What term describes the skill of putting together the first sound of a word and the rest of the word orally?

The skill of putting together the first sound of a word and the rest of the word orally is best described by the term 'auditory blending.' This skill involves the ability to combine individual sounds (phonemes) or syllables to form a complete word when it is spoken. For example, if a student hears the sounds /k/ and /at/, they can blend them to articulate the word "cat."

This process is crucial in early literacy development as it helps students improve their decoding skills, which in turn enhances their reading abilities. Auditory blending is a foundational aspect of phonological awareness, specifically focusing on how sounds come together to make words.

While 'phonemic awareness' refers more broadly to the understanding and manipulation of individual phonemes in spoken words, auditory blending specifically emphasizes the act of merging sounds to form full words. Phonics manipulation involves working with phonetic elements but is more aligned with applying those sounds to written language. Lexical awareness is about understanding the meanings of words and their relationships rather than the auditory blending of sounds.