What is indicated by phonemic awareness?

Phonemic awareness refers specifically to the ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds, or phonemes, in spoken words. This skill is a foundational component of reading development, as it enables learners to understand how sounds correspond to letters in written form. For example, recognizing that the word "cat" consists of three distinct sounds /k/, /æ/, and /t/ is a clear demonstration of phonemic awareness.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of phonemic awareness. Dividing words into syllables pertains to syllable awareness, not phonemes. Recognizing a written word visually relates to visual recognition skills rather than an auditory skill. Translating phrases into another language involves comprehension and language skills that are distinct from phonemic awareness. Thus, the ability to break down spoken words into their individual phonetic components is what defines phonemic awareness.