phonological awareness

Phonological awareness is the ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds of spoken language. It involves understanding that words are made up of smaller sound units, such as syllables, onsets, rimes, and individual phonemes (the smallest sound units). This skill is foundational for learning how to decode written words when reading and spellings words correctly. For example, being aware that "cat" starts with the /c/ sound or that "bat" and "hat" rhyme demonstrates phonological awareness. Developing this awareness helps children become confident readers and effective communicators.