Phoneme acquisition
The developmental process by which children acquire the ability to produce and distinguish the phonemes of their native language, typically progressing from easier to more difficult sounds.
Real World
Speech and language therapists at the NHS use established phoneme acquisition milestones — such as expecting /s/ by age 4 and /r/ by age 6 — to diagnose whether a child's development requires intervention.
Exam Focus
When asked to evaluate data, note which phonemes appear and link to expected acquisition order to demonstrate applied knowledge.
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