Which stage of reading development focuses on letter recognition and sound association?

The focus on letter recognition and sound association is characteristic of the alphabetic stage of reading development. During this stage, learners begin to understand that letters correspond to specific sounds, a foundational skill for decoding words. This stage typically involves children learning to recognize both the letters of the alphabet and the phonetic sounds they represent, enabling them to sound out words when reading.

In contrast, the pre-alphabetic stage is earlier in development, where children may recognize some words but do not yet understand the systematic relationship between letters and sounds. The orthographic stage involves more advanced recognition of word patterns and spelling, moving beyond basic sound-letter associations. The advanced reading stage is where readers engage with more complex texts and comprehension strategies, indicating proficiency in reading rather than the foundational skills of letter-sound associations.