53. A group of students work together at a literacy center where the individual letters 'p,' 'i,' and 'g' are printed on card stock. One student puts the three letters together and says, 'I made pig!' The activity best supports which of the following reading skills?

Answer: C

Explanation:

Blending phonemes to make words

The activity of combining the letters 'p,' 'i,' and 'g' to form the word "pig" primarily supports the skill of blending phonemes to create recognizable words. This process demonstrates the student's ability to merge individual sounds into a coherent word.

A) Building words with onsets

Building words with onsets refers to the ability to create words by adding initial consonant sounds to vowel sounds. While this activity involves the initial consonant 'p,' it does not solely focus on the onset but rather on blending all the sounds together to form a complete word. Thus, this option is incorrect.

B) Dividing words using syllabication

Dividing words using syllabication involves breaking words into their syllabic components. The activity in question does not involve breaking down the word "pig" into syllables; instead, it focuses on merging sounds. Therefore, this option does not accurately reflect the skill being practiced.

C) Blending phonemes to make words

Blending phonemes to make words is the correct answer as it directly describes the process of combining the individual sounds represented by the letters 'p,' 'i,' and 'g' to pronounce the word "pig." This skill is essential for early reading development and is exemplified in the activity described.

D) Segmenting phonemes to make words

Segmenting phonemes involves breaking words down into their individual sounds. In this scenario, the student is not segmenting but rather blending the sounds together to form a complete word. Thus, this option is not applicable to the activity being performed.

Conclusion

The activity of combining the letters 'p,' 'i,' and 'g' to create the word "pig" effectively illustrates the skill of blending phonemes to form words, which is critical in early literacy development. Options A, B, and D do not accurately describe the process taking place, as they focus on different aspects of phonemic awareness that are not relevant to this specific task. Hence, C is the definitive correct answer.