Phonological Awareness Group Alisha Ball Speech Language Pathologist

Phonological Awareness Group Alisha Ball Speech Language Pathologist Niagara Literacy Conference 2009

The Target Areas for Early Literacy Development l Vocabulary l Print Knowledge l Phonological Awareness

WHO is the Target Population? • Pre-school and early school age (JK) [3. 5 years +] • Have Poor Phonological Awareness skills • Qualify for speech/language services

What do we tell the Parents? What Phonological Awareness (PA) is Link between early PA / literacy development & school success What they can do at home Orientation to age appropriate PA skills

What PA skills are age appropriate? 3. 5 years + • Rhyme identification / oddity • Syllable segmentation/ blending • Phoneme identification (in isolation / word initial) • Letter-Sound correspondence Gillon, G. (2006) Phonological awareness Intervention: A preventative framework for preschool children with specific speech and language impairments.

How are skills presented? Later Sessions Alliteration (random words) Phoneme Discrimination (minimal pairs) Letter-Sound Phoneme Discrimination (isolation) Correspondence Syllable Blending Syllable Segmentation Rhyme Identification Beginning Sessions

What phoneme targets are selected? Common Phonological Error Patterns Target Sound Minimal pairs Phonological Process Theme s /s-t/ stopping snake f /f-b/ Substitution fish k /k-t/ fronting cow

Theme Based Session Outline: l Show & Tell (2 - 5 min. ) l Story Time (10 min. ) l Circle Time (15 min. ) l Table Time – craft (10 min. ) l Game Time (5 min. ) l Parent Education (5 - 10 min. )

It’s Not Just Building Phonological Awareness ! It’s Building: l l l Vocabulary Question Comprehension / Responding Story Prediction Conversational Turn Taking Listening / Attention Literacy Engagement !

What materials are used? • Books • Games • Random Objects (rhyme & alliteration) • Letter Cards • Picture Cards (rhyme, 1 -3 syllable words, minimal pairs) (Caroline Bowen) www. speech-language-therapy. com

Who does What? Us l l Story books (“book geography”) Highlight rhyme Play with segmentation and blending Make print meaningful – – – Talk about letters (target sounds) Kids print / identify their name Draw attention to print on therapy materials l l Parents Read, Read! Sing songs Play with words & rhyme Environmental print exposure

Assessment Tools l ASAP: Assessment of Sound Awareness and Production [Ages 3 and up] l PALS: Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening [Pre-K & K] l TOPEL: Test of Preschool Early Literacy [Ages 3 -5] l The Phonological Awareness Test 2 [Ages 5 -9. 11]