Oregon Educator Licensure Assessments (ORELA) Practice Exam

Which of the following defines phonemic awareness?

1. The ability to identify and manipulate phonemes

2. The ability to decode written words

3. An understanding of rhyme and rhythm

4. The awareness of grammatical structure

The correct answer is: The ability to identify and manipulate phonemes

Phonemic awareness is defined as the ability to identify and manipulate phonemes, which are the smallest units of sound in spoken language. This skill is crucial for developing reading and spelling abilities because it allows individuals to understand how phonemes combine to form words. For example, a child with strong phonemic awareness can listen to the word 'cat' and recognize that it is made up of three distinct sounds: /k/, /æ/, and /t/. Additionally, they can manipulate these sounds by adding, deleting, or substituting phonemes to create new words, such as changing 'cat' to 'bat' by altering the initial sound. The other options describe important aspects of literacy but do not specifically define phonemic awareness. For instance, decoding written words pertains to reading skills rather than the sound manipulation itself. Similarly, understanding rhyme and rhythm is more related to phonological awareness, which encompasses a broader range of sound-related skills beyond just phonemes. Awareness of grammatical structure deals with the organization and syntax of language, which is distinctly different from the concept of phonemic awareness focused on individual sounds.