What process involves providing a sequence of spoken phonemes to form a new word?

Phoneme blending is the process of taking individual spoken phonemes and merging them together to form a new word. This skill is crucial in early reading development, as it allows learners to decode and recognize words by synthesizing the sounds they hear. For example, if a teacher says the sounds /b/, /a/, and /t/, a student practicing phoneme blending would combine those sounds to understand that they form the word "bat." This foundational skill supports children in developing their phonological awareness, ultimately enhancing their reading abilities.