Session for CID/SID Educators Conference - October 2014.

1. Phonemic Awareness =
Literacy Success
Drew D. Gerdes
Early Childhood Director
Messiah Lutheran School
Weldon Spring, Missouri
CID/SID Educator’s Conference
October 2014

2. How do many teachers teach
young children do read?
Alphabet recognition
Read books
Games
Worksheets
Manipulatives
Phonics
What else?

3. But First…
First teachers need to set
a solid foundation for
reading success…
This is done through
Phonemic Awareness!

4. What About Phonemic
Awareness?
What is it not?
 1. A skill
 2. The ability to
recognize what
letters match specific
sounds…this is
phonics
 3. Handwriting of the
different alphabetic
letters
Phonemic
Awareness is… the
ability to:
 1. Hear the sounds
that make up the
words
 2. See relationships
between sounds
 3. Alter and
rearrange sounds to
create new words

5. Phonics vs. Phonemic
Awareness…The Differences
Phonics
 Focuses on and
associates sounds to
written symbols (the
letter s makes the sound
of /s/)
 Assumes or requires
knowledge of written
alphabet
 Builds on a child’s ability
to segment and blend
together sounds heard…
this is why Phonemic
Awareness instruction
must happen first!
Phonemic Awareness
 Focuses on sound units
(phonemes) only
 Does not require
previous alphabet
knowledge…but assists
 Builds on the ability to
makes a connection
between sounds and
speech
 Is sequential…spoken
words, then syllables,
onsets/rimes, and finally
individual sounds in a
word

6. Definitions:
Onset:
 All of the sounds in a word that come
before the first vowel (in “splint”…the onset
is “spl-”)
Rime: (not rhyme )
 The first vowel in a word and all the
sounds that follow (in “splint”…the rime is
“-int”)

7. Why Utilize Phonemic
Awareness Instruction?
For a child, many times a word is heard as
just one big sound (Fitzpatrick, 1997)
Sounds (or phonemes) are abstract in nature
Phonemic Awareness predicts reading
success (IRA Position Statement, 1997)
Bridges the gap between inadequate
preparation for literacy and success in
beginning reading (Fitzpatrick, 1997)

8. Children Who Have
Phonemic Awareness:
Come to school having been read to
Know some letter names (not required)
Can track print!
Know some meaningful words (own
names, McDonalds, Toys-R-Us)
Model their knowledge of nursery
rhymes, traditional children’s songs,
chants, rhyming books (Dr. Seuss)

9. In Simple Terms, Phonemic
Awareness Is Taught
Through…
Nursery Rhymes
Tongue Twisters
Words Games
Clapping Words
Silly Sentences
The Classroom Learning Environment

10. A Print-Rich Checklist:
Provide books and a
variety of writing
materials throughout
the classroom

11. A Print-Rich Checklist
Have print in each
Learning Center
 Signs
 Directions
 Posters
 Labels
www.preschoolprintables.com

12. A Print-Rich Checklist
Provide students with a
variety of different writing
materials
 Pencils, pens
 Colored pencils, crayons,
markers
 Stencils
 Paper punches
 Rulers
 Envelopes
 Stickers

13. A Print-Rich Checklist
Print displays are
Bulletin boards:
changed on a
1. Theme Related
2. Ask a question
regular basis
3. Accountability

14. A Print-Rich Checklist
Songs & Poetry
around the room
 Nursery Rhyme
Chart
 Reading curriculum
charts
 Posters
Nursery Rhyme Chart
Commercially made or Handmade

15. A Print-Rich Checklist
Provide comfortable
The Reading Loft
places for the
children to read and
write

16. Ideally, when should Phonemic
Awareness be taught?
In infancy!!!
Speaking to a child not yet born is
important
Music, voice (both mother and father),
soothing sounds
Repetition & Rhyme

17. True Story!!!
Shirley K. Morgenthaler, Concordia- Chicago
Father read Seuss In Utero to his yet-to-be-born
child
After birth, grandma comes to visit (child has
not yet heard grandma’s voice)
Another relative is holding child, but grandma
begins to read Seuss In Utero
At only 1 week old, child recognizes the
familiar rhyme and rhythm of book and
focuses intently on grandma reading the
book!

18. Classroom Instruction in
Phonemic Awareness
Multi-leveled and progresses through 5
sequential stages:
1. Rhythm and Rhyme
2. Parts of a Word
3. Sequence of Sounds
4. Separation of Sounds
5. Manipulation of Sounds

19. Extending Phonemic
Awareness into Written
Language
Having become accustomed to hearing letter sounds,
moving into written letter combinations and sentence
formation can be challenging
To ease this transition, children should be “overly
exposed” to print!
Before children can understand the “alphabetic
principal”, they need to understand letters are more
than just random symbols
In each Stage of Phonemic Awareness, print must
also be used and modeled!

20. Level 1: Rhythm & Rhyme
Within this level children:
Develop an ‘ear’ for language
Listen for and detect syllables within words
Listen for matching sounds
Gain greater auditory discrimination
I refer to this level as the “exposure” level

21. Level 1 Activity
Rhyming Words
This 1st level highly stresses rhyming
and same/similar-sound knowledge
Say pairs of words and ask children to
identify those that rhyme
fox/box, bear/chair, horse/house, etc…
Multi-level – have more advanced students
determine a new rhyming word on their own
 Can you think of a word that rhymes with book?

22. Level 1 Activities
Tongue Twisters
 Peter Piper picked a
peck of pickled peppers.
 Each time the children
hear the /p/ sound, have
them touch their nose
 Use the cloze format,
leaving off the ending
word…the children can
choose something else
that begins with the /p/
sound
Nursery Rhyme
 Mary Had a Little Lamb
 Clap out the syllables
and rhythm while saying
the nursery rhyme
 Put strong emphasis on
the beginning sound of
each word

23. Level 1 – Rhyme Away
Using specified
story page, draw
picture on board
Read text and have
children erase as
indicated
Multi-level…omit the
word and have
children guess what
is to be taken away
Playing the Game!!

24. Text for Rhyme Away
Game

25. Level 1 – Draw A Rhyme
Reverse of Rhyme
Away
Read text and
children volunteer to
draw parts
necessary
Could done as a
group or individually
Multi-level

26. Text for Draw A Rhyme
Game

27. Level 1 – Hink Pink
What is hink pink?
 It really is a literacy term!!!
 A pair of rhyming words that answer a riddle
 What do you call a chubby kitty? Fat cat
 What do you call a crying father? Sad dad
 What do you call a desk that doesn’t fall down? Stable
table
 What do you call a rabbit who tells jokes? Funny bunny

28. Level 1 Tools – What could a
teacher use in Level 1
instruction?
Nursery Rhyme
Chart
Rhythm Instruments
Alphabet Books

29. Book Buddy Bags
Encourage the reading
of rhyming books at
home
Books on tape/CD
which are sent home
with students
Can add in other
surprises…
So many opportunities
for learning!!
Book Buddy Bags
1. Canvas bag
2. Book with tape/CD
3. Journal
4. Instructions/Tips for Parents
(a copy is included in your packet !)

30. Book Buddy Bags
Idea from the Building Blocks Literacy Model
Adapted by Mr. Gerdes 
3-4 of them, depending on your class
numbers
Sent home on Monday; must be returned by
Friday
We don’t look at Journal Entries until Friday…
this way children are encouraged to keep
them for the entire week; children are more
likely to reread them several times
Special Bonus!! Parents get to see the work
of other children, too!!

31. Level 1: Simon Says
Sounds
This game is played
best with partners
Give each group of
children a set of
alphabet cards
Play Simon Says using
commands such as:
 Simon Says touch the /f/
letter with your thumb
 Simon says put the letter
Tt on your shoe
 Simon Says place the /s/
letter on your head
Notice the different colors
of game cards; it’s a
management technique!

32. Level 1 – Simon Says
Sounds
Simon Says to hold up the
letter that makes the /t/
sound.
Simon Says to put the letter that
makes the /z/ sound on your
nose.

33. Level 2: Parts of a Word
Within this level children:
Listen for sounds within a word
Experiment with oral synthesis…blending
sounds together to form spoken words
Discover that speech can be broken down
into smaller “sound units”
Words to syllables
Syllables to onsets and rimes
Onsets and rhymes to phonemes

34. Level 2 – Break It In Half
Used with 2-syllable
words
Pantomime holding the
word with two hands
(crayon)
Say the 1st syllable as
you move your left fist
up and away with palm
upward
Say the 2nd syllable as
you move your right fist
up and away with palm
upward

35. Level 2 – Turtle Talk
This activity helps
children stretch out
words to hear how the
phonemes blend
together
As children slowly say a
word, they move their
turtles from left to right
Could also use rubber
band, slinky, etc.

36. Level 2 – Pop Up People
Volunteers sit in front of
the class
Teacher secretly tells
volunteers the sounds
Volunteers “pop up” and
say their sound…slowly
at first and then faster
Children blend the
sounds together and
guess the word
Keep your sound a secret!!!

37. Level 2 - Pop Up People
Have the children say their assigned
sound
Other children put sounds together and
guess the word

38. More Pop Up People…
Hand out picture cards
to the children
Target a specific
phoneme, at the
beginning, middle, or
end
Children who have a
picture with that
phoneme stand up
Trade picture cards with
a friend!!!
It’s fun to watch the
children “monitor” the
cards of others!

39. More Pop Up People…
Popping up!! Look at your picture!

40. Level 2: Letter Patterns
This is to be used as a
***Remember…this is a
visual scanning activity
visual activity only…
only…not for word
multi-level
families yet at this level
Make a page of many
words, 3 phoneme
words work best
Children can look for a
specific letter pattern
and circle it…use a
highlighter!
Change the desired
letter pattern often

41. Level 2: Picture Puzzles
Can be bought or handmade
Very popular…you probably already have some in
your own classroom!
Multi-level…something for children of all academic
levels!

42. Level 3 – Sequence of
Sounds
Within this level children:
Identify where a sound is heard in a word
(approximation) beginning, middle, end
Listen for sounds (phonemes), which can
be made by more than one letter
Shift from having difficulty sequencing
sounds…words are not just one big sound
Learn to isolate sounds and hear them
separately

43. Level 3 Teaching Tips
Begin simply; identify only one target
sound (letters/phonemes/blends, etc.)
Children do not have to know the
names of the alphabet letters to master
this level
The emphasis here is on listening
Multi-level…something for those
beginning and those more advanced

44. Level 3 – What Big Ears
You Have!!
Using Mickey Mouse
ears to emphasize the
importance of listening
to sounds
Choose a sound /d/ and
say the verse:
 Listen, listen loud and
clear
 What’s the first sound
that you hear?
 Doggie, dolly, dark, and
daddy
 Tell me, tell me, what you
hear
Could also be done with
middle and ending
sounds

45. Level 3 – Where’s That
Sound?
Use a “wiener dog”
cutout to emphasize
the length of a word
Use 3-phoneme
words and an extra
craft stick to locate
the target sound
Beginning, middle,
or end of a word
1. Can be done with any type of
picture (picture card, magazine,
drawing, etc.)
2. Think of interesting pointers!
3. Beginning stage of word
segmentation.

46. Level 3: Picture
Spelling
Make “consonant
picture cards” with
sentence strips for
beginning and ending
sounds
Using picture cards,
have the children
determine which
category to sort the
card in
Can be done with any
target sound (single,
onset, rime, etc.)
Can be done in so
many ways!!

47. Level 3: Penny Push
Make your own “Penny
Push” card
Use a variety of picture
cards with varying
numbers of phonemes
(multi-level)
Children push a penny
into a box for each
phoneme heard
Use any kind of picture!
Makes a great individual
learning center!

48. Level 3 Teaching Tools
Some of the following types of teaching tools may be
introduced during Level 3 Instruction:
Mystery Word Builders Manipulative Reading Games
(from Lakeshore) (from Lakeshore)

49. Level 3: Word Walls
In all reality, an entire early childhood
classroom should be a word wall…print
should be everywhere
Some teachers like specific alphabetic Word
Walls…this is a fine addition to a classroom!
 Listing of A-words, B-words, etc…
 Environmental Print Boards & Books
 www.hubbardscupboard.com
 Check for Environmental Print Links…

50. Level 3: Environmental
Print Boards & Books
Books…easy to
Boards…fun to
make and change!
collect items!

51. Level 4: Separation of
Sounds
Within this level children:
Become more comfortable with counting
the number of phonemes in a word
Are able to acoustically divide words
Identify individual sounds within a word
(phoneme segmentation)
Some children can easily identify isolated
sounds, but they cannot break them into
separate phonemic components

52. Level 4 Teaching Tips
Before attempting to split apart and
identify individual phonemes, have
children sound the number of sounds in
a word
Say words s-l-o-w-l-y and “tap out” the
phonemes heard
Repeat SOUNDS and not letter names!!

53. Level 4: I Spy
Choose a collection of
picture cards
Have the children
identify “spied” objects
according to your
phoneme clues
 I spy an object with 3
sounds
 1st sound is /b/
 Last sound is /k/
 It rhymes with “look”
Multi-level as children
can play on their own in
groups

54. Level 4: Put It Together,
Take It Apart!
Use Unifix cubes or
other snap-type blocks
Link sounds together to
say the word, and take
them apart of identify
individual phonemes
Link in phonics…
children are able to see
which letter is
connected to each
phoneme
Commercially-made
products are also
available

55. Level 5: Manipulations
of Sounds
Within this level children:
 Substitute beginning, middle, and ending sounds
of a word (phoneme substitution)
 Omit beginning, middle, and ending phonemes
(deletion)
 Greatly expand their knowledge of families (-at,
-ip, -ot, etc.)
 Become more confident with their reading and
writing abilities…they are using their previous
background knowledge

56. Level 5 Teaching Tips
This is the highest level of phonemic
awareness
First work with beginning sounds…sequential
instruction…then middle and ending sounds
A child’s ability to manipulate phonemes
strongly correlated with success in beginning
reading acquisition
Use Silly Songs and Playing With Words
techniques

57. Level 5: Zippity-Bippity
A “piggyback” song to Zippity-Do-Dah
Uses substitution of beginning phonemes…in this
example /b/:
 Bippity-bo-bah, Bippity-bay
 My, oh my, what a wonderful day
 Plenty of sunshine coming my way
 Bippity-bo-bah, Bippity-bay
Mippity-mo-mah, tippity-to-tah, etc…
Another great song is “Apples & Bananas”…this
focuses on vowel phonemes…serves same purpose

58. Level 5: Change A
Letter
Using letter cards, have
the children make
different words by
manipulating letters
Can use a specific
Word Family
Involved with whole
class…multi-level
 Some will experience
early phonemic
awareness while others
make the transition to
phonics!

59. Level 5: More Change A
Letter…
As children move around with different
phonemes/letters, new words are made
Talk about real words vs. nonsense words

60. Level 5 Teaching Tools
Many teaching tools are available…use
what you are comfortable with…use
what your class enjoys!!

61. Level 5 Websites
www.starfall.com
www.rhymesandsongs.com
www.nellieedge.com

62. Teaching Phonemic
Awareness Book
Resources:
Phonemic
Awareness Activities
Building Blocks
Literacy Model

63. In Conclusion…
Have fun teaching!
Remember…phonemic
awareness first, then
phonics will follow!

64. Contact Information:
Drew D. Gerdes
Early Childhood Director
Messiah Lutheran School
Weldon Spring, Missouri
dgerdes@messiahnetwork.org
www.facebook.com/educationease
www.educationease.weebly.com
Let me know your ideas!
Ask a question anytime, too!