Your FREE Praxis 5025 Flashcards 2026 – 200+ Cards

The broad ability to hear and manipulate the sound structure of spoken language — words, syllables, onset-rime, and individual phonemes. It is oral and develops before phonics.

The most advanced phonological skill: hearing, identifying, and manipulating individual phonemes (the smallest units of sound) in spoken words, such as blending /c/-/a/-/t/ into 'cat.'

Teaching the systematic relationship between letters (graphemes) and sounds (phonemes) so children can decode printed words. Unlike phonemic awareness, phonics involves print.

The smallest unit of sound in a language. The word 'ship' has three phonemes: /sh/ /i/ /p/.

A letter or group of letters that represents a single phoneme, such as 'sh,' 'ch,' or 'igh.'

Onset is the initial consonant sound(s) of a syllable; rime is the vowel and everything after. In 'cat,' /c/ is the onset and /at/ is the rime.

Two consonants that together make one new sound, such as sh, ch, th, wh, and ph. 'Ship' begins with the digraph 'sh.'

Two or three consonants whose sounds are each heard, such as 'bl' in 'blue' or 'str' in 'street' — unlike a digraph, each letter keeps its sound.

Early understandings about how print works: that text carries meaning, is read left to right and top to bottom, and that pages turn front to back.

Breaking a spoken word into its separate phonemes — saying /m/ /a/ /p/ for 'map.' A key pre-reading skill.

Combining separate spoken sounds into a word — /s/ /u/ /n/ becomes 'sun.'

Recognizing and producing words that share the same ending sound (cat/hat). An early, easier phonological-awareness skill that signals sound sensitivity.

Repetition of the same beginning sound across words (silly snake). A phonological-awareness activity that draws attention to initial sounds.

Reading with appropriate speed, accuracy, and expression (prosody) so that attention is freed for comprehension.

Constructing meaning from text — the ultimate goal of reading. Supported by vocabulary, background knowledge, and active strategies like predicting and questioning.

The reading and writing knowledge and behaviors children develop before formal instruction, such as pretending to read, scribbling, and recognizing logos.

When a young child spells words by the sounds they hear ('lik' for 'like'). A developmentally appropriate sign of growing phonemic awareness, not an error to correct harshly.

High-frequency words (the, and, was) taught for instant recognition because many do not follow regular phonics rules.

Applying letter-sound knowledge to sound out and read an unfamiliar printed word.

The reverse of decoding: translating spoken sounds into written letters — that is, spelling.

Meaning-based cues a reader uses to identify a word (does it make sense?). Reading 'quick' for 'fast' is a meaning/semantic substitution.

Grammar-based cues a reader uses (does it sound right in the sentence?) to predict or confirm a word.

Letter-sound (visual/phonics) cues a reader uses to identify a word (does it look right?).

Expressive language is what a child produces (speaking, writing); receptive language is what a child understands (listening, reading). Receptive usually precedes expressive.

A question with many possible answers that promotes language and thinking, such as 'What do you think will happen next?' — as opposed to a yes/no question.

A classroom filled with meaningful, labeled print (signs, word walls, books, charts) that helps children connect spoken and written language.

Reading a text to children to model fluent reading, build vocabulary and comprehension, and foster a love of books. Pausing to discuss boosts its value.

An interactive read-aloud style where the adult prompts the child, evaluates responses, expands on them, and repeats — making the child an active teller of the story.

The smallest unit of meaning in a language, such as the root 'play,' the prefix 're-,' or the suffix '-ing.'

Teaching word meanings during meaningful activities and reading, briefly explaining unfamiliar words and revisiting them, rather than in isolated lists.

Knowing which sound(s) each letter represents — foundational for both decoding and spelling.

Having a child recount a story's events in sequence; assesses comprehension, sequencing, and oral language.

The teacher and children read an enlarged text together (often a big book), supporting concepts of print and fluency for all readers.

Children dictate a story from their own experience while the teacher writes it down, then they read it back — linking speech to print.

Small-muscle control of the hands and fingers needed to grasp a pencil and form letters; built through activities like using tongs, beading, and play dough.

Narrative text tells a story (characters, plot); informational (expository) text conveys facts about a topic. Children need exposure to both.

Familiar print in the world around children (stop signs, cereal logos) that often forms their earliest word recognition.

An assessment in which a teacher marks a child's oral reading to analyze accuracy and error patterns (cueing systems used).

Active practices good readers use: predicting, questioning, visualizing, summarizing, and making connections.

A progression from scribbling to letter-like forms, to invented/phonetic spelling, to conventional spelling, as children's print knowledge grows.

Knowing that print, not pictures, carries the message and that we read words in a specific direction and order.

Identifying and naming letters of the alphabet in both upper and lower case — a strong early predictor of reading.

Knowing many words and their nuances; built through rich conversation, read-alouds, and direct word teaching in context.

What a child already knows about a topic; the more they know, the better they comprehend related texts.

The parts of a narrative — characters, setting, problem, events, and resolution — that support comprehension and retelling.

Understanding spoken language and texts read aloud; it precedes and supports later reading comprehension.

Planning, drawing, writing, and sharing; young children move from pictures and labels toward sentences over time.

Groups of words sharing the same rime (-at: cat, hat, bat); used to teach decoding by analogy.

A unit of spoken language with one vowel sound; clapping syllables is a phonological-awareness activity.

When an adult reads aloud with expression and proper pacing so children hear what fluent reading sounds like.

A book that tells a story through illustrations only; supports oral language, sequencing, and narrative skills.

Providing temporary support — prompts, hints, modeling — that is gradually removed as a child gains skill.

Helping children see that spoken words can be written and read back, central to early literacy.

Noticing when meaning breaks down while reading or listening and using a fix-up strategy (reread, ask) — a metacognitive skill.

An oversized book used in shared reading so all children can see the print and join in, building concepts of print and fluency.

Matching exactly one number name to each object when counting — the foundation of accurate counting.

Understanding that the last number said when counting a set tells 'how many' — the total of the set.

Instantly recognizing the quantity of a small group (up to about 4–5) without counting one by one.

Understanding that the number of objects stays the same even when they are rearranged or spread out — a Piagetian concept young children develop.

Rote counting is reciting number names in order; rational counting is counting objects with one-to-one correspondence to find a total.

A flexible, intuitive understanding of numbers, their magnitude, relationships, and how they can be composed and decomposed.

Ordering objects by a measurable attribute, such as arranging sticks from shortest to longest.

Sorting and grouping objects by shared attributes (color, shape, size) — a foundational logical-mathematical skill.

Recognizing, copying, extending, and creating repeating sequences (AB, ABB, AABB) — builds algebraic thinking.

Counting forward by a number other than one, such as 2, 4, 6, 8 (by twos) — a bridge to multiplication.

Understanding that a digit's value depends on its position (the 2 in 23 means two tens). Base-ten blocks model it concretely.

Manipulatives (units, rods/tens, flats/hundreds) that physically represent place value and regrouping.

Breaking numbers apart and putting them together (5 = 2 + 3); builds fluency and understanding of operations.

Combining two or more sets to find a total — the part-part-whole meaning of addition.

Taking part of a set away from the whole, best taught first with concrete objects children remove.

Concrete objects (counters, blocks, links) children handle to model math ideas — central to developmentally appropriate math instruction.

An instructional sequence: first concrete objects, then pictures/representations, then abstract symbols and numerals.

Measuring length, weight, or volume with everyday units (paper clips, hands, cups) before introducing standard units like inches.

Making a reasonable guess about a quantity or measure; builds number sense and a sense of magnitude.

Plane figures defined by sides and angles: a triangle has 3 sides and 3 angles, a square has 4 equal sides.

Solid figures such as spheres, cubes, cylinders, and cones, which young children explore through building and sorting.

When a shape has matching halves; explored by folding paper shapes to see if both sides align.

Understanding location and direction through words like over, under, beside, behind, and in front of.

Determining which group has more, fewer, or the same number — often by matching or counting.

Collecting information and organizing it into simple picture graphs or bar graphs (e.g., favorite fruit) to compare quantities.

Sets that contain the same number of objects — an early foundation for multiplication and division.

Understanding parts of a whole through fair sharing and halves/fourths, often with food or folded paper.

A visual model of numbers in order, used to count, compare, add, and subtract.

A characteristic of an object (color, size, shape, texture) used for sorting, classifying, and patterning.

Starting from a number other than one to add (to add 3 to 5, say '6, 7, 8') — a strategy that shows number sense.

A quantity is 'how many' objects; a numeral is the written symbol (5). Children connect the two over time.

Encouraging children to describe their thinking and use terms like more, fewer, equal, and because to build reasoning.

Conventional units like inches, feet, pounds, and cups, introduced after children grasp measuring with nonstandard units.

Simple lines (with every fifth crossed) used to count and record data as it is gathered.

Numbers that show position or order — first, second, third — as opposed to cardinal numbers that show quantity.

Understanding the position, direction, and relationship of objects in space; built through blocks, puzzles, and positional words.

Identifying and naming written number symbols (1, 2, 3) and matching them to quantities.

Understanding that a whole quantity is made of parts (5 is 2 and 3); foundational for addition and subtraction.

Rules of meaningful counting: one-to-one, stable order, cardinality, abstraction, and order-irrelevance.

Thinking through problems logically, explaining 'why,' and justifying answers — built through math talk.

The principle that children learn math best by starting with physical objects before symbols and abstract ideas.

Grouping objects by a single attribute and later by multiple attributes — a foundation for classification and data.

Understanding sequence and routine (before/after, morning/night) before clocks and calendars.

Recognizing coins and the idea of exchange through play stores, before computing exact change.

Comparing quantities to decide which is more or fewer, often by matching or counting sets.

Repeating patterns reuse a core unit (AB AB); growing patterns increase by a rule each step (1, 3, 5...). Both build algebraic thinking.

People who provide services in a community (firefighters, doctors, mail carriers); a common early-social-studies theme about roles and interdependence.

Tools that represent places; young children begin with simple maps of familiar spaces, like a classroom map, before world maps.

Understanding rules, why they matter, fairness, and one's duties as a member of a group or community.

Ordering events by time (morning to night, yesterday/today/tomorrow); built with daily schedules and timelines.

Distinguishing things people must have to live (food, shelter) from things they would like to have — a basic economic concept.

Goods are physical products people buy; services are actions people do for others. A classroom store introduces both.

Recognizing and respecting differences in traditions, foods, languages, and customs among families and communities.

Understanding that things were different in the past, explored by comparing 'long ago and today' (old vs. modern toys).

Beginning spatial concepts — near/far, up/down, location — explored through the immediate environment before formal map skills.

Making choices as a group and accepting the majority result; a developmentally appropriate introduction to democracy.

A child's own past and family relationships, often explored through 'all about me' or family-tree projects.

Understanding that one belongs to many groups — family, classroom, neighborhood, and community.

Taking turns, sharing, cooperating, and resolving conflict peacefully — central to early social development and citizenship.

Basic ideas of exchange, money, saving, and producers/consumers, often through play stores and trading.

Guidelines that keep people safe and treat them fairly; children learn why classroom rules exist and how they help everyone.

Recognizing that families come in many forms and that family members care for and depend on one another.

Time concepts children develop by relating to yesterday, today, and tomorrow and to events in their lives.

Producers make goods or provide services; consumers buy and use them. Classroom play makes this concrete.

Being a responsible, caring, contributing member of a group or community by following rules and helping others.

Basic geographic features (hills, rivers, oceans) introduced through pictures, sand tables, and stories.

Family and cultural celebrations explored to build understanding and respect for diverse backgrounds.

The idea that people in a community rely on one another for goods, services, and help.

A direct account of the past — such as a grandparent describing what school was like — used to teach history concretely.

Understanding that resources are limited, so people must make choices about what they get — a foundational economic idea.

Recognizing shared symbols (flag, landmarks) that represent a community or nation.

Simple pictures that stand for real places on a child-made map, introduced after mapping familiar spaces.

Understanding others' feelings and treating people kindly; central to social studies and social-emotional growth.

The jobs people have at home, school, and in the community and how each contributes.

Basic economic choices children explore through classroom stores and pretend money.

Recognizing many ways of living, celebrating, and forming families to build inclusion and respect.

Learning science by asking questions, exploring, and investigating — the developmentally appropriate heart of early science.

Using the senses to gather information about objects and events; the most basic science-process skill (using magnifying glasses to study leaves).

Making a reasonable guess about what will happen based on prior knowledge, then testing it.

A simplified cycle: ask, predict, test/explore, observe, and discuss results — hands-on, not lecture-based.

Sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch — the tools children use to observe and explore the world.

Distinguishing organisms that grow, need food/water, and reproduce from objects that do not.

The stages a living thing passes through (seed to plant, egg to frog); observed by planting seeds or raising classroom animals.

What organisms require to survive — food, water, air, shelter, and (for plants) sunlight; learned by caring for a class plant or pet.

The natural home where an animal or plant lives and gets what it needs; matched to animals through pictures and sorting.

Solid, liquid, and gas; young children explore solid-liquid changes by watching ice melt and water freeze.

A physical change alters form but not substance (melting ice); a chemical change makes a new substance. Early science focuses on observable physical changes.

Pushes and pulls that make objects move; explored by rolling cars down ramps of different heights.

The property by which magnets attract certain metals; explored by sorting objects into 'sticks to the magnet' and 'does not.'

Observable characteristics (color, size, texture, weight, whether it sinks or floats) used to describe and sort materials.

Whether an object stays on top of or goes under water; tested at a water table to compare materials.

Daily atmospheric conditions (sunny, rainy, cloudy); observed and recorded over time on a class weather chart to find patterns.

The yearly cycle of spring, summer, fall, and winter and the changes each brings to weather, plants, and animals.

The Sun as a source of light and heat; shadows change length through the day as the Sun's position changes.

Roots, stem, leaves, and flowers, and the growth from seed to plant, observed and recorded by children.

How animals look, move, eat, and where they live; matched and sorted to build classification skills.

Grouping natural objects (leaves, rocks, shells) by observable properties — observation and sorting combined.

Natural materials such as rocks, soil, sand, and water that children explore through hands-on play and observation.

The cycle caused by Earth's rotation; introduced concretely through routines and observation rather than abstract astronomy.

A disposition to wonder, ask questions, and investigate; nurtured by encouraging questions and open exploration rather than giving answers.

Documenting observations with drawings, charts, and simple graphs (a plant-growth journal, a weather chart).

Recognizing that one event makes another happen (a taller ramp makes the car go faster) — central to early science reasoning.

A discovery station where children touch, smell, look, and listen to investigate materials safely and directly.

A child-friendly 'best guess' about what will happen, tested through hands-on exploration.

A hands-on test children carry out to answer a question, such as which ramp makes a car go farthest.

Instruments children use to observe and measure — magnifiers, balances, measuring cups, and thermometers.

Using sight, touch, smell, hearing, and (safely) taste to gather information about objects and events.

All organisms develop over time; observed by tracking plant or animal growth in the classroom.

Plants require light, water, air, and nutrients to grow — tested by comparing plants given different conditions.

Large-muscle movements of the whole body — running, jumping, hopping, climbing, balancing — developed through active play.

Small-muscle control of the hands and fingers (cutting, beading, drawing) needed for writing and self-care.

Movements that travel the body through space: walking, running, jumping, hopping, galloping, skipping.

Using vision to guide hand movements; built through throwing and catching, stacking, and ball games.

Health habits like handwashing before eating and covering coughs, taught through songs, routines, and modeling.

Understanding healthy food choices, often through sorting play food into healthy and 'sometimes' foods and tasting activities.

Rules and habits that prevent injury — staying within boundaries, using equipment properly, and identifying safe adults.

Recognizing and managing feelings, showing empathy, and building relationships; foundational to school readiness.

The ability to manage emotions, attention, and behavior — calming down, waiting, and following routines.

Expressing ideas and feelings through free, music-inspired movement (dancing with scarves), supporting body awareness and creativity.

Valuing the child's experience, effort, and exploration in art over a finished, adult-pleasing product.

Discovering that primary colors (red, yellow, blue) combine to make secondary colors — explored through painting.

Red, yellow, and blue — the colors that cannot be made by mixing and that combine to create all other colors.

The steady pulse of music; developed by clapping, marching, or playing instruments along with songs.

Imaginative role-play (dress-up, housekeeping) that builds language, social skills, and symbolic thinking.

Singing, listening, moving, and playing simple instruments to develop rhythm, pitch, listening, and language.

Combining physical activity with content, such as acting out a frog's life cycle, to deepen understanding and engagement.

Knowing where the body is in space and how it moves; built through movement games and creative dance.

Controlling the body's position and movement, developed by walking a beam, hopping, and obstacle courses.

Giving children open-ended materials (clay, paint, collage) and choices so they express ideas in their own way.

Daily vigorous movement that supports motor development, health, and the ability to focus and learn.

Time outside for large-motor activity, exploration, and social play; vital to physical and emotional health.

Helping children name emotions (happy, sad, angry) and learn appropriate ways to express them — a self-regulation skill.

Consistent daily practices (handwashing, tooth care, rest, exercise) that build lifelong wellness.

Using varied art media and textures so children investigate materials while creating.

Playing together toward a shared goal, building turn-taking, communication, and social problem-solving.

Controlling objects with the body — throwing, catching, kicking, rolling — part of gross-motor development.

Songs with repeated lyrics and motions that support music education while strengthening language and memory.

Movements done in place — bending, twisting, stretching, balancing — that build body control.

Knowing where the body is and moving safely among others and through space during active play.

Using art and movement as healthy outlets to communicate and process feelings.

Singing and rhymes that strengthen phonological awareness, vocabulary, and memory.

Recognizing nutritious foods, rest, and exercise as part of staying healthy.

Group physical activities that build motor skills alongside turn-taking and teamwork.

Holding small objects between thumb and forefinger; a fine-motor milestone supporting writing readiness.

Tempo is the speed of music (fast/slow); dynamics is its volume (loud/soft) — explored through movement and instruments.