Which of the following contributes to a reader's ability to manipulate sounds in words effectively?

Phonic awareness is essential for a reader's ability to manipulate sounds in words effectively because it involves the understanding of how sounds (phonemes) relate to letters or groups of letters (graphemes). This skill allows readers to decode words by blending sounds together and to segment words into individual sounds, which is crucial for reading and spelling. A strong foundation in phonic awareness enables students to understand that words are made up of sounds and that these sounds can be manipulated in various ways, such as by changing, adding, or deleting phonemes to create new words.

For example, if a student can recognize that the word "cat" is made up of three sounds (/k/, /æ/, /t/), they can manipulate these sounds to create new words like "bat" or "cap" by substituting different initial sounds. This skill is foundational to developing strong reading abilities and is particularly important for early readers who are just beginning to learn how to decode text.