Which of the following best describes phoneme substitution?

Phoneme substitution is an essential aspect of phonological awareness, which is critical for developing reading and spelling skills. This process involves replacing one sound in a word with another sound to create a new word. For instance, if you take the word "cat," and replace the /k/ sound with /h/, you would create the word "hat." This skill helps children to understand that words are made up of individual sounds, or phonemes, and that changing these sounds can lead to different meanings.

Understanding phoneme substitution is vital for early literacy because it encourages children to manipulate sounds, which enhances their ability to decode and spell words. Children who practice phoneme substitution can become more proficient in recognizing patterns in language and improve their overall reading comprehension skills. This change in sounds also allows learners to explore how similar-sounding words can differ in meaning based on those phonemic changes.