Which of the following best describes phonemic awareness?

Phonemic awareness is a crucial skill in early literacy development, specifically involving the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds, or phonemes, in spoken words. This skill is foundational for reading because it enables learners to understand how sounds correspond to letters, which ultimately supports their ability to decode and spell words.

For example, if a child can hear the sounds in the word "cat," they can isolate the sounds /k/, /æ/, and /t/, and recognize that these sounds can be blended together to form the word. This skill allows them to begin identifying and using phonetic patterns as they advance in their reading and writing abilities.

Other options focus on different aspects of literacy that are important but do not capture the essence of phonemic awareness. Writing letters correctly pertains more to physical writing skills, understanding word meaning relates to vocabulary knowledge, and reading sentences fluently concerns reading comprehension and pacing rather than sound manipulation. Thus, the ability to hear and manipulate phonemes in words is the defining characteristic of phonemic awareness.