To get full benefit from this course, we suggest that you view the course with either Netscape 4.08 or Internet Explorer 4.01 . Some of the multimedia files require Macromedia's Flash plug-in , which is typically included with your browser. Adobe's Acrobat Reader plug-in is required to download the PDF files in lesson resources. Each user has access to the course for a period of 6 months from the date of enrollment in the course. Children develop language skills well before written letters start making sense to them, and good language skills are crucial for developing proficient reading skills.
Phonemic awareness is a skill crucial for learning to read English.
Phonemes, the units of sound in language, are more or less represented by the letters of the alphabet, but children do not spontaneously pick apart words into phonemes. Morphological awareness plays a role of ever-increasing importance in children's vocabulary and reading development from third grade on. Children start learning syntactic structures while they are developing their language skills, but young readers must learn to apply their knowledge of spoken structures to written text. Children's working memory capacity develops along with their language abilities and other early skills. Language and reading milestones help put students' reading skills in perspective.