Phonological awareness activities involve listening for and manipulating the sounds in spoken language.
Phonological awareness is different from phonics, which focuses on the association between letters and their
sounds. Exposing preschoolers to games that focus on the sounds in language is an important stepping-stone
on the road to reading. Early childhood educators can engage children in phonological awareness activities
at small group times, transition times, center times or meal times. Educators who provide preschoolers with
opportunities to explore the sounds in language support children’s emergent literacy development.
The typical sequence of phonological awareness moves from easier activities (listening) to more challenging activities
(blending and segmenting). In this course we will explore an understanding of phonological awareness as well as dive into a few activities that build this skill in kindergarten children.