Word Discrimination

Identify identical and different sounds when presented in word pairs.

PURPOSE

This activity is useful for developing auditory attention and analysis.

• Step 1

  Compile a list of pairs of simple, similar sounding words (i.e., bat-hat, fun-run, bus-fuss, horse-house, jelly-belly, dug-bug, sue-zoo, bed-bet, got-cot, ring-wing) as well as pairs of exactly the same word (i.e., sun-sun, tip-tip, living-living, back-back, have-have, reach-reach). Mix up the pairs in random order.

• Step 2

  Explain that you are going to read some pairs of words. Ask the learner to say either “same” or “different” according to the words given, or ask them to give a “thumbs up” sign if the words are the same and “thumbs down” if they are different.

• Step 3

  For an extension try covering your mouth while saying these sets of words and see if the learner is able to discern whether these pairs contain rhyming words or not!