What is a helpful strategy for building word identification skills in emergent readers?

Reinforcing phonemic awareness when reading aloud is particularly beneficial for emergent readers as it helps them understand the relationship between sounds and letters, which is foundational for developing word identification skills. Phonemic awareness involves recognizing and manipulating the individual sounds, or phonemes, in words. This skill is critical for emerging readers as it allows them to decode unfamiliar words and improves their ability to recognize familiar words more fluently.

When teachers or caregivers read aloud and emphasize the sounds in words, it creates an interactive experience that encourages children to listen for sounds and associate them with letters. This process builds a strong foundation for later reading and writing by enabling children to break down words into their constituent sounds. Fostering this awareness prepares them for blending sounds together to read words independently, enhancing their overall literacy development.