Phonological awareness consists of skills that typically develop gradually and sequentially through the late preschool period.  They are developed with direct training and exposure. Phonological awareness is a key component of learning to read.

What is phonological awareness?

Phonological awareness is the awareness of sounds in a language.  It includes an awareness of rhyming and the ability to rhyme.  Another aspect of phonological awareness is an understanding that sentences can be broken down into words, syllables, and sounds.  Children and adults with phonological awareness have the ability to talk about, reflect upon, and manipulate sounds in words.  They also have an understanding of the relationship between written and spoken language.

What are phonological awareness skills?

• Detecting rhyme and alliteration (use of similar consonants).
• Identifying rhymes and words that start/end with the same sounds.
• Segmenting words into smaller units, such as syllables and sounds, by counting them.
• Blending separated sounds into words.
• Understanding that words are made up of sounds represented by symbols or letters.
• Manipulating sounds in words by adding, deleting, or substituting.

Does my child need help?

If your child has a speech sound disorder, is four years old or older, and not displaying these skills, we recommend setting up an evaluation for your child with one of our speech-language pathologists.  Contact us today to make an appointment for a reading evaluation.