Phases of Word Learning

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Pre-alphabetic-Sight word learning at the earliest period. Children do not form letter-sound connections to read words; if they are able to read words at all, they do so by remembering selected visual features. Partial alphabetic-Children learn the names or sounds of alphabet letters and use these to remember how to read words. However, they form connections between only some of the letters and sounds in words, often only the first and final lettersounds. Full alphabetic-Children can form complete connections between letters in written words and phonemes in pronunciations. Consolidated alphabetic-Readers operate with multi-letter units that may be morphemes, syllables, or subsyllabic units such as onsets and rimes. Common spelling patterns become consolidated into letter chunks, and these chunks make it easier to read words.