Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
Awareness
Package
CONTENTS
Level 7: Blending
First, select poems and rhymes that actually do contain rhyming words. Many
popular rhymes, such as “This little piggy”, do not contain true rhyming words, and
thus will not promote phonemic awareness. The rhyme is “This little piggy went to market/This
little piggy stayed home/ This little piggy had roast beef/ This little piggy had none/ And this little piggy cried,
Wee-wee-wee/All the way home”. “None” and “Home” are only partial rhymes, and they are far apart in the poem.
Second, it is easier for young children to hear words that rhyme if they are in close proximity to one another.
In many poems and rhymes, the rhyming pattern in ABAB and so the rhyming words are not in consecutive lines, but
rather in every other line. It is easier for young children to hear rhyming words that are situated in closer
proximity. The rhyme “One, two/ Buckle my shoe” is a good example of a poem with rhyming words that are in close
proximity to one another. (Wasilk:2001)
Hey Diddle Diddle! Hark! Hark! The dogs do bark, Hickory, dickory, dock,
The cat and the fiddle The beggars are coming to town. The mouse ran up the clock.
The cow jumped over the moon Some in rags The clock struck one,
The Little dog laughed And some in tags, The mouse ran down!
To see such sport And one in a velvet gown. Hickory, dickory, dock.
And the dish ran away with the
spoon.
Doctor Foster went to Gloucester Humpty Dumpty
Dickey ,dickery, dare In a shower of rain Sat on a wall
The pig flew in the air He stepped in a puddle Humpty Dumpty
The man in brown Right up to his middle Had a great fall
Soon brought him down! And never went there again. All the King’s horses
Dickey ,dickery, dare And all the King’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty
Together again.
Nightening Five Little Fishes Swimming in the Pool At the Zoo we saw a bear
When you wake up at night This one said, “The pool is cool.” He had long, dark fuzzy hair
And it’s dark and frightening This one said, “ The pool is deep.” We saw a lion in a cage.
Climb out of bed This one said, “I’d like to sleep”. He was in an awful rage.
And tune on the lightening This one said, “I’ll float and dip.” We saw the big, long necked giraffe,
This one said, “I see a ship.” And the silly monkeys made us laugh
. The fishing boat comes But my favourite animal at the zoo
The line goes splash Is the elephant –How about you?
One lonely bus driver all alone and blue All the little fishes swim away in a flash!
He picked up a passenger and then there This little groggy broke his toe
were two This little froggy said “Oh, oh, oh!”
Two people riding, they stopped by a tree Number Rhyme This little froggy laughed and was glad.
They picked up a passenger, and then there 1, 2, 3, 4 This little froggy cried and was sad
were three Are my feet flat on the floor? This little froggy did just what he should
Three people riding, they stopped by a 5, 6, 7, 8 He ran for the doctor as fast as he could.
store Is my back nice and straight?
They picked up a passenger, and then there 9, 10, 11, 12
were four. This is how my pencil is held
Four people riding, happy and alive, They 13, 14, 15, 16
picked up a passenger, and then there were Now I’m ready to do my printing
five. I have a little toothbrush
Five people riding, open swung the door I hold it very tight
Four passengers got off the bus, I brush my teeth each morning,
The driver’s alone once more And then again at night
Because words and syllables are more salient and more directly perceivable than individual phonemes, activities
that involve counting the number of words in a sentence or syllables in a word can be used as initial steps leading to
isolated phoneme synthesis and segmentation (Lundberg, Frost, & Peterson 1988)
Adams (1990), and Blackman ( 1984) warn that word consciousness (the awareness that spoken language is
composed of words) should not be assumed even in children with several years schooling, though they report
evidence that it may be readily taught even at a pre-school level. That school age children can lack such
fundamental knowledge may be difficult for adults to accept, but it highlights the need in education to assume
little, and assess pre-requisite skills carefully. Their warning also challenges the view, held by some Whole
Language advocates (Goodman, 1979, 1986; Smith, 1975, 1992), that seeking and reading involve equivalent “natural”
processes for all children. The implications of the Whole Language view are that the same environmental
conditions that occur during the development of speech are those best provided for children learning to read.
Liberman and Liberman (1990) have provided a forceful rebuttal of this position.
Rhyme activities introduce children to the sound structure of words. Especially when rhyme
recognition skills are not well established, the visual representation of the words provides great assistance, as the
child is then free to concentrate totally on the recognition of rhyme, without straining to recall the words
presented. Once the skill is firmly in place, the task may be made more difficult by presenting the words
completely orally.
To be aware that words can have a similar end-sound implies a critical step in metalinguistics understanding – that
of ignoring the meaning of a word in order to attend to its internal structure. This leads to a new classification
system, one in which words are classified according to end-sound rather than meaning. Bryant (1990) points to the
considerable amount of evidence indicating that children as young as three or four years can make judgements such
as – when words rhyme, and when they begin with the same sound (alliteration). He argues that sensitivity to
rhyme makes both a direct and indirect contribution to reading. Directly, it helps students appreciate that words
that share common sounds usually also share common letter sequences. The child’s subsequent sensitivity to
common letter sequences then makes a significant contribution to reading strategy development.
Indirectly, the recognition of rhyme promotes the refining of word analysis from intra-word
segments (such as rhyme) to analysis at the level of the phoneme (the critical requirement for
reading). Cited in Wasik 2001
Rhyming Game
To introduce this game, read several rhyme phrases aloud, emphasising the rhyming words. Then challenge the
children to complete each rhyme aloud. For assessment purposes it is recommended that you periodically request
responses from individuals as opposed to the whole group. Following are examples of phrases that can be used:
A cat wearing a ______________(hat) A mouse that lives in a _______________(house)
A moose with a tooth that is ________(loose) A pig that is dancing a _____________(jig)
Some kittens wearing ___________(mittens) A sheep that is sound ____________(asleep)
An owl drying off with a _________(towel) A bear with long brown ___________(hair)
A bug crawled under the _________(rug) An ape that is eating a _____________(grape)
A goat that is sailing a ____________(boat) A duck that is driving a ___________(truck)
A guy who is swatting a _____________(fly) A bee with a hive in a _____________(tree)
On the swing I like to ____________(sing) We drove far in our ___________(car)
Smell the rose with your _________(nose) Write the numbers 1 – 10 with a pencil or a ____(pen)
Variation: use word cards Yes and No for children to hold up when words rhyme or don’t rhyme.
Compiled by Jane Sheils & Yvonne Sawyers
21
Pebble Game
Procedure: Children sit in a circle and start a slow clap (or pat knees), children keep clapping while the teacher
starts a rhyming string, e.g. Fat, cat, rat, etc. on the word rat you pass the pebble on to the next child who says
another rhyming word “mat” that child passes the pebble to the next child who says another word in the rhyming
string. Words can be repeated and nonsense words can be used. A child can pass the pebble on in time to the
clapping without contributing a word.
You Can Come Sailing On My Ship
Ask children if they would like to come sailing on your ship. Tell them they can come if they bring
something. You are going to take a “bun”. They have to think of things to take that will rhyme with
bun. E.g. sun, one, etc. Variation: you can come on my rocket ship, submarine, truck, car etc. As long as
they choose something to take with them that rhymes with what you are taking. The words can be
nonsense words.
Silly Rhymes Big Book
Use rimes (root or word families) and rhyme charts around the room to create silly poems with the class. Write
the one line rhyme with the whole class in big letters on large paper as a shared writing exercise. Read aloud
several times. Use different voices. Have children sound and clap words. Have a child illustrate the rhyme.
Repeat regularly for other rimes.
In this section children divide spoken words into syllables or ‘beats’- a task which is easier than
finding the individual sounds within words.
In the early activities children are provided with visual representations for the syllables to make the task more
concrete. They should also be encouraged to move their body, clap, tap etc., to help them find the syllables as they
day the words. Later, spelling is facilitated by matching syllables found in spoken words to their written
equivalents.
Syllables can be represented by any number of letters from one to eight. The word understand has three syllables,
each of a different number of letters. Un has two, der has three and stand has five letters. Each syllable contains
a vowel sound.
Initial sound activities show children that words contain phonemes and introduces how phonemes
sound and feel when spoken in isolation.
Individual phonemes are more difficult to specify because their acoustic values vary with the
phonemes that precede and follow them in a word ( a phenomenon called co-
articulation), whereas syllables have relatively constant values in a word
and hence are more readily recognised. The fact that consonants are
“folded” into vowels can be understood by noting the different
tongue positions for the beginning /d/ sound when it is followed by /oo/
and by /i/.
Who’s missing?
When dismissing children, calling the roll etc., use children’s names without the initial sound (e.g ® obert). The
children need to work out what name has been called and which phoneme is missing. Remember to split blends – (S)
teven not (St) even.
Phoneme Train
To introduce the concept of phoneme boxes display a picture of a train with an engine, a
passenger car and a caboose. Explain that the words have a beginning, middle and an end
just as a train has a beginning, middle and an end. Articulate CVC (e.g. /p/p…/i/…/g/) and
point to the box corresponding to the position of each sound in the word. Ask children to
show where they hear the /g/ in pig. Could also use a picture of pig cut into three and ask
children to stick each piece of the appropriate section in the train.
Source: http://www.Idonline.org.Id_indepth/teaching_techniques/cld_hownow.htm
Only do what Simon says if it starts with an identical phoneme. E.g. /s/ Simon says skip (children
skip), Simon says sing (children sing), Simon say sit (children sit), Simon says jump (children stay
still because the action does not begin with /s/.
I Spy
I spy with my little eye something that starts with / /. Children guess the object that starts with that sound.
What’s in a Name?
Select a sound of the day such as /d/. Throughout the day say students’ names with that sound in place of the initial sound
in their name. John will be called Don, Sally will be Dally.
Personal Tongue Twisters
Extend Name Alliteration activity by creating tongue twisters such as “Wise Wendy went windsurfing on Wednesday”
Blonde Bianca bought bright blue boxers from Bunbury.
Compiled by Jane Sheils & Yvonne Sawyers
39
Use the children’s names to introduce game. Provide context by limiting words to objects that can be seen in the
room or to theme words.
Individual phonemes are more difficult to specify because their acoustic values vary with the phonemes that
precede and follow them in a word ( a phenomenon called co-articulation), whereas syllables have relatively
constant values in a word and hence are more readily recognised. The fact that consonants are “folded” into
vowels can be understood by noting the different tongue positions for the beginning /d/
sound when it is followed by /oo/ and by /i/.
Tell students that you are going to say a list of words. All the words contains /s/. Some words have /s/ at
the beginning, some in the middle and some at the end. If students hear the /s/ sound at the beginning of the
word they put the counter in the first box, if they hear the /s/ sound in the middle, they put the counter in
the middle box and if they hear the /s/ sound at the end of the word they place the
counter in the last box.
List; /s/ set, sock, bus, miss, mess, ask, safe, kiss, soup.
/p/ pack, mop, apple, hope, open, tap, pen, keep
/m/ man, moon, ham, some, room, ham, made, seem, amp
/d/ dog, duck, pad, door, toad, read, dig, rod, idle
Bag Game
Have a large grocery bag or box that contains many small plastic bags that can be sealed so objects don’t fall
out. In each of these smaller bags place one object and the number of interlocking cube to represent each
phoneme in the name of the object, e.g. a key and two cubes, some nails and 4 cubes, book 3 cubes. Other
collectables for the bags: nuts, pen, bell, plastic animal, and small toys, things from the kitchen.
The children choose a bag, take out the object and the cubes. They name the object and say the phonemes in
the name pulling apart the interlocking cubes. E.g. this is a book /b/ /oo/ /k/. Lots of emphasis can be put on
the putting together and pulling apart of the cubes.
In most children the ability to synthesise (blend) sounds into words occurs earlier than analytic
(segmentation) skills (Bryen & Gerber, 1987; Caravolas & Bruck, 1993; Solomons, 1992; Torgesen
et al., 1992; Yopp, 1992). Thus it is easier to respond to the word “cat” when presented with the
sounds c- at or c-a-t, than it is to supply c-a-t when asked to tell what sounds you hear in “cat”
(cited in Hepinstall 2002)
Many more sentences can be made up to play this game. Source Blevins (1997)
Mail Game
Use a large box or container as a post box. Give children picture cards. To ensure familiarity go through the cards
with the class naming the objects. The objects should be single syllable words such as the following: cup, ring,
flag, street, rug, dog, cat, plum, brick.
Teacher says a name of the object and the child with that card has to segment the word either with onset and
rime or phoneme and then post it into the box. Source: Yopp (2000)
Compiled by Jane Sheils & Yvonne Sawyers
50
Children sing the song using different The teacher says a segmented word such as /k/-/a/-/t/ and
words to segment either by using onset the children respond by saying the blended word.
and rime /m/ ..at. or phoneme bu
phoneme /m/./a/./t/. The following Phonemic Segmentation Words
words can be used: pen, sock map rock top fan bat log leg zip Use pictures of objects and use with a phoneme frame…see
wig mud mop … page 53 with more squares than is needed. Children use
Etc. Source Blevins (1997) counters to represent the phonemes.
Sound It Out Song Boingy Elastic Band Game
Tune: If You’re Happy and You Know It Use an oversized Elastic band held up between your thumbs.
If you have a new word, sound it out. Keep it “short” and say the word to match the length of the
If you have a new word, sound it out. band. E.g. “Tuesday”, stretch the band out as you say the word.
If you have anew word Say it very pronounced with your mouth running along the band.
Then slowly say the word. Emphasise and exaggerate sounds. Ask the children to say
If you have a new word, sound it out. “boing” when they hear one of the sounds in the word .e.g. /t/
At the end of singing the song say a word in parts for children or /y/
to orally blend.
Place two pictures on the table for each child. The children must decides which of their pictures represents the
word with the most sounds by placing their own blocks in front of them whilst sounding out the words aloud. Make
sure the children arrange and “read” their own blocks in the reading direction – left to right.
Drawing Lines on Pictures
An example is given below of how to represent the phonemes in words by drawing lines through a picture. Many
pictures can be collected from magazines or anywhere and mad into activities. Children can use counters on top of
the pictures or just point as they say the word.
Phoneme Frame
Children can have their own phoneme frames photocopied onto card. This activity can also be used to identify
initial, medial and final sounds in words.
Phoneme manipulation is the ability to delete initial and final phonemes in words, to delete the first
phoneme of a consonant blend as well as substitute one phoneme for another. Because sound
deletion tasks require this manipulation of phonemes in words, they are considered to be more
difficult than other types of phoneme awareness tasks. Cole and Mengler (1994) sited in
http://www.Idonline.org/Id_indepth/teaching_techniques/cld_hownow.htm
approximately 7 years of age that children are able to perform phoneme deletion tasks adequately.
The actual task of deleting a sound from a word can be made easier by building on earlier
segmentation practice.
Say sunshine without the sun Say stake without the /s/
Say pancake without the pan Say smell without the /s/
Say milkshake without the milk Say green without the /g/
Say doghouse without the house Say clock with out the /k/
Say cucumber without the cu Say past without the /t/
Say table without the ta Say nest without the /t/
Say potato without the po Say bend without the /d/
Say robot without the ro Say belt without the /t/
Phoneme: the smallest unit of speech. In the word “cat”, for example, there are three
phonemes:/k/,/a/,/t/. Letters do not make specific, consistent sounds. The other
letters within a given word determines the specific sound that a letter makes. The
sounds are determined by context. For example, the letter “a” makes a different sound
in the word “cat” than it does in the word “late”. Even consonant sounds change with the
context; the ‘t’ sounds different in ‘cat’ than it does in ‘the’.
The “awareness” part of phonemic awareness is important because it implies the level of
knowledge that children, especially 4 and 5 year olds, should have. Phonemic awareness is not the
mastery of sounds in words, but rather the awareness of those sounds in words. Children have
phonemic awareness without knowing the letter name or the label for the sound. Part of phonemic
awareness is the understanding that two words may sound the same, or rhyme, or begin with the same
letter sound.
Alphabet Principle: The association of units from the limited set of phonemes of oral language with the limited
set of letters of the alphabet, yielding the alphabetic writing system. Knowledge of the alphabetic principle is
awareness that written words are composed of letters that are intentionally and conventionally related to phonemic
segments of the words of oral language.
Glossary Continued
Orthographic Awareness: Knowing that letters represent the spoken language; attending to
predictable and frequent spelling errors.
Phonograms: are the common elements in word families (e.g., the letter sequence “and” in sand, hand,
band and land).
Onset: the initial consonant (or consonant blend) that changes the meaning of the
word. e.g. the /b/ in bed and the /sh/ in shed.
Rime: the vowel/consonant combination that follows an onset and remains constant. E.g. /ed/ in bed,
shed, red, fed.