North Carolina Foundations of Reading Practice Test

Coarticulation refers to the phenomenon in speech where the articulation of one phoneme is influenced by the phonemes that surround it. This means that the way a sound is produced can change based on the neighboring sounds, leading to variations in pronunciation and the blending of sounds. This aspect of language specifically ties into phonemic awareness, as it relates to an individual's understanding of the individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken language and how they combine to form words. Phonemic awareness is foundational for reading and writing because it involves recognizing and manipulating the sounds within words, which is closely linked to how coarticulated sounds may present themselves in fluent speech. Understanding coarticulation can help learners develop a more nuanced awareness of how sounds interact, ultimately enhancing their ability to decode and encode language effectively. This intricate relationship between sounds highlights the importance of phonemic awareness in literacy development.