If a group of 2nd grade students struggles with single-syllable words that contain blends, what should the reading specialist do?

Assessing phonemic awareness through identification, segmentation, and blending is crucial for students struggling with single-syllable words that contain blends. Phonemic awareness helps students understand the individual sounds in words and how these sounds can combine to form blends. By identifying (recognizing sounds), segmenting (breaking words into individual sounds), and blending (putting sounds together to form words), students develop essential decoding skills necessary for reading proficiency. This approach directly targets their difficulties and lays a solid foundation for further reading development, as it enhances their ability to process and manipulate sounds in words. This targeted assessment and intervention are critical for promoting successful reading experiences for the students.