Introduction: “Children who have phonemic awareness skills are likely to have an easier time learning to read and spell than children who have few or none of these skills” (Armbruster, Lehr, & Osborn, 2001). There is often a lack of understanding about the terms phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and phonics. As an elementary teacher, you should understand these terms and be able to create appropriate learning experiences for your students to strengthen these skills. You should also be able to assess your students’ skills in these areas, and develop a set of “best practices” that can meet the needs of all students within your classroom. Task: A. Contact the specific school staff member, teacher, or administrator at the location of your school placement who supervises your pre-clinical experience (PCE); arrange to observe a lesson in a kindergarten, first-, second-, or third-grade classroom that focuses on phonological awareness or phonemic awareness. 1. After your observation, write responses to the prompts (1–2 paragraphs per prompt) using the Guided Reflection Protocol Form. To access the form, follow these instructions: • Click the Complete Form button that appears in the bar below this task. • Answer the questions in the form. If you need additional space, include an attachment with your response. B. Using the principles of best practice recommended by your learning resources as well as insights gained from the lesson that you observed, design an original lesson plan (using the attached “WGU Lesson Plan Format”) to teach alphabet letters, rhyming, or beginning sounds using a puppet (either made by you or purchased) as an anchor for the lesson. 1. Include one formal assessment component in the lesson plan. 2. Include one informal assessment component in the lesson plan. Note: Create your lesson plan for a specific grade level (K–3) using the attached “WGU Lesson Plan Format.” Make sure that your lesson plan makes provisions for the needs of diverse learners. C. Share your plan with a local elementary teacher or reading specialist and seek feedback. Make improvements where suggested. 1. Explain (suggested length of 1/2–1 page) the improvements you made in your lesson plan based on this feedback. D. Teach your lesson to a small group of students. The classroom teacher must observe your instruction and sign the `Summary Task List.` (Forms appropriate to your program are located under “Available LRs” for the EIT 4/5 on your AAP. The `Summary Task List` form for the special education program is located under “Available Learning Resources” for the ELT 4/5 on your AAP.) Once you have completed all pre-clinical tasks and received the signatures of the cooperating classroom teachers and principal, make a copy for your own records and submit the form to WGU Office of Field Experiences per the instruction on the `Summary Task List.` 1. Discuss (suggested length of 1/2–1 page) additional feedback from the elementary teacher about the strengths of your lesson as well as areas for improvement. E. If you choose to use outside sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.

Introduction: “Children who have phonemic awareness skills are likely to have an easier time learning to read and spell than children who have few or none of these skills” (Armbruster, Lehr, & Osborn, 2001). There is often a lack of understanding about the terms phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and phonics. As an elementary teacher, you should understand these terms and be able to create appropriate learning experiences for your students to strengthen these skills. You should also be able to assess your students’ skills in these areas, and develop a set of “best practices” that can meet the needs of all students within your classroom. Task: A. Contact the specific school staff member, teacher, or administrator at the location of your school placement who supervises your pre-clinical experience (PCE); arrange to observe a lesson in a kindergarten, first-, second-, or third-grade classroom that focuses on phonological awareness or phonemic awareness. 1. After your observation, write responses to the prompts (1–2 paragraphs per prompt) using the Guided Reflection Protocol Form. To access the form, follow these instructions: • Click the Complete Form button that appears in the bar below this task. • Answer the questions in the form. If you need additional space, include an attachment with your response. B. Using the principles of best practice recommended by your learning resources as well as insights gained from the lesson that you observed, design an original lesson plan (using the attached “WGU Lesson Plan Format”) to teach alphabet letters, rhyming, or beginning sounds using a puppet (either made by you or purchased) as an anchor for the lesson. 1. Include one formal assessment component in the lesson plan. 2. Include one informal assessment component in the lesson plan. Note: Create your lesson plan for a specific grade level (K–3) using the attached “WGU Lesson Plan Format.” Make sure that your lesson plan makes provisions for the needs of diverse learners. C. Share your plan with a local elementary teacher or reading specialist and seek feedback. Make improvements where suggested. 1. Explain (suggested length of 1/2–1 page) the improvements you made in your lesson plan based on this feedback. D. Teach your lesson to a small group of students. The classroom teacher must observe your instruction and sign the `Summary Task List.` (Forms appropriate to your program are located under “Available LRs” for the EIT 4/5 on your AAP. The `Summary Task List` form for the special education program is located under “Available Learning Resources” for the ELT 4/5 on your AAP.) Once you have completed all pre-clinical tasks and received the signatures of the cooperating classroom teachers and principal, make a copy for your own records and submit the form to WGU Office of Field Experiences per the instruction on the `Summary Task List.` 1. Discuss (suggested length of 1/2–1 page) additional feedback from the elementary teacher about the strengths of your lesson as well as areas for improvement. E. If you choose to use outside sources, include all in-text citations and references in APA format.