Can Your Child Pass the Phonemic Awareness Assessment?
My Heart Went Out to Him
I know from experience that when our children struggle, our hearts are with them everywhere they go wanting to smooth and pave the way to their success.
So, when I received an email from a parent who recently purchased Phonetic Reading with Silent Elephant “e”, Part 1, my heart went out to him.
He is concerned that his four-year-old daughter will not be able to successfully complete the phonemic awareness assessment in Part 1.
He mentioned to me that his daughter has some pronunciation difficulties and he thought she might not be hearing the individual sounds within words.
For this very reason, Phonemic Awareness Part 1, is exactly what she needs, even though she is only four. I told him to begin with Lesson 1 in Part 1 using the game boards, colored squares, rubber band, and mirror and NOT to worry about assessing her at this time.
In Part 1, she will just be listening to sounds within words. She will be comparing sounds within words that are different and sounds that are the same. She will not need to know letter names or how to associate letter sounds with letter names.
Along with playing the games in Part 1, she will be singing the “Old McDonald” song using the short vowel sounds. The singing of the song takes her learning and experiencing of the sounds into different parts of her brain.
I encouraged him to take his time, not to hurry her and to let her move at her own pace. I mentioned that she may need to repeat lessons, but not to worry—he wouldn’t run out of words. I promise. I put plenty of words in the lessons for children just like her.
I told him that lessons 1-4 may be slow, but I definitely think she will have an, “Oh, I get it!” moment by the end of Lesson 4. I encouraged him to just let her lead the way. She will pick up the pace as she gains confidence.
As I reflect on supporting this concerned dad and his daughter, I can honestly tell you, I so wish I had had Phonemic Awareness Part 1 when my dyslexic daughter was 4. As it was, she struggled and basically failed until I learned about phonemic awareness and taught her. That’s when she began to bloom—at the end of third grade!
From 4th grade on, she had straight A’s. She graduated college with a degree in landscape architecture Magna Cum Laude! She also won the national competition for senior landscape architecture majors in the U.S.!
Every child needs phonemic awareness—it is the foundation of reading for everyone.
All struggling children I have worked with, Kindergartners through high schoolers, have not had phonemic awareness. They needed to go back and build their foundation to begin their path to successful reading, writing and spelling.
Yes!! Even my middle school and high school students!
So, I told this worried dad to jump into Lesson 1 with confidence. She may need 2-3 months before she pops that, “Oh, I get it!” moment, but it will happen. She’ll be on her way.
If you have further questions about phonemic awareness, feel free to contact us.