Teaching phonemic awareness is an important part of the Kindergarten curriculum. Not sure what phonemic awareness is? Read more about the importance of phonemic awareness here. There are five main activity types to practice in Kindergarten- rhyming and alliteration, phoneme categorization, oral blending, oral segmentation, and phoneme substitution. These strategies help students develop their phonemic awareness skills, which will help build strong readers. Today, I am sharing all about phoneme categorization, plus some of my go-to phoneme categorization activities for you to try with your students.
What is Phoneme Categorization?
Phoneme categorization is a way to practice matching sounds or picking out the sound that does not belong when given a sequence of two or more words. It is also called “oddity tasks” or as I call it with my students “matching sounds” or “which one doesn't belong”. You can do this with rhyming words, beginning sounds, ending sounds, short or long vowel sounds.
Here’s an example for beginning sounds: The teacher says three words, and students will have to determine which two words have the same beginning sound. The set of words might be “cat, cow, fish”. The students would pick out the words “cat” and “cow”, because they both start with the /c/ sound.
This is one of the skills practiced in the Phonemic Awareness Daily Warm-Ups, but you can also practice it with you students using these 3 simple phoneme categorization activity ideas.
Activity #1: Cover It Up
In this activity, you will show students 3 or more pictures. Ask them, “Which word does NOT have the same (beginning, middle, ending) sound. They will have to cover up the one that does not belong with a counter, cube, or some other kind of manipulative.
You can find this activity that you can use during small group lessons or centers here.
Check out this YouTube video here for a simple Phoneme Categorization lesson using this activity in action.
Activity #2- Pocket Chart Matching Sounds
With this activity, you can use any picture cards you have from a picture sort. You can find the ones pictured in my Teachers Pay Teachers store here.
On each pocket chart line, you will put three cards in. Say each word and have your students repeat. Then your students will have to tell you which two have the same (beginning, middle, ending, rhyming) sound. Flip the one that does not have the same sound facing backwards. Once you finish, it will look like this picture below.
Activity #3- Telephone
In this activity, you will need 3 students. You will whisper a word to each student. Once you give each student their word, they will all take turns repeating the word they were given. The two students that have the same sound- beginning, middle, ending, or rhyming word, will give a thumbs up.
Song- Rhyming Words Game by Jack Hartmann
This is a great way to practice matching rhyming words with a song! Just play it and have your students follow along!
You can find it here: Rhyming Words Game by Jack Hartmann
Digital Activity- Matching Sounds Boom Cards
Want to have your students practice phonemic awareness during independent centers? These Boom Cards™ were created so that your students can still practice phonemic awareness skills without having you there guiding them through it!
Students will listen to each word, then click the two pictures that have the same sound. If they get it correct, they hear a “ding!” and it will progress to the next card. You can also see how they do with each activity- how much time it takes them, how many they got right, how many times they played, etc. Learn more about Boom Cards™ here!
Check out the Matching Sounds Boom Cards bundle here to find four activities (beginning, middle, and ending sounds, plus rhyming words) that practice this phoneme categorization with your distance learners! You can play a sample of this deck here.
Let me know if you try any of these phoneme categorization activities with your students!
Andrea Carlson says
Your tools and skills have helped me so much this year, I do not think with Covid and online learning I would have made it this far without your help. I may not get every bundle you have, but your emailed tips and videos are AHHHHHMAZING! Thanking God for YOU this Thanksgiving, because you have helped a first year teacher-teach Kindergarten reading during COVID. Thank you.
Kristina says
Hi Andrea!
Thank you so much for that sweet compliment! I am so happy that my emails and videos have been helpful. Good luck with the rest of your first year teaching!!
-Kristina