In literacy development, which phase comes after students can recognize shapes of words?

The phase that follows the ability to recognize word shapes in literacy development is the orthographic phase. Recognizing shapes of words indicates that students have moved beyond the logographic phase, where they identify words based on their visual features without comprehending the individual letters or sounds they represent.

In the orthographic phase, students begin to understand the relationship between letters and sounds, leading them to recognize the spelling patterns of words. This allows them to decode new words they encounter, rather than relying solely on memorized images of whole words. This phase is crucial for developing reading fluency and the ability to write and spell correctly, as students start to internalize the orthographic rules of their language.

The other phases mentioned pertain to different aspects of literacy. The analytic phase involves breaking down the elements of words after they have grasped some orthographic skills, while the phonological phase is more focused on the sounds of language before students can connect sounds to letters effectively. The logographic phase precedes the recognition of individual letters and their sounds, concentrated primarily on the visual memorization of words. Understanding this progression in literacy development is key for educators working with English language learners.