Practicing manipulation of sounds in songs and rhymes helps students develop which skill?

Practicing manipulation of sounds in songs and rhymes is an effective way to develop phonological awareness. This skill involves recognizing and working with sounds in spoken language, which is critical for early reading development. By engaging with the rhythmic and melodic aspects of language through songs and rhymes, students can become more aware of individual sounds (phonemes), syllables, and the various ways sounds can be combined or altered.

Phonological awareness is foundational for more complex literacy skills, including decoding, which is the ability to translate written texts into spoken words. However, phonological awareness occurs prior to decoding skills and helps students understand the sound structure of language, enabling them to decode unfamiliar words more effectively when they begin reading.

The other skills mentioned, such as comprehension and think-pair-share, do not directly correlate with the manipulation of sounds in songs and rhymes. Comprehension refers to understanding the meaning of text, which comes into play after students have developed their initial phonemic awareness and decoding skills. Think-pair-share is a cooperative learning strategy rather than a foundational reading skill. Thus, the focus on manipulating sounds specifically aligns with enhancing phonological awareness.