Activity Description

Preparation:

1. Select activity words that you will use to clap syllables, identify rhyming words, and blend/segment individual sounds or larger sound parts of words

Implementation:

1. Invite the students to participate in the following activities:
   1. Clapping syllables
      • Have students say and clap the syllables in spoken words
      • Have students say the number of syllables in each word
   2. Blending sounds
      • Orally provide students with a word in parts (could be individual sounds, onsets and rimes, or syllables) and have them blend the sounds together to figure out the word
        • For example: “Here is the secret word: /c/ /a/ /t/. What word do those sounds make?” “If I add the sound /s/ to the beginning of the word “talk”, what word do I get?”
   3. Rhyming words
      • Have students determine if 2 one-syllable words rhyme by showing a thumbs up or a thumbs down
      • If words do not rhyme, invite students to provide rhyming words
      • Have students orally identify the rhyming part, for example “king, sing, they both say ing” or “rich, pitch, they both say ich”
   4. Word segmentation
      • Have students hold their arms out to use when segmenting one-syllable words you provide orally
      • As students sound out each word have them “chop up” their arm to represent each sound
      • Ask students what sounds they heard in the word 

Adaptations For

English Language Learners/ESL:

- Provide opportunities for students to work in small groups and exaggerate each sound
- During practice saying letter sounds in isolation, point to your mouth and tell student to look and say the correct response

LD/Reading & Writing Difficulties:

- Provide some easy words so these students can experience success
- Using multisensory methods (such as having students show the number of sounds on their arm) may support these students
- Give these students plenty of practice and feedback

Cultural Appropriateness & Diversity:

- Choose familiar words

Differentiated Instruction:

- Have students participate in a variety of the listed activities on a regular basis
- Provide words at varying levels of difficulty
- Don't cold-call students unless you are sure they know the answer

Related References

Evidence:
Cummings, K.D., Kaminski, R.A., Good, R.H. & O'Neil, M. (2011). Assessing phonemic awareness in preschool and kindergarten: Development and initial validation of first sound fluency. Assessment for Effective Intervention, 36, 94-106.