FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

What does segmenting help students achieve in reading?

1. Increase reading speed

2. Understand the concept of storyline

3. Enhance phonemic awareness

4. Improve vocabulary retention

The correct answer is: Enhance phonemic awareness

Segmenting is a crucial skill in reading development, particularly in the context of phonemic awareness. It involves breaking down words into their individual sounds or phonemes. This process helps students identify and manipulate sounds within words, which is fundamental for reading proficiency. By segmenting words, students become more aware of the sound structure of language, allowing them to decode new words effectively. This skill not only aids in reading but also strengthens spelling abilities, as an understanding of phonemes can help students segment words into their respective sounds when writing. While increasing reading speed, grasping the storyline, or improving vocabulary retention are also valuable aspects of reading, they are achieved through different instructional strategies. Segmenting specifically targets phonemic awareness, making it the most appropriate outcome related to reading achievement in this context.