Conduct rhyming lessons. Say three words, like "cat", "car" and "mat". Ask students to identify the two rhyming words. Read phrases to the children and have them complete them with a rhyming word. For example, use short sentences like, "The cat was wearing a ________" and "A pig is dancing the ______."
Use listening activities to improve students' ability to discriminate sounds. Ask students to close their eyes while you make sounds like crumpling up a plastic bag or stapling papers. See if anyone can identify the sound. Hide a timer somewhere in the room and let students take turns looking for it. This will help them become better listeners, which is the key to phonemic mastery.
Sing songs that reinforce phonemic awareness. Children enjoy music, which is an effective tool for kindergarten and first grade teachers. Classic songs, like "I'm a Little Teapot" and "Row Row Row Your Boat" reinforce rhyming and repeated initial sounds. You can also view lyrics to songs with rap-style beats online at Songs for Teaching.
Play "Make a New Word". Say a word, like "rake." Tell students you are going to take away the "r" sound and replace it with the sound for "c". Then, see if they can tell you the new word. When a child can identify the new word and produce others using different initial sounds, they are phonemically aware.