Below is a list of terms that could be used in meetings. I'm sure that, at times, these meetings can be overwhelming. I can also assure you that we try to make these meetings as understandable as possible, but I also know that we can use some EduTerms that can be confusing! I hope this guide helps you to better understand these terms. Also, please don't hesitate to ASK, at any time, if you are unsure!
Phonemes are the smallest part of spoken language that makes a difference in the meaning of words. English has about 41 phonemes. Most words have more than one phoneme. For example, the word if has 2 phonemes (/i/ and /f/) and check has 3 phonemes (/ch/ /e/ /k/). Sometimes one phoneme is represented by more than one letter.
Graphemes are the smallest part of written language that represents a phoneme in the spelling of a word. A grapheme may be just one letter, such as b, d, f, p, s; or several letters, such as ch, sh, th, -ck, ea, -igh.
Phonics is the understanding that there is a predictable relationship between phonemes and graphemes, the spoken and written word.
Phonemic Awareness is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate the individual sounds-phonemes-in spoken words.
Phonological Awareness is a broad term that includes phonemic awareness. In addition to phonemes, phonological awareness activities can involve work with rhymes, words, syllables, and onsets and rimes.
Syllables are word parts that contain a vowel or, in spoken language, a vowel sound (news-pa-per, ver-y).
Onset and Rimes are parts of spoken language that are smaller than syllables but larger than phonemes. An onset is the initial consonant(s) sound of a syllable (the onset of bag is /b/; ofswim, /sw/). A rime is the part of a syllable that contains the vowel and all that follows it (the rime of bag is -ag; of swim, -im).
Fluency is the ability to read a text accurately and quickly/smoothly. It allows the student to understand what they read. I tell the children to "read like they speak."
Vocabulary refers to the words we must know the meaning of to communicate effectively.
Comprehension is the reason for reading! You need to understand what you read.
Literal Comprehension Questions are the questions that can be answered directly from the text (Who is the story about? Where does the story take place?).
Inferential Comprehension Questions are the questions that require the reader to think beyond the text, using hints & clues from the text to answer (How was the character feeling? How do you know? How would you describe the main character? Who does the character remind you of?).