Understanding of the alphabet and words (concepts of print)

• A. Beginning Reader
• B. Emergent Reader
• C. Concepts of Print
• D. Concepts of Alphabet

Answer: (A)

Understanding how the alphabet connects to forming and reading words is being assessed. At the Beginning Reader stage, children start to apply knowledge of letter sounds to decode simple, decodable words and begin tracking print across a page. They move beyond just recognizing pictures and memorize a few words; they use letter–sound relationships to read words and understand that print carries meaning. Emergent readers rely more on pictures and memorized phrases and haven’t yet linked letters to sounds to the extent needed for decoding. Concepts of Print focuses on how books work and print conventions (like left-to-right direction and page order) rather than on using letters to read words, and Concepts of Alphabet centers on naming letters rather than applying that knowledge to reading. So the item aligns with the Beginning Reader stage, where alphabet knowledge and word formation start driving reading.