Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) Early Childhood Practice Exam

What area of development does asking students phonemic questions during literacy activities promote?

1. Phonemic awareness

2. Word-analysis skills

3. Alphabetic awareness

4. Decoding skills

The correct answer is: Phonemic awareness

Asking students phonemic questions during literacy activities specifically promotes phonemic awareness, which is the ability to recognize and manipulate the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken words. Phonemic awareness is a critical foundational skill for reading and writing, as it helps children understand how sounds combine to form words. When educators engage students with phonemic questions, they challenge them to identify, segment, blend, and manipulate sounds. This direct interaction with sounds enables students to develop a clear understanding of how different phonemes work in words, which is essential for their overall literacy development. Phonemic awareness lays the groundwork for more advanced literacy skills, making it an integral part of early childhood education and a key focus in early literacy instruction. Other areas such as word-analysis skills, alphabetic awareness, and decoding skills have their significance; however, they build upon the foundational understanding that phonemic awareness provides. Therefore, the promotion of phonemic awareness through specific questioning techniques is vital for supporting young learners in their journey toward reading proficiency.