Which of the following is a key indicator of phonemic awareness?

Phonemic awareness refers to the understanding that spoken words are made up of individual sounds, known as phonemes. It involves the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate these sounds. The correct answer points to the capacity to isolate and manipulate sounds in words, which is a fundamental aspect of phonemic awareness. This skill is critical because it forms the basis for reading and spelling.

For example, a child who can isolate the initial sound in the word "cat" knows that it starts with a /k/ sound. Furthermore, children who can manipulate sounds can shift the initial sound in "bat" to create "mat." This manipulation and recognition of sounds help children develop their reading skills by allowing them to decode words more effectively.

The other options do not directly measure phonemic awareness. Fluent reading focuses on overall reading proficiency rather than on sound recognition, sentence writing involves grammar and syntax skills, and spelling is related to orthographic knowledge rather than phonemic manipulation.