In which phase are students most able to enjoy and obtain knowledge from reading?

The orthographic phase is characterized by students' increased ability to recognize whole words and understand the connections between letters and sounds. In this phase, learners begin to see patterns in spelling and gain a deeper familiarity with the written language. As they progress, students are able to read more fluently, comprehend texts more easily, and enjoy reading for pleasure and information.

During this phase, students are also developing strategies for guessing meanings from context and have often built a sizable sight vocabulary, which enhances their overall reading experience. This enjoyment and knowledge acquisition stem from their ability to decode texts efficiently, allowing them to focus more on understanding and engaging with the content rather than struggling with basic decoding skills.

Other phases, while important in the progression of reading development, do not provide the same level of enjoyment and comprehension associated with reading as seen in the orthographic phase. For example, the logographic phase is primarily focused on recognizing symbols as whole units, and the phonological phase centers on understanding sounds and sound patterns rather than enjoying reading as an activity. The analytic phase, although important for comprehension, is not as enjoyable as students in the orthographic stage find reading itself more accessible and gratifying.