Which phonemic awareness skill should a teacher focus on if a student identifies phonemes in "grasp" and "blend"?

Focusing on phoneme segmentation is essential when a student is already able to identify phonemes in words like "grasp" and "blend." Phoneme segmentation involves breaking down words into their individual phonemes, which is a critical skill for reading and spelling. Since the student can already identify the phonemes in those words, the next step is to help them develop the ability to separate those sounds systematically.

For example, in the word "grasp," the student would need to segment the sounds into /g/, /r/, /a/, /s/, and /p/. By honing this skill, the student can better understand how sounds combine to form words, which is foundational for both reading fluency and spelling proficiency. Building on their existing skill set allows the teacher to guide the student towards greater fluency with the sound structure of words, solidifying their phonemic awareness.