What key skill is developed in PreK phonological awareness?

The ability to blend syllables is a fundamental skill developed in PreK phonological awareness. This skill involves the ability to combine individual sounds or syllables to create words, which is essential for later reading skills. By practicing blending, children learn to recognize the relationships between sounds and the structures of words. This ability is a precursor to decoding, where children apply their understanding of phonology to read new words.

Developing a strong foundation in blending enables young learners to engage more effectively with phonics instruction and contributes to their overall literacy skills as they progress in their education. The skill of blending syllables also supports aspects of vocabulary development, comprehension, and spelling as children move beyond phonological awareness into more complex language tasks.

Other options, while components of phonological awareness, focus on different aspects such as rhythm or recognition instead of the crucial ability to synthesize sounds into coherent words.