Reading Instruction Competence Assessment (RICA) Practice Test

What specifically does Phonemic Awareness address?

1. The ability to read fluently

2. The ability to distinguish separate phonemes in words

3. The ability to write complete sentences

4. The ability to summarize paragraphs

The correct answer is: The ability to distinguish separate phonemes in words

Phonemic awareness specifically addresses the ability to distinguish separate phonemes in words. This skill involves recognizing and manipulating the individual sounds that make up spoken words, which is a foundational component of reading and spelling. Phonemic awareness allows learners to understand that words are composed of discrete sounds, thereby enabling them to decode words while reading and encode words while writing. This awareness is crucial for literacy development, as it supports children in sounding out words, blending sounds together, and ultimately improving their reading skills. In contrast, the other options describe different literacy skills. Fluency pertains to reading quickly and accurately, which builds on phonemic awareness but is a separate skill. Writing complete sentences involves grammar and structuring ideas, which does not directly relate to phonemic awareness. Summarizing paragraphs is associated with comprehension and the ability to convey the main ideas of a text, which also relies on different literacy skills beyond phonemic awareness.