Phonemic and Phonological awareness

The phonetics of the Hmong and English alphabet are so different, that students whose primary language is Hmong have difficulties with articulation. This can affect their phonemic awareness in kindergarten and first-grade word reading (Mahowald & Loughnane, 2016). Having a growing sight word at a young age supports the improvement in English and academic performance.

English uses Academic language to support messages that are being delivered through oral and written language. However, academic language uses advanced vocabulary and syntax (Lynch, 2017). With the perception that ethnic diverse students and ELLs struggle with academic language, educators are likely to give ELL or ethnically diverse students low-level text. Giving students low-level text causes them to have little exposure to complex concepts and languages (Spycher, Girard, & Moua, 2020).

Helman, Burns (2008), and Peterson et al. (2014) stated that teaching and intensifying instructions in phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and growing sight words at a young age will improve students' English and academic performance. Educators can use incremental rehearsal (IR) to help students recognize and identify phonemic awareness, phonological awareness, and sight words.

This drill practice could even be used for math facts. IR is an intervention strategy that helps students learn knowledge base questions, retain new information learned, and increase fluency and automaticity (Haley, 2014). This strategy can be used in Hmong language courses when teaching the Hmong alphabet and sight words.