What characterizes the emergent stage of reading development?

The emergent stage of reading development is characterized by students beginning to grasp the foundational concepts of reading, particularly their understanding that print carries meaning. At this stage, learners also start to manipulate sounds within words, a key aspect of phonemic awareness, which is crucial for decoding and encoding in reading. This development typically includes recognizing letters and their corresponding sounds, understanding that words are made up of individual sounds, and beginning to associate these sounds with written symbols. This foundational understanding is essential for them to progress to more advanced reading skills in future stages.

In contrast, the other options describe skills and competencies that are beyond the emergent stage. For example, independent reading of chapter books, fluency with complex texts, and writing essays represent more advanced proficiency levels that students typically achieve in later stages of reading development.