What is phonemic awareness?

Phonemic awareness refers specifically to the understanding that words are composed of individual speech sounds, known as phonemes. This foundational skill involves the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate these sounds within words. For example, a child demonstrating phonemic awareness can break down the word "cat" into its individual sounds /k/, /æ/, and /t/, or blend the sounds /b/, /æ/, and /t/ to form the word "bat." This awareness is essential for developing strong reading and spelling abilities, as it enables children to connect sounds with letters and understand how they combine to form words.

The other options focus on different aspects of language development. Awareness of grammatical order pertains to syntax and sentence structure, knowledge of written language structures relates to literacy skills and conventions, and recognizing emotional tone in speech deals with understanding pragmatics and the expressive aspects of language. While all these skills are important, they do not capture the specific definition of phonemic awareness.