What is the definition of phonemic awareness?

The definition of phonemic awareness is specifically the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds in spoken words. This skill is foundational for effective reading and writing since it allows individuals to understand how sounds work within language. Phonemic awareness involves tasks such as blending sounds to form words, segmenting words into their constituent sounds, and manipulating those sounds to create new words. This critical ability is distinct from recognizing written words, reading fluently, or interpreting literary texts, which involve different competencies. Understanding phonemic awareness is essential for developing literacy skills, as it serves as the building block for phonics, spelling, and ultimately reading comprehension.