What does the ability to recognize sound units in words describe?

The ability to recognize sound units in words is best described by phonemic awareness. Phonemic awareness refers to the specific skill of identifying and manipulating individual sounds, or phonemes, in spoken language. This involves recognizing that words are made up of smaller sound units and understanding how those sounds can be combined or separated.

Phonological awareness is a broader term that encompasses several skills, including phonemic awareness, but also involves recognizing larger sound units, such as syllables and onsets and rimes. While phonological awareness is important, the specific focus on recognizing and manipulating individual phonemes is what defines phonemic awareness.

Literacy development and decoding skills are related concepts but do not specifically address the recognition of sound units. Literacy development encompasses a wide range of skills, including reading, writing, and comprehension. Decoding skills refer to the ability to apply knowledge of letter-sound relationships to read words but assume a level of phonemic awareness as a foundational skill. Thus, phonemic awareness is the most precise answer to the question about recognizing sound units in words.