Level 4: Sample Activity

Separation of Sound: Connections to Print

Level 4 Activities focus on the separation of sounds in a word. Children ready for this Level 4, have a good sense of focus sounds (phonemic awareness) and are ready to acoustically divide words into their individual focus sounds.

This skill is reverse of sound (phoneme) blending, where “sound units” are combined (Level 2). While separation of sounds (phoneme segmentation) appears to be a simple exercise, many children, even older ones, struggle with this skill. They may be able to identify isolated sounds (recognition), but cannot break a word into separate sound (phonemic) components.

Early Literacy Foundational Skills

• Sound (Phoneme) Counting

  • listen & detect the number of sounds (phonemes) in a word

• Sound (Phoneme) Segmentation

  • listen & detect individual sounds at the beginning of a word

  • listen & detect individual sounds at the ending of a word

  • listen & detect words that rhyme

Sample Activity

GOAL: sound (phoneme) segmentation, sound (phoneme) blending, & matching sounds (phonemes) to letters

Materials:

• alphabet cards OR an alphabet sheet

Directions

Have printed alphabet cards or an alphabet sheet for each child. Say the word cat and have the child(ren) repeat the word (cat). Ask children, Point or pull the letters that make the sounds you heard. After the correct response, continue with other two- and three-sound (phoneme) words. Have more advanced learners use consonant digraphs (sh, th, ph) or vowel digraphs (ai, oa, ea) making sure these sounds are printed as well.

HELPFUL TIPS:

• Always model first until the child is comfortable with this activity.

• Caution with names that begin or end with consonant digraphs (EX: ch, sh, th). Assist the child(ren) in these examples.

• Caution if using vowel digraphs (EX: ai, ea, ee). Assist the child(ren) in these examples.