them to go to the centre of the circle. Cover their eyes and say,
“Mousey, mousey, where are you?”
4. The child who is the mouse makes a soft squeaking sound.
5. Ask all children to point in the direction of the sound.
6. Repeat this activity several times with a different mouse, etc.
Activity: Move to the Word

“The Grand Old Duke of York” (sing to the tune “The Farmer in the Dell”)
The Grand Old Duke of York, he had ten thousand men

He marched them UP to the top of the hill (stand up on UP)
And marched them DOWN again (sit down on DOWN)
And when they are UP, they’re UP (stand up on UP, on
second UP raise your hands)
And when they are DOWN, they’re DOWN (sit down on DOWN)
And when they are only HALFWAY UP (stand HALFWAY UP)
They are neither up nor down.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes”
Place both hands on parts of body as they are mentioned. On second time, speed up and get
faster with each verse.
Head, shoulders, knees and toes,

Knees and toes.
Knees and toes.
And eyes, and ears, and mouth,
And nose.
Knees and toes.
46 Appendix B: Activities to Strengthen Listening

Activity: “JUMP” When You Hear the Word JUMP (“Jack Be Nimble”)
Jack be nimble.
Jack be quick
Jack JUMPED
Over the candlestick.
Activity: Put Your Hands on Your Head When You Hear a Silly Word
Repeat a familiar poem or song. Insert a silly word and ask the children to put their hands on
their head when they hear it.
“Jack and Jill”
Jack and Jill went up the hill

To fetch a pail of water...
Jack and Jill went up the hill
To fetch a pail of marshmellows...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“Hickory Dickory Dock”
Hickory dickory dock

The mouse went up the clock...
Hickory dickory dock
The moose went up the clock...
Activity: Simon Says

Give instructions for the students to follow using “Simon Says.”
For example, “Simon Says to cross your arms and touch your elbows.”
Activity: Skiddley Scoot

This game is best played outside or in the gym. It helps with listening skills, sequencing, memory,
and following instructions.
1. Have the children line up and give them one instruction (i.e., jump up and down three
times).
2. With practice work up to three instructions (i.e., jump up and down three times, touch your
toes, and then hop over to the wall like a rabbit).
Appendix B: Activities to Strengthen Listening 47

Appendix C:
Yopp Singer Test of
Phoneme Segmentation
Test Description
• The Yopp-Singer Test of Phoneme Segmentation is a list of 22 common words.
• Learners are given the words and asked to break each word apart (segmentation).
• Test is individually administered by educator, instructional assistant, or paraprofessional.
• Timeframe: 5–10 minutes per child.
Using the Results

Since a relationship has been established between phonemic awareness, success in reading, and
spelling acquisition, Yopp and Singer’s assessment is especially helpful in early identification of areas
where further instruction is needed.
Scoring (cut-off’s have not been defined):
• All or mostly correct responses indicate strong phonemic awareness
• Some correct responses indicate emerging awareness
• Little or few correct responses suggest intervention is needed
48 Appendix C: Yopp Singer Test of Phoneme Segmentation

Yopp-Singer Test of Phoneme Segmentation
Score (# correct) ______________
Name __________________________________ Date __________________
Directions: Today we’re going to play a word game. I’m going to say a word and I want you to
break the word apart. You are going to tell me each sound of the word in order. For example, if I
say old, you should say /o/ /l/ /d/. Let’s try a few together.
Practice items: (assist in segmenting, if necessary) ride (3) go (2) man (3)
Test items: (Circle those items that the learner correctly segments; incorrect responses are
recorded on the blank line following the item.)
Answer Answer
Key Key
1. dog _____________ 3 2. lay _____________ 2
2. keep _____________ 3 13. race _____________ 3
3. fine _____________ 3 14. zoo _____________ 2
4. no _____________ 2 15. three _____________ 3
5. she _____________ 2 16. job _____________ 3
6. wave _____________ 3 17. in _____________ 2
7. grew _____________ 3 18. ice _____________ 2
8. that _____________ 3 19. at _____________ 2
9. red _____________ 3 20. top _____________ 3
10. me _____________ 2 21. by _____________ 2
11. sat _____________ 3 22. do _____________ 2
(Hallie Kay Yopp grants permission for this test to be reproduced. The author acknowledges the
contribution of the late Harry Singer to the development of this test.)
Appendix C: Yopp Singer Test of Phoneme Segmentation 49

Appendix D:
Elkonin Boxes
Elkonin Boxes
50 Appendix D: Elkonin Boxes

Appendix E:
Phonological Awareness Activities to Use on the Run!
Appendix E: Phonological Awareness Activities to Use on the Run! 51

52 Appendix E: Phonological Awareness Activities to Use on the Run!
Appendix F:
Phonemic Awareness Activities to Use on the Run!
Appendix F: Phonemic Awareness Activities to Use on the Run! 57

58 Appendix F: Phonemic Awareness Activities to Use on the Run!
Appendix G:
Onset and Rimes
ack ap est ing ot ail
ash ice ink uck ain at
ick ip ug ake ate ide
it ump ale aw ignt ock
unk ame ay ill oke ank
an eat in op ell ine
ore
68 Appendix G: Onset and Rimes

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What is phonological awareness?

What is phonological awareness?

What are the five major areas of phonological awareness?

What are the five major areas of phonological awareness?

M2 PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE

• Research and Reading Instruction

New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, 2021

It is important to remember that phonological awareness is a necessary skillset on the Building

Phonological awareness consists of five major areas:

Phonological Awareness Syllable Awareness

Onset and Rime Awareness

For example: Let’s clap on the two parts in the

Onset and Rime Awareness

Phonemic awareness can be further broken down as follows:

Identification and Discrimination

Phonemic Awareness Segmenting and Blending

Identification and Discrimination

Segmenting and Blending

• Blending refers to putting sounds together (e.g., /b/-/i/-/g/ > big).

• Adding sounds (e.g., add /h/ to and = hand).

Phonological awareness relates to the sounds we

In her book, Multiple Paths to Literacy, Miriam Trehearne

• play develops children’s oral language,

• pretend play provides practice in early literacy

• word play develops phonological awareness.

• play in a literacy-enriched setting increases

• play helps build background knowledge.

6 • play makes reading and writing fun.

To effectively teach phonological awareness,

Sound Boxes—Elkonin Boxes

Words in a Sentences Draw a picture or share a short sentence with the

Compound Words Draw or show a picture of a snowman.

Educator says, “snowman.”

Have learners identify the two words in the

Educator repeats, “snow... man... snowman.”

Sounds in Words Draw or show a picture of a cat.

Educator says, “cat.”

Have learners segment the sounds within the word.

Educator repeats, “/c/ /a/ /t/.”

Rhyme sail > hail boat > coat

Syllable sailboat > sail-boat sail-boat > sailboat

Onset and Rime /s/ ail /b/ oat

Identification boat bat bat cat cot hot

Discrimination boat coat coat coal cot cat

Segmenting sail > s-ai-l boat > b-oa-t

Blending s-ai-l > sail b-oa-t > boat

Addition /b/ + oat boat

Deletion boat - /b/ oat

Substitution boat /b/ > /c/ coat

Phonological Awareness and Phonics

• Begins to produce rhyming words

• Segments words in a sentence

• Segments compound words

Checklist of Teaching “Must Haves”

• Nursery rhyme and song books

• Musical instruments—rhythm sticks, drum for tapping

• Phonological Awareness—Activities to Use on the Run! (See Appendix E)