During which phase do students become proficient at reading words automatically?

The Automatic Phase is characterized by students achieving proficiency in reading words automatically. During this stage of reading development, students have moved beyond decoding individual letters and sounds and are able to recognize a significant number of words quickly and with little cognitive effort. This automaticity allows them to focus more on comprehension rather than on the mechanics of reading.

In this phase, readers have a solid foundation of vocabulary and can access words from their mental lexicon effortlessly. This skill is crucial for fluent reading, as it enables readers to maintain the flow of reading and to concentrate on the meaning of the text instead of getting bogged down by decoding each word.

Understanding this progression helps illustrate how students develop their reading skills over time. The other phases mentioned involve different levels of reading development, such as basic recognition or transitional understanding, which do not achieve the level of fluency found in the Automatic Phase.