What is the primary focus when teaching blending in reading?

The primary focus when teaching blending in reading is on compound words and syllables. Blending is a crucial skill that involves combining individual sounds (phonemes) or parts of words into whole words. By emphasizing compound words and syllables, educators can help learners recognize how different segments of language come together to form complete words, which is essential for reading fluency and comprehension. Understanding how to blend sounds and syllables allows learners to decode words efficiently, promoting better reading skills overall. The approach to blending also naturally incorporates phonemic awareness, as it involves the manipulation of sounds, but the focus here is broader, including the integration of whole segments of language rather than solely individual phonemes or sounds.