RIC-6976 Phonological awareness skills Book 5 p1-23

SKILL 10: PHONEME SEGMENTATION
What is the best way to support children as they learn about phoneme segmentation?
• As always, the most effective instruction method for any reading skill is modelling. Model
segmenting in a number of different ways, always being slow, clear and correct. Increase the speed
of the sounds delivery until the children become proficient.
• Always provide plenty of practice segmenting sounds orally before introducing the letters that
represent the separate sounds articulated.
• Revise segmenting sentences into words, segmenting compound words, segmenting words into
syllables and segmenting words into onset and rime, before introducing the skill of segmenting
words into phonemes. This ensures children move from breaking down larger units to the smallest
units of sounds. The unit on segmentation and syllabification provides an abundance of activities to
practice these skills.
• Always use plenty of visual support, pointing to pictures when learning segmenting. Visual
representations aid memory of sounds.
• Introduce letters for sounds only when you feel the children are ready to grasp the concept.
• When slowly sounding out a word such as ‘rrrruuunnnn’, point to each letter as each sound is
pronounced.
• Ensure that all senses are engaged, as most children benefit from hands-on activities. Counters and
markers should be used, or the children can ‘run’ a small plastic car over the letters on a card as
they say the sounds slowly.
• The use of phoneme segmentation boxes such as Elkonin boxes, like those above, provide a good
visual representation for children as they learn to segment words into phonemes.
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PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS SKILLS (Book 5) ISBN 978-1-925698-56-5 www.ricpublications.com.au