Phonemic awareness is the ability to hear and identify individual sounds in spoken language. Asking questions about the sounds in words can help children develop phonemic awareness. For example, you could ask a child to identify the first sound in a word, or to say a word that rhymes with another word.
Phonics is the relationship between letters and sounds. Using graphic organizers can help children learn phonics. For example, you could create a chart that shows the different letter-sound combinations. Children can use this chart to sound out words and to learn how to spell words.
Fluency is the ability to read quickly and accurately. Asking questions can help children develop fluency. For example, you could ask a child to read a passage out loud and then to answer questions about the passage.
Vocabulary is the number of words a person knows and understands. Using graphic organizers can help children expand their vocabulary. For example, you could create a word map that shows the different relationships between words. Children can use this map to learn new words and to understand how words are used in context.
Comprehension is the ability to understand what is written. Asking questions can help children develop comprehension. For example, you could ask a child to summarize a passage or to answer questions about the main idea of a passage.
Asking questions and using graphic organizers are effective strategies for developing the foundations for reading. These strategies can help children learn phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.