The best way for kids to learn to read and spell is to learn how to separate and combine sounds in words. In this activity, your child will learn to use objects to visually represent the sounds in words.
three sounds: bus – /b/u/s/ bed – /b/e/d/ fish – /f/i/sh/ web – /w/e/b/ bath – /b/a/th/
four sounds steak – /s/t/a/k/ truck – /t/r/u/k/ block – /b/l/o/k/ brush – /b/r/u/sh/ skate – /s/k/a/t/
Step 1: Set the index card, counters, and one of the pictures on the table in front of your child.
Step 2: Say the word for the thing and ask your child to tell you how many sounds are in it.
You might say: “Listen. (bus) How many sounds are in the word (bus)? Let’s say it slowly. /b/u/s/.”
Step 3: Tell your child, “Put a counter in one of the boxes on your card for every sound you hear.” ”.
Step 4: Have your kid count the discs to see how many sounds are in the word.
Put a picture on the floor or table in front of your child if they can’t blend the sounds in the word. One sound at a time, you say each letter in the word and put a counter on the card for each one.
Invite your child to guess which word you are saying. “Listen. /b/u/s/ What’s the word? That’s right! (bus). Count the pennies to find out how many sounds are in (bus). ”.
Choose a picture randomly from one of your child’s favorite picture books. Be sure that the word has just three to five sounds. Say each sound in the word, one sound at a time. Then have your child find the picture that goes with the word you said. Have him then tell you how many sounds he heard.
For example, you might say: “I am looking at the /f/i/sh/. Touch the picture of /f/i/sh/. ” See if he can tell you how many sounds are in the word.
For beginning readers and phonics students, simple words can be broken down into individual sounds or phonemes. This skill, called phonemic awareness, is a fundamental building block for developing literacy. In this article, we’ll use the classic word “ham” to demonstrate phoneme segmentation and blending.
What is Phonemic Awareness?
Phonemic awareness is the ability to identify isolate and manipulate the distinct sounds in spoken language. Key skills include
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Identifying phonemes – understanding words comprise discrete units of sound
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Segmenting words into phonemes – breaking words into individual sounds (/h/ /a/ /m/)
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Blending phonemes to make words – combining sounds (/h/ + /a/ + /m/ = ham)
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Deleting or adding phonemes to create new words – removing or adding sounds (ham without /h/ is am)
Grasping phonemic awareness gives children a huge leg up in learning to read by enabling them to connect letters and sounds to decipher the written code.
Breaking Down the Word “Ham”
Let’s break down “ham” into its phonemes using phoneme segmentation:
/h/ /a/ /m/
There are three letters in “ham” but only two phonemes – the distinct sounds forming the spoken word.
The two phonemes in “ham” are:
- /h/ – a glottal consonant
- /m/ – a bilabial nasal consonant
The letter “a” represents the vowel sound /a/.
So while “ham” has three letters, it contains just two phonemes or sounds, demonstrating the difference between letters and sounds.
Identifying the Phonemes in “Ham”
Let’s examine the two phonemes in “ham” more closely:
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/h/ – Called a voiceless glottal fricative. Formed by forcing air through the vocal folds without vibrating them, creating a “hissing” friction sound.
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/m/ – Called a bilabial nasal consonant. Formed by closing the lips and breathing through the nose, creating a “humming” nasal sound.
Understanding how these sounds are formed aids phonics and sounding out words.
Blending the Sounds in “Ham”
Once students recognize the discrete phonemes in a word, they can practice blending those sounds to build the word:
/h/ + /a/ + /m/ = ham
Blending is a key early reading skill that helps kids decode new words by combining sounds.
Some other examples of blending three-phoneme words:
- /c/ + /a/ + /t/ = cat
- /d/ + /o/ + /g/ = dog
- /m/ + /a/ + /p/ = map
With practice, blending becomes fast and automatic for beginning readers. Mastering it with simple words like “ham” paves the way for reading success.
Segmenting “Ham” into Phonemes
Segmenting is the reverse of blending – breaking whole words into individual sounds. Students can segment “ham” into its phonemes:
ham = /h/ /a/ /m/
Some other examples of segmenting three-phoneme words:
- cat = /c/ /a/ /t/
- fog = /f/ /o/ /g/
- bus = /b/ /u/ /s/
- lip = /l/ /i/ /p/
Practicing segmentation enhances phonological awareness. Together with blending, it’s a foundational skill for fledgling readers.
Using simple words, teachers can demonstrate segmenting and blending to build students’ abilities. “Ham” is the perfect example for introducing these pivotal concepts.
Grasping phonemic awareness through words like “ham” gives young readers a tangible way to understand the links between sounds, letters and print. It lays the groundwork for connecting those dots on their exciting journey towards literacy. Recognizing the discrete sounds in language is the first step to cracking the code of reading.
At-Home Activities by Age:
Reading to your toddler while talking and pointing to letters is a great way to get them interested in the alphabet.
In This Section:Learn how to
The best way for kids to learn to read and spell is to learn how to separate and combine sounds in words. In this activity, your child will learn to use objects to visually represent the sounds in words.
- There are pictures of things that make three or four different sounds. (Note: sounds and letters don’t always go together.)
three sounds: bus – /b/u/s/ bed – /b/e/d/ fish – /f/i/sh/ web – /w/e/b/ bath – /b/a/th/
four sounds steak – /s/t/a/k/ truck – /t/r/u/k/ block – /b/l/o/k/ brush – /b/r/u/sh/ skate – /s/k/a/t/
- five small objects to use as counters (e.g., pennies, buttons)
- index cards (blank)
Preparation
Step 1: Locate pictures of the objects shown above in the supplies list.
Step 2: Draw a horizontal row of five boxes on an index card.
Activity
Step 1: Set the index card, counters, and one of the pictures on the table in front of your child.
Step 2: Say the word for the thing and ask your child to tell you how many sounds are in it.
You might say: “Listen. (bus) How many sounds are in the word (bus)? Let’s say it slowly. /b/u/s/.”
Step 3: Tell your child, “Put a counter in one of the boxes on your card for every sound you hear.” ”.
Step 4: Have your kid count the discs to see how many sounds are in the word.
Step 5: Continue with several more words, assisting your child as needed.
Put a picture on the floor or table in front of your child if they can’t blend the sounds in the word. One sound at a time, you say each letter in the word and put a counter on the card for each one.
Invite your child to guess which word you are saying. “Listen. /b/u/s/ What’s the word? That’s right! (bus). Count the pennies to find out how many sounds are in (bus). ”.
Choose a picture randomly from one of your child’s favorite picture books. Be sure that the word has just three to five sounds. Say each sound in the word, one sound at a time. Then have your child find the picture that goes with the word you said. Have him then tell you how many sounds he heard.
For example, you might say: “I am looking at the /f/i/sh/. Touch the picture of /f/i/sh/. ” See if he can tell you how many sounds are in the word.
Counting Phonemes in Words
FAQ
How many sounds are in a word?
How many sounds are in the word bed?
How many sounds does H make?
The alphabet letter h, by itself, makes 2 sounds. The video says the word; then breaks it down into the individual phonemes, highlighting the letters that make the sound, blending them together to show how the word is formed. The phonic alphabet symbol, representing the sound, appears in the top right hand corner.
How many sounds are there in English?
It is generally agreed that there are approximately 44 sounds in English, with some variation dependent on accent and articulation. The 44 English phonemes are represented by the 26 letters of the alphabet individually and in combination. Phonics instruction involves teaching the relationship between sounds and the letters used to represent them.
How many short vowel sounds are there in English?
Although there are 7 short vowel sounds in English. Students and children are often taught the 5 most common, which are [a] as in an, [e] as in hen, [i] as in it, [o] as in pop, and [u] as in sun. The two less common short vowel sounds in English, are [oo] as in book, and the schwa [uh] as in data.