Importance of phonemic awareness
Phonemic awareness is essential to children because it enables them to learn how to read languages that can be written alphabetically. Phonetic awareness is also important because it enables learners to connect the links between letters and phonemes. That is, learners are able to associate written words with spoken words. Importantly, phonemic awareness allows learners to discover the units that underlay both spoken and written words (Hoover 1).
It should be noted that learning to read requires much more than learning the language because the former is done at the phonetic level while the latter is done at the conscious level. Moreover, past research has established that children with good phonemic awareness have been found to have superior reading skills. In addition, phonemic awareness has the capability of forecasting future spelling and reading ability in learners. It should also be noted that phonetic awareness enables learners to isolate, identify, categorize, blend, segment, delete, add, and substitute phonemes. In essence, phonemic awareness is a precondition for children who intend to learn how to read (Block 5).
Strategies used for phonemic awareness
Based on past correlations that link phonetic awareness to effective reading skills, organizations such as National Reading Panel (NRP), among others, have identified various strategies that can be used to improve student’s ability to read. Effective phonemic strategies should entail all the eight guidelines for phonemic awareness. These include phonetic isolation, identity, categorization, blending, segmentation, deletion, addition, and substitution (Block 5).
It is also essential that teachers increase learners’ desire to read for them to have phonemic awareness. Learners’ desire to read can be increased by ensuring that instructions are enjoyable. To achieve these strategy learners should be engaged in activities that highlight the fact that sounds go with letters and that letters have names. Moreover, Learners should be involved in activities that stress the fact that print has a sense (Moats and Tolman 1).
Ways to develop written language with young deaf children
Interestingly, it has been established that people who cannot read well have difficulty in writing (Robertson 171). Moreover, it has also been established that children, whether deaf or not, like to write for meaningful reasons. Moreover, this enables them to progress effectively. Essentially, engaging deaf children in interactive writing can help them to develop writing skills when the approach is managed appropriately (Robertson 172).
When teaching deaf children, it is paramount that teachers establish regular, meaningful oral interactions with them. In addition, it is necessary that technology is adopted to provide access to listening for the children to achieve effective involvement (Robertson 98). Teachers should also assess deaf children to observe their progress in written language. For deaf children, reading is quite essential in enabling them to develop written language (Deaf Children Australia 1). Teachers should also note that clarity grows with practice. Furthermore, teachers that deal with young deaf children should try to pair reading with writing as this influences reading development (Robertson 178).
Specifically, teachers should pay close attention to deaf children’s first attempts to scribble or draw on surfaces (Robertson 179). This step is essential in promoting other processes involved in writing (Tomaszewski 1). Additionally, teachers should present deaf children with the language experience book to stimulate their spoken language as well as their reading skills (Robertson 180). Moreover, teachers should engage young deaf children in authentic written communication activities (Robertson 183).
These communication activities would enable deaf children to sharpen their writing skills. Besides, deaf children should be involved in pretend activities, which would enable them to try out as well as play different roles based on their observations (Robertson 185). In essence, young deaf children can learn how to write using natural ways. Moreover, pairing reading and writing can go a long way in enriching performance in both skill sets (Robertson 186).
Works Cited
Block, Cathy. Why it is Important to Teach Phonetic Awareness and Alphabetic Recognition. 2003. Web.
Deaf Children Australia. Language development and deaf Children. 2015. Web.
Hoover, Wesley. The Importance of Phonetic Awareness in Learning to Read. 2016. Web.
Moats, Louisa, and Carol Tolman. Why Phonological Awareness is Important for Reading and Spelling. 2016. Web.
Robertson, Lyn. Literacy and Deafness: Listening and Spoken language. 2nd ed. 2013. San Diego, California: Plural Publishing. Print.
Tomaszewski, Piotr. Sign Language Development in Young Deaf Children. 2009. Web.