3.1 Prepare for Phoneme Identification Instruction

Before you teach, you'll need to do a few things to get ready:

• Select the words you'll work with.
• Decide if you'll need any materials for instruction like manipulatives or picture cards.
• Choose one or two teaching strategies to use for the skill you’re teaching.

Select Words for the Lesson

Choose words your students are familiar with, and start with two-phoneme words, like to and am. Our list below can help! 

Decide If You Need Materials

Remember, you won't use any letters when teaching this skill, only sounds. For some of your children, bringing in manipulatives such as felt squares, tokens, or slinkies can help. A manipulative serves as a visual representation of an individual syllable, for those who may struggle to hold it in their memory. Be sure to remove these supports once children show accuracy, and work toward that same accuracy without the manipulatives.

We have picture cards for you to use. The large format picture cards are perfect for whole class and small group lessons. Our small square picture squares fit perfectly into the Reading Universe student practice activities that you will find in the resource hub of this skill explainer.

Choose Teaching Strategies

There are several engaging strategies for teaching phoneme identification. Let's watch Monique Ealey, a teacher in Jackson, Mississippi, demonstrate Stretch and Shrink.

Download this printable PDF that includes eight ways to teach phonological awareness skill including Tap and Say, Stretch and Shrink, and Roller Coaster.