Phonological awareness is an essential skill to supporting young children in developing sound sensitivity, needed to differentiate between sounds when learning language. As educators of early learners, it is essential that we begin supporting children with the foundational development of reading skills in a developmentally appropriate way. The development of Phonological Awareness and alphabetics is a predictable progression of skills, ultimately leading up to blending and decoding chunks of text to build a foundation of reading. As children begin to develop phonemic awareness, it is essential to build a sound sensitivity with children, so they may differentiate between sounds easier than in the presence of text. Participants can expect to understand and learn strategies and structures to teaching phonological awareness and alphabetics, intentionally planning for phonological awareness and embedding opportunities to practice the development of sound sensitivity throughout the day.
