Attention parents! Give your child a head start in life -- incorporate phonemic awareness for greater reading fluency

Increasing information about phonemic awareness is making parents sit up and take notice. The link between reading fluency and early language development is changing the lesson plans in elementary classrooms.

New reading strategies that incorporate the theories behind phonemic awareness are developing the minds of young children, with excellent results.

Guided activities, reading strategies and oral lessons are increasing phonological capabilities in early readers. Increased awareness can lead to greater reading fluency and a better sense of sound manipulation.

Activities like games, questioning and worksheets are simple and easy ways to help improve your child’s reading fluency. Reading strategies have been approved by the International Reading Association.

Phonemic Awareness Theories

The theory of phonemic awareness is based on the understanding that words are spoken through creating a chain of sounds.

If we were to break down our conversations, we would see how sounds blend together to create what we call words.

This is the basic principle behind phonemic theories and phonic learning programs for children. Now that you understand this concept, we can break it down to look at phonemes.

"Phonemes" is a word used to describe the slight sound formations used in speaking. A good example of phonemes are the sounds your child makes when they are first learning how to talk.

This "baby babble" is really the beginning of language.

The principle of phonic awareness can be applied to young children with learning disabilities, in order to help them learn how to read and write.

Many parents integrate phonic exercises into their child’s learning program for no other reason than to give them a head start on language comprehension. After all, it is the fundamental building block of most learning systems.

Phonic Development Programs

Many phonic activities have emerged from research on the connection between language and sound usage.

There are a variety of great programs available today, including Hooked on Phonics.

A good phonics program will focus on sound awareness, so your child can differentiate between similar sounding words, through the use of:

• Rhymes
• Syllables
• Phonemes
• Medial Sounds
• Blending sounds

A simple and effective way to help your child grasp the concepts of language is through using phonemes exercises.

With oral games, speaking and mimicking, your child will learn about phonemes through shaping sounds with their mouth.

The integration of visual stimulation and kinesthetic action are often incorporated into phonemes practice in order to process the information on all levels.

The foundation of phonic understanding lies in the awareness of sound formation. In order to form sentences, compounds and rhymes, there must first be a knowledge of each individual sound.

This is much like the way a musician is aware of every individual note.

In fact, children with higher levels of phonic awareness have a greater understanding of music. This skill can be enhanced with an early grasp on sound manipulation, through segmented and blended sounds.

Oral practice of phonics is quickly applied to the written word, as children learn how to separate phonemes in a systematic fashion.

If you look at the children who are successful at spelling, you will find that they have a higher awareness of phonemic breakdown. A common approach of these children is to listen for the beginning, middle and end to the sounds of a word.

They are using the direct application of phonemic theories in order to spell words correctly.

Benefits & Resources

As you can see, the benefits of high phonic awareness are endless.

It’s a well known fact that children learn best through methodical systems that improve the capacity for integrated memory. Phonic programs can improve memory through the interaction of sounds on all levels, for the best results.

With this one stop resource to phonic learning, you can find the program best suited to meet the needs of your child.