Being able to hear and manipulate the sounds of spoken English, called phonological awareness, is essential to becoming a skilled reader and writer. Some young children seem to pick this up with relatively little effort. They’ll tell you that their friend’s name begins with a /j/ sound or that “pop” has lots of /p/ sounds in it! Many other children will only develop this foundational literacy skill through intentional, teacher-facilitated activities. In this session we will explore a research-based sequence of engaging and effective activities that lead children to the essential reading skill of phonemic awareness. We’ll be sure to be both skillful AND playful, just like we want to be with children! This session utilizes Tier 1 evidence-based instructional strategies for the Component of Phonological Awareness as described in the 2024 Illinois Comprehensive Literacy Plan.
Gateways Topic: Early Literacy
Gateways Content Areas: (D) Curriculum or Program Design
Gateways CDC Content Areas: (8) Child Development