Phonemic Awareness
Activities like word blending can help kids build phonemic awareness, which is the understanding that words are made up of a series of separate sounds, called phonemes.
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Activities like word blending can help kids build phonemic awareness, which is the understanding that words are made up of a series of separate sounds, called phonemes.
Watch these playful videos to see word-blending in action. Then invite kids in your care to practice word blending, too.
You might…
- Use index cards and a marker to write letters and word family sounds. For example, write “b” on one card, and “at” on another.
- Then have children partner up to create words. The child holding “at” might stay in place while children with other letters (c or h, for example) rotate to make new words in the same word family.
- Consider incorporating actions or playful props to help the learning “stick.”
You can use the words from the videos, or create your own. The most important thing is to meet kids where they are, review what they’ve learned, and build on what they know.
Sources
International Literacy Association. (2019) Meeting the Challenges of Early Literacy Phonics Instruction [Literacy leadership brief]. Newark, DE: Author.
Creating Alphabet-Rich Environments
Alphabet recognition involves learning the names, shapes, and sounds of the letters in the alphabet, and it helps get kids ready for phonics learning. There are so many ways to introduce the alphabet to young children. Adding a little alphabet magic to your environment can be a great place to start.
Alphabet Art
Alphabet art is a fun, hands-on way to help kids recognize the shapes of letters. It can also provide an opportunity to layer in learning across subjects. Watch this video and think of ways you might incorporate letter crafts into your work with kids and families.
