What term refers to the ability to perceive sound structures in spoken words?

The term that refers to the ability to perceive sound structures in spoken words is phonological awareness. This skill involves recognizing and manipulating sounds at various levels, including phonemes (the smallest units of sound), syllables, onsets and rimes, and ultimately words. Phonological awareness is crucial for developing reading skills, as it helps individuals understand how sounds and letters correspond to one another.

Additionally, this skill lays the foundation for phonics instruction, allowing learners to connect speech sounds with their written forms. By developing phonological awareness, students can improve their reading abilities, as they learn to segment and blend sounds, which are essential components of reading fluency and comprehension.

The other terms, while related to language and literacy, refer to different concepts. Literary analysis focuses on understanding and interpreting the themes and techniques used in literature. Phonetic spelling involves writing words based on their sounds, rather than standard spelling rules. Decoding skills pertain to the ability to apply knowledge of letter-sound relationships to read words aloud. These concepts, while valuable in literacy education, do not specifically capture the skill of perceiving sound structures in spoken language.