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Sound Counter

Run the Sound Counter MicroSim Fullscreen

About This MicroSim

The Sound Counter MicroSim helps kindergarten students develop phoneme segmentation skills - the ability to break words into their individual sounds. This foundational skill is essential for both reading (decoding) and spelling (encoding).

Features

  • Word Library: 20 carefully selected words ranging from 2-4 phonemes
  • Visual Representation: Emoji pictures help students connect words to meaning
  • Interactive Counting: Large tap target designed for young fingers
  • Star Feedback: Visual stars appear for each tap
  • Audio Support: Hear the word spoken, then hear individual phonemes after correct answers
  • Difficulty Levels: Filter by 2, 3, or 4 phoneme words
  • Celebration Animation: Particle effects reward correct answers

How to Use

  1. Listen: Click "Hear Word" to hear the word spoken
  2. Count: Tap the green circle once for each sound you hear
  3. Check: Click "Check" to see if you counted correctly
  4. Learn: After a correct answer, hear each phoneme spoken separately
  5. Continue: Click "New Word" for another word to count

Word List by Difficulty

2 Phonemes: at, up, go, me, no 3 Phonemes: cat, dog, sun, hat, pig, bed, cup, map, bus, top 4 Phonemes: frog, stop, clap, swim, jump

Iframe Example

You can include this MicroSim on your website using the following iframe:

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<iframe src="https://dmccreary.github.io/reading-for-kindergarten/sims/sound-counter/main.html"
        height="462px"
        width="100%"
        scrolling="no"></iframe>

Lesson Plan

Learning Objectives

After completing this activity, students will be able to:

  1. Remember: Recall that words are made up of individual sounds (phonemes)
  2. Understand: Explain that the number of sounds may differ from the number of letters
  3. Apply: Segment simple CVC words into individual phonemes
  4. Analyze: Distinguish between individual sounds in blended words

Suggested Activities

  1. Stretchy Words: Model stretching words slowly (/c/...../a/...../t/) before using the tool
  2. Body Counting: Have students clap, stomp, or jump for each sound
  3. Sound Boxes: Use Elkonin boxes alongside the digital tool
  4. Partner Practice: One student says a word, the other counts sounds

Assessment Opportunities

  • Track which word lengths students master first
  • Note if students confuse letters and sounds
  • Observe if blended sounds (like "st" in "stop") cause difficulty

Differentiation

  • Support: Start with 2-phoneme words; use continuous sounds (m, s, f) that are easier to isolate
  • Challenge: Have students identify the specific sounds, not just count them

Technical Notes

  • Uses p5.js for interactive graphics
  • Web Speech API for word pronunciation
  • Web Audio API for tap feedback sounds
  • Touch and mouse input supported
  • Responsive design adapts to container width

References