What skill is demonstrated when a child blends phonemes into words?

When a child blends phonemes into words, they are demonstrating the skill of oral blending. This involves taking individual sounds (phonemes) and merging them together to form a recognizable word. For instance, if a child hears the sounds /k/, /a/, and /t/, they can combine those sounds to pronounce the word "cat." This skill is vital for reading development, as it helps children understand how sounds work together to create words.

The ability to blend phonemes is foundational for literacy, leading to better reading proficiency. It allows children to decode new words by sound, facilitating their reading fluency and comprehension over time. Understanding phoneme blending helps educators assess a child's reading readiness and design appropriate instructional strategies tailored to their literacy development needs.