How can a teacher best support emergent readers?

Engaging emergent readers in phonemic awareness activities is essential for their reading development. Phonemic awareness involves the ability to recognize and manipulate the sounds in spoken language, which is a foundational skill for reading. By participating in activities that focus on phonemic awareness, such as rhyming, segmenting sounds, and blending sounds, children learn to decode words, comprehend text, and ultimately improve their reading fluency. This practice lays the groundwork for more complex reading skills, making it one of the most effective strategies for supporting emergent readers.

The other options do not effectively support the needs of emergent readers. Providing only advanced texts would likely frustrate these readers and could lead to disengagement, as they would not be developmentally ready to tackle such materials. Limiting word exposure restricts vocabulary development, which is crucial for understanding language and enhancing reading skills. Focusing solely on grammar rules overlooks the importance of phonemic awareness and comprehension, which are vital for developing reading proficiency in early learners.