Room 2
Foundation - Year 2
Reading and writing have been a big focus in Room 2 this term. We’re really excited to have some new resources in our classroom to help support our learning. One of these is a collection of decodable texts, which are great for early readers. These books help children practise sounding out words, build their confidence, and become more fluent readers.
Some students have already started bringing home readers over the past few weeks. Starting next term, all students will begin taking readers home to help them practise reading regularly. We understand that learning is a personal journey, and every child progresses at their own pace. In our classroom, we focus on fun, engaging activities that help each student build their skills and grow as confident learners!
Learning is like a superpower – it’s all about having the right attitude and believing you can do anything!
The Importance of Phonological Awareness for Emergent Readers
What is Phonological Awareness?
Phonological awareness is a critical foundational skill for emergent readers. It refers to the ability to recognise and manipulate the sounds of spoken language, including rhymes, syllables, and individual phonemes (sounds).
This skill is oral and auditory, meaning it doesn’t involve letters or written text, but rather an understanding of how language sounds. It helps children understand the alphabetic principle and supports their development in decoding (sounding out words) and spelling.
Why is it Important for Emergent Readers?
Children with strong phonological awareness are more likely to become confident and capable readers. This skill allows students to:
- Break words apart into sounds (segmenting)
- Blend individual sounds together to make words
- Recognise rhyming words and patterns
- Identify beginning and ending sounds
These foundational abilities make it easier for students to connect sounds to letters when they begin formal reading and writing instruction.
Fun Activities to Build Phonological Awareness
Here are some playful, effective ways to build phonological awareness:
🔹 Rhyme Time Read rhyming books, sing nursery rhymes, or play “rhyme match” games. Ask children to finish rhyming sentences or come up with more words that rhyme.
🔹 Syllable Clapping Choose familiar words and clap for each syllable. For example, ba-na-na = 3 claps.
🔹 Sound Sorting Use toys, pictures, or real-life objects. Ask students to sort them by their beginning sounds (e.g., /b/ for ball, /c/ for car).
🔹 I Spy Sounds Play “I Spy” with beginning sounds instead of letters. For example: “I spy something that starts with the /s/ sound.”
🔹 Segmenting and Blending Practice Break simple words into their individual sounds (e.g., dog = /d/ /o/ /g/) and blend them back together. You can tap it out on your fingers or use blocks.
Phonological awareness is a vital step in learning to read. By encouraging children to play with sounds through games, songs, and interactive activities, we give them the tools they need to become successful readers.