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Skill Explainer

Phoneme Identification Skill Explainer

Marion McBride, M.Ed.

1. An Overview of Phoneme Identification

Why Do We Teach Phoneme Identification?

What is the first sound in the word pot?  

/p/

Quick Look: Isolating Phonemes

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Produced by Reading Universe, a partnership of WETA, Barksdale Reading Institute, and First Book
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Teacher: Let's all say the name of this picture. What is this, everybody?

Teacher and Students: Horse. Horse.

Teacher: Yes. Now, let's rollercoaster horse. Let me see you ...

Teacher and students: /h/, /or/, /s/.

Teacher: What's the ending sound?

Students: /Ssss/.

Teacher: Very nice job.

What sound is the same in these words: pot, cat, bat? 

/t/

It's found at the end of the word.

Quick Look: Recognizing Phonemes

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Produced by Reading Universe, a partnership of WETA, Barksdale Reading Institute, and First Book
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Teacher: Where should this picture of the cactus go? Let's start with that. What do you think? Hmm. What's the ending sound for cactus?

Students: /Sss/.

Teacher: Very nice. So where should that go? Which other pictures do we have with that ending sound? Oh, go ahead. You can do it [teacher points to one of her students].

Student: Horse and mouse.

Teacher: Yes, horse, mouse. And let's all say this word.

Students: Cactus.

Teacher: Beautiful job.

The words are pot, cat, and bat

Which word has a different middle sound? 

pot

Quick Look: Categorizing Phonemes

Video thumbnail for Quick Look: Categorizing Phonemes
Produced by Reading Universe, a partnership of WETA, Barksdale Reading Institute, and First Book
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Teacher: I am going to say three words and I want you to tell me which one doesn't belong. So, think it might be the first sound that you're listening for. It might be the middle or it might be the end. We want the one that doesn't belong to where Mrs. Venture's pointing. Are you ready? Repeat the words after me. My words are cat, cup, fig ....

Students: Cat, cup, fig ... fig.

Teacher: Good job. Okay. My words are pick, down, dash ...

Students: Pick, down, dash ... pick.

Teacher: Good. Down and dash have the /d/, but pick doesn't belong.

Reading Universe is made possible by generous support from Jim & Donna Barksdale, the AFT, the Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, and three anonymous donors.

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