Ehri's Phases of Development describe a progression in reading starting with recognizing shapes and pictures, then learning letters and sounds, and finally reading words and sentences. Which sequence matches this progression?

• A. Recognizing simple shapes and pictures, then learning letters and sounds, and finally putting them together to read words and sentences
• B. Writing words, then reading, then recognizing shapes
• C. Memorizing sight words first, then phonics
• D. Listening comprehension before decoding

Answer: (A)

Ehri’s progression starts with readers using visual cues—shapes and pictures—to access meaning, then moves to learning that letters map to sounds and using that knowledge to decode, and finally to reading words and sentences fluently. This sequence reflects how decoding skills develop and become automatic, enabling readers to blend sounds into words and then read longer text.

So the option that describes recognizing simple shapes and pictures first, then learning letters and sounds, and finally putting them together to read words and sentences is the best fit. The other options skip or reverse this developmental order—for example, focusing on writing or memorizing sight words before decoding, or assuming listening comprehension precedes decoding—none align with the way phonics knowledge builds to support reading.