Phonemic Awareness

Readings:
Teaching Phonemic Awareness by Rasinski and Padak
From Phonics to Fluency by Rasinski and Padak

Learning to read is not all work; some of it can be fun and games!  Phonemic awareness is one of those topics that can be very fun for kids to learn and practice.  There are many games, songs, rhymes, and poems that can be used to work on this skill.  I love that the article highlighted this element of teaching, because often times, especially with the growing push towards standardized test, the fun of learning is skipped over in favor of more practical or efficient methods.  I believe, however, that if learning is fun, then that method will be the most effective method.  I think that kids should enjoy their school and learning experience, just as I think that college students or adults should.  Nobody wants to invest themself in learning something that they do not enjoy discussing or researching or practicing.

The article also highlighted the importance of mastering phonemic awareness in order to become better readers.  Numerous studies have shown that phonemic awareness is one of the best predictors for how well students will learn to read in the beginning years of school. Some students come in with lots of phonemic background, but many come in with very limited experience.  In my mind phonemic awareness is one of the building blocks of reading.  It forms the base, as it is one of the most basic, yet important, aspects of mastering language.  If the base is wobbly or if it is removed, you cannot build a tower that is structurally sound.  The bigger the base, the bigger the tower.  Possibly a lame metaphor, but I think it is great at illustrating the importance of this concept.

Phonemic awareness is crucial; it is also fun!  Combined, it should be something that is both easy and enjoyable to incorporate into a classroom.