Sound is tricky.

Unlike written letters, you cannot stare at sound.

It goes by quickly, and then it’s gone.

You have to ‘pick up’ sound quickly, or you miss it.

And in order to actually play with sound, which is a skill used for fluent Phonics, you have to pick the sound up and then keep it alive in the ‘instant memory compartment’ of the “Mind’s Ear.’

Auditory discernment skill helps the child to pick up sound quickly and accurately.

Auditory working memory means keeping sound alive in instant memory within the ‘Mind’s Ear’ so well that the child can juggle the sound mentally.

These are just the abilities--these and more--that children build by playing Phonemic Awareness games.

One sound, one picture

"I Know That Sound!"


This creates clear categories in the ‘mind’s ear’ for the various English spellings children will encounter in their Phonics learning.

  • Shoe =
  • Sure =
  • Chevy =
The quiet sound

"The quiet sound"