Phonological Awareness vs Phonics: What Is The Difference?
Phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, and phonics are foundations of reading, but what do these terms mean (and more importantly) where do you even start? Let’s break it down.
Are you new here? Welcome! I’m Miss Beth the founder of Big City Readers - a different kind of early childhood development. Children need flexibility and fun to dig in and grow as readers. I believe not all children learn from sitting at a desk most don’t! My job as an educator is to find the best solution for every child. I use the 5 building blocks of early literacy: read, write, sing, talk, and play in addition to the Orton Gillingham method which is a science of reading-backed approach that utilizes the three brain pathways through which children learn—visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.
When we think about helping our kids learn to read, it's easy to imagine flashcards with letters or books with words on every page. But what if I told you that before they even get to reading those letters, there’s a key skill that comes first? It’s called phonological awareness, and it’s a crucial building block for reading success—something you can help your child with right at home!
Don’t worry—it might sound complicated, but it’s actually pretty simple. It’s all about learning to play with sounds in words, and the best part is, it can be done through fun, everyday activities. I love to say learning to read starts with your eyes closed! Let's break it down in a way that's easy to understand.
What Is Phonological Awareness?
Phonological awareness is the ability to hear, recognize, and play with the sounds in spoken language. It has nothing to do with seeing letters or reading words on a page yet – just sounds. Think about it like focusing on helping your child get familiar with the different sounds that make up words.
Studies show that phonological awareness is the strongest indicator of whether a child will become a good reader. This means practicing sound recognition, rhyming, and breaking down words at home can make a huge difference in your child’s reading journey.
Why Should You As A Parent Care About Phonological Awareness?
I get it—phonological awareness might sound like something for teachers, not parents. But the truth is, these skills are easy to practice at home. In fact, playing with sounds and words in a fun, relaxed setting is one of the best ways to set your child up for reading success! The good news is you don't need any special materials—just your voice, your child’s ears, and a little imagination.
To help get you started on the right path to teaching your child everything they need to know to read with confidence, check out my masterclass: Raising Readers! I will walk you through the science behind reading research so you can use your knowledge to make learning how to read fun for the entire family. We will walk through vocal sounds, syllables, blending, and more!
Fun Ways to Develop Phonological Awareness at Home
These might seem like small tasks, but they’re actually the biggest predictors of preparing a child to become a successful reader. If kids can hear and manipulate sounds, they’ll be well-prepared for learning how to read soon. Here are some easy activities to build these skills without feeling like you're giving your child a lesson:
Rhyming
Example: Can your child tell when words rhyme, like "cat" and "hat"?
Tip: Start by reading simple rhyming books or nursery rhymes together. Then, ask your child to come up with more rhymes for words they hear. Make it playful—turn it into a game of “who can think of the most rhyming words.”
Action: Say a word, and challenge your child to find as many rhyming words as they can (e.g., “Can you think of more words that rhyme with ‘dog’?").
Alliteration
Example: Can they notice when words start with the same sound, like "Silly Sally sings songs"?
Tip: Play a fun alliteration game with your child. Start by saying a silly sentence where all the words begin with the same sound, and encourage them to make their own.
Action: Give them a starting word like “Peter,” and see if they can build a sentence like “Peter plays ping pong.” Keep the silliness going, and have fun with it!
Breaking Down Words (Syllables)
Example: Can your child clap out the syllables in a word like "el-e-phant"?
Tip: To help your child recognize syllables, practice clapping them out together. You can use everyday words or even their name (e.g., “Ju-li-a” has three claps!).
Action: Start by saying a word slowly, clapping out each syllable as you go. Then, have your child repeat it with their own claps. Try words of different lengths to keep it interesting.
Blending Sounds
Example: Can they hear the sounds "c-a-t" and understand that it forms the word “cat”?
Tip: This skill helps kids understand how individual sounds blend together to form words. Play sound-blending games by breaking a word into its individual sounds (e.g., “/c/ - /a/ - /t/”) and ask your child to figure out the word.
Action: Give your child sound clues like “/b/ - /a/ - /t/” and let them guess the word (“bat”). You can even turn it into a guessing game with household items: “What am I holding? Listen: /f/ - /or/ - /k/!”
Phonemic Awareness Is The Bridge to Phonics
Under the umbrella of phonological awareness is something called phonemic awareness. Don’t let the name throw you off! Instead, think of it like step two on the path to helping your child learn to read. It just means focusing on the individual sounds (phonemes) in words. For example, recognizing that the word "dog" is made up of three sounds: /d/, /o/, and /g/.
This skill helps children learn to break words down into their individual sounds—a key step before they’re ready to match those sounds to letters. Once kids can do this, they’re primed to dive into phonics.
What Is Phonics?
Once your child is comfortable with sounds, phonics is where the magic happens. Phonics teaches them to connect those sounds with letters, so they can start to decode and sound out written words. Think of this as step three to reading where they will spend a large part of their time learning.
Phonics is what helps your child look at the letters on a page and figure out how to say the word without memorizing it. It’s like giving them the tools to unlock any new word they come across!
Here’s an example: The word "robot" has two syllables, and each syllable has its own sounds (phonemes). Knowing the sound that each letter or letter group makes allows your child to sound out words and become a confident reader.
How You Teach Phonics Matters
When it comes to phonics, it’s important to teach it in a structured, planned way. Make sure each lesson builds on the last, helping your child master one skill before moving on to the next. This step-by-step approach ensures they’re not overwhelmed and can confidently tackle new words.
To help you structure your time learning with your child, I highly recommend finding your Big City Readers On-Demand Course! Regardless of your child’s age, these courses aim to develop the critical skills needed to read, write, and learn not just for today – but for the rest of their lives! Made in a short video series format, the goal is to engage your child for just the right amount of time and encourage parents to join in as well.
Fun Phonics Activities to Do at Home
Once your child is ready to start connecting sounds to letters, phonics activities can help them take the next step toward reading. Here are some simple, engaging ways to get started with phonics at home:
Letter-Sound Matching
Example: Show them letters and ask what sound they make (e.g., "What sound does the letter A make?" Answer: "/a/, like in apple").
Tip: Use everyday objects or flashcards with letters to help your child match the letter to its sound. Start with the alphabet and build up as they become more familiar with the letters.
Action: Pick a letter, show it to your child, and ask them to say the sound. You can make it more fun by turning it into a scavenger hunt: “Can you find something in the room that starts with the /b/ sound?”
Multisensory Learning
Example: Encourage them to trace letters in sand, shaving cream, or even in the air to make it fun and engaging.
Tip: Multisensory activities help reinforce learning by combining physical movement with phonics. These activities engage a child’s senses, making learning feel more like play.
Action: Spread sand or shaving cream on a tray and ask your child to trace the letter while saying the sound aloud. This helps them associate the shape of the letter with its sound. You can also try finger-tracing letters in the air to practice anywhere!
Bonus: You can add letter magnets or blocks for hands-on practice and ask them to build simple words like "cat" or "dog."
Phonological Awareness vs. Phonics: What’s the Difference?
Phonological awareness and phonics are related to helping build a foundation for reading, but they are different in their own ways:
Phonological awareness focuses on sounds in spoken words—no letters needed.
Phonics is about connecting those sounds to letters and reading written words.
Think of phonological awareness as the foundation of a house and phonics as the walls. You need a solid foundation before you can build up!
Sound Is The Introduction To Reading, So Encourage It Whenever Possible!
Phonological awareness might sound like a big, complicated term, but it’s really about helping your child play with sounds and build a strong foundation for reading. You don’t need special tools or complicated lessons. Just take it one sound at a time, make it fun, and enjoy the process.
Once your child has a solid grasp of sounds, phonics will help them connect those sounds to letters, allowing them to decode words and become confident readers. Phonological awareness and phonics go hand-in-hand, working together to give your child the tools they need to read independently.
Remember, introducing these skills at home doesn't have to be stressful. Be patient, keep it playful, and celebrate each small step along the way. With your support, you're building the foundation for a lifelong love of reading!
Do you have any further questions on how to support your child either through phonological awareness or phonics? Let me know in the comments! And to keep up with all the latest childhood education information, check out my recent posts:
