What term describes the process of fusing individual sounds into meaningful units?

The term that describes the process of fusing individual sounds into meaningful units is blending. Blending involves taking distinct phonemes—individual sounds that make up words—and combining them to form a complete word. This skill is essential in early literacy development, as it enables learners to decode new words by merging sounds they hear into a coherent whole.

For instance, when students hear the sounds /b/, /a/, and /t/, blending allows them to articulate the word "bat." This process not only aids in reading but also enhances spelling abilities as students learn to recognize and manipulate the sounds within words. By emphasizing blending in instruction, educators support students in developing crucial phonemic awareness, which is foundational to reading proficiency.

In contrast, the other terms in the question refer to different aspects of language and literacy. Oral language development pertains to the acquisition of spoken language skills. Phonetic transcription involves representing spoken language in written form using symbols, while syllabication relates to dividing words into syllables, which is a different skill than blending sounds together.