3 Ways to Improve Phonemic Awareness in Students and a Giveaway

I have three tips and resources to help your struggling readers improve their Phonemic Awareness.

But first an awesome giveaway for #teacherappreciationweek. Teachers deserve appreciation all year long, but I'm glad we have this week each year because we need something to cheer us up when we are faced with too much testing, and school-wide events not to mention kids (plus teachers) struck with a case of summer vacay fever. Also, I realize how many teachers don't live anywhere near the awesome Target Dollar Spot so I collected some items to giveaway to my blog readers!

Pictured below are four different prize packages for four different winners that I can send your way! Just sign up for my email at the at the top of this page or via any other pop-up you might see. You're welcome email will also send you to my TpT store to check out 20 different follower freebies! One winner will be chosen from IG and three from my new subscriber list. If you subscribe already just tag a friend on IG and you click the picture below to find my IG post or look me up @teachermsh on the app to participate. What do you hope to win? Tell me in the comments. *Giveaway is only open to those 18 years of age or older and you must be a U.S. resident due to shipping constraints. Entries will be accepted through Sat. May 11th, 2019 and winners announced and messaged the eve of Sun. May 12th, 2019.

Now for my tips to improve phonemic awareness in students! 

1) Assess student gaps in phonemic awareness. 

2) Teach students about common phonic sounds, patterns, and rules to help them decode easier. 

3) Have students practice reading words that contain targeted sounds and phonics patterns for at least 20 minutes a day ideally in a small group with you so you check for accuracy while others participate in centers. Use flash cards, games, or phonics readers.  

Here are some awesome resources I have used that have helped me accomplish all three goals. I have seen my students increase two to three reading levels in one trimester using these item. 

Just recently I created a new small group game to keep them interested and motivated during reading intervention time. Reading City includes all the sounds, and phonics patterns in word context so students can practice their decoding skills! Students chose a card from the pile and it to you correctly they can read it they get to move the number the number of spaces shown on the right top corner of the card. You can have first, second and third place winners if you choose to keep the game going. You can separate the cards they use into correct and reteach piles. Then use the reteach pile or any of the cards as flash cards. I also plan to add two more sets of cards for older readers soon. 

Keep in mind when I publish new resources they are always on sale for 50% off for the first 48 hours after I publish them and this is new one too, so if you are interested please check it out soon or follow me on TpT for more great deals.


Since, TpT is having a site wide sale May 7th and 8th so be sure to use code GIFT4YOU at check out to get an additional 25% off of anything pictured and in my store.

                    Just click any pic to be taken to these resources.

By using these resources consistently I have seen my readers grow their phonemic awareness knowledge quickly. I've also seen tremendous growth with most students moving up a few reading levels before I even began to work on guided reading. We use Reader's Workshop at my school and often we have very little in the way of resources that focus on foundational reading skills that include phonemic awareness and engage students. 

FYI this is a growing bundle and more posters will be added as well as additional cards for the reading game. I'm also working on adding my Reading Goals and Strategy Bookmarks resource to the bundle. Right now the price is low but it will go up as I add more items to the bundle.  

The Phonemic Awareness and Decoding Inventory is great because it helps me know what phonemic awareness gaps I need to fill. You can also use the same sheet to assess your students' progress up to three times a year by using a different color highlighter or colored pen to show new growth and mastery. Then using the Phonics Posters help me teach all the phonics rules and patterns so that students readily crack the reading code to become stronger decoders.

If you do decide to get any of these resources be sure to follow my store and have notifications turned on to receive updates about any new additions to the resource you get so you can download the updated version again for free.

Please let me know if you have questions about any of these resources in the comments or on TpT in the Q and A and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible. I hope you find these resources to be helpful and don't forget to sign up for email at the top of the page for more notification of new resources, updates, giveaways, and sales just a few times a year.