Speech Sounds

Phonological awarenessA group of skills related to the ability to recognize the parts of spoken words. is a set of critical pre-reading skills: the ability to hear, identify, and play with the sounds in spoken language — including rhymes, syllables, and phonemesThe smallest parts of spoken language that combine to form words. . Children with strong phonological awareness skills are ready to become readers. Phonological awareness includes a child’s ability to:

• Identify words that rhyme
• Count the number of syllables in a word or in familiar names
• Recognize alliterationThe repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words in connected text. (words with the same beginning sound)
• Segment (break) a sentence into words
• Recognize and play with the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. This is called phonemic awarenessThe ability to notice, think about, and work with the individual sounds in spoken words. .

Babies, toddlers, and preschoolers can learn to have fun with sounds! Figuring out words that rhyme, coming up with words that share a beginning sound, and saying silly words all help build a child’s phonological awareness.

Fun with phonemes

One family in Raleigh, North Carolina, shows how playing word and rhymingWords that have the same ending sound. games puts their child on the road to reading success.