Which term is associated with breaking a word down into its individual sounds?

The term that refers to breaking a word down into its individual sounds is phonemes. Phonemes are the smallest units of sound in a spoken language that can differentiate meaning. For example, the word "cat" is composed of three phonemes: /k/, /æ/, and /t/. Understanding phonemes is crucial for developing phonemic awareness, which is a foundational skill in reading instruction. Recognizing and manipulating these sounds helps children learn to decode words, aiding in their reading fluency and comprehension.

In contrast, onset refers specifically to the initial consonant sound of a syllable (such as the 'c' in "cat"), and rime refers to the vowel and any following consonants in a syllable (such as 'at' in "cat"). Segmentation, while related to the phonological process, typically describes the broader action of breaking words down into their phonetic components, which includes not just individual sounds but also larger units like syllables or morphemes. Therefore, phonemes is the most precise term for the specific action of identifying individual sounds in a word.