Word awareness

What is 'word awareness'?

Word awareness is the ability to hear a phrase or sentence and understand that it’s made up of a series of words and words are made up of sounds.

Why it matters

Word awareness is one of the first steps in developing phonological awareness, and it’s crucial for learning to read and write. It helps children understand the structure of language, both spoken and written, and it plays a vital role in their overall literacy development. A child who understands that spoken language is made up of separate words is better equipped to understand how written language works. It’s also a building block for other phonological skills, like recognising syllables, rhymes, and individual sounds (phonemes) in words, which are essential for reading fluency and spelling.

Activities using Cami's Reading
Adventure Card Set

Read the sentence from the card set.
‘Listen to this sentence. How many words do you hear?’
word-awareness-activities-learn-to-read-with-cami.webp

Teaching tips

  • Choose sentences of varying length.
  • You may need to discuss syllables here as some early learners will count syllables rather than words at first. Emphasise the pauses between words rather than within words.
  • Use counters to assist early learners with keeping track.
Subscribe today

Unlock your FREE learning resources!

Join the Cami Community email list today and receive two exclusive downloads designed for parents and teachers:

📚 Parent’s Guide to School Success – practical tips to prepare you child for a confident start to school.

✏️ Phonological Awareness Assessment – a valuable tool for teachers to evaluate foundational literacy skills.

Sign up now to receive these free resources and gain access to more tools, tips, and updates to support young learners!