Understanding Phonology

What is phonology?  To put it simply, it concerns the sounds of the language we use.  Let's review some of the pieces of phonology:

• Phonological Awareness: This refers to the amount of awareness your child has of the sound form of language.  This includes their knowledge of syllables, as well as sentence intonation (a rise in voice when asking a question, for example).
• Phonemic Awareness: Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in language.  For example, the word "cat" has three phonemes: "c", "a", "t".  One way in which a child can show their knowledge of phonemic awareness is by recognizing the words "dog", "danger", and "dip" begin with the same sound, "d".

Common Errors Made/Ages at which Errors Should Disappear:

• Until the age of about three and a half, children may make errors in omitting the final consonant of words.  Example: "daaawww" instead of "dog".
• Children may also have difficulty with the first sound of a word until about three and a half. Example: "sick" instead of "stick".
• Until the age of four, children may omit a consonant in a consonant cluster. Example: "pring" instead of "spring".

It should be noted that bilingual children who are taught in a language different than that spoken at home may reach phonological milestones differently than mentioned.  Children with hearing impairements may also progress at different rates.

How to practice phonological skills with your child:

• "Rhyme games": Help your child enhance their phonemic awareness by giving them a word such as "cat" and asking to name words that rhyme such as "bat", "mat", "sat" and so on.
• Play "name games" with your children.  Give them a letter and ask them to name objects in the room that begin with that letter.

Why is it so important to work on phonology?

• Research has suggested that children with better phonological awareness will have less difficulty with reading comprehension.  Understanding sound units and syllables is key in decoding meanings of words.  Word decoding, in turn, is key in reading comprehension.

References

Griffin, P. (2011). Language development: Phonology [Power Point Slides].  Retrieved from online lecture notes.

Paradis, J., Genesee, F., & Crago, M.B. (2011). Dual language development & disorders: A handbook on bilingualism & second language learning. Baltimore, MD: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co.