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March 31, 2025 14 mins

If you’ve ever had a student struggle to sound out words or blend sounds together, chances are they need more support with phonemic awareness. Research shows that phonemic awareness is the strongest predictor of future reading success—yet many teachers receive little formal training on how to teach it effectively.

In this episode, I break down exactly what phonemic awareness is, how it differs from phonological awareness, and why it plays a critical role in developing strong readers. You'll also learn practical, no-prep strategies you can use immediately to help students strengthen their ability to hear, isolate, blend, and manipulate sounds in words.

In this episode, we'll explore... 

  • The six essential phonemic awareness skills every student needs.
  • Why phonemic awareness is different from phonics (and why both matter).
  • No-prep, research-based activities to develop phonemic awareness in any grade level.

Show Links

All 40 Weeks of Phonological Awareness Warm Ups for Members
Free 2 Week Sample of Phonological Awareness Warm Ups
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