During which stage do children start using some letters and letter-sound associations to decode?

The Partial Alphabetic stage is characterized by children developing an understanding of some letters and their corresponding sounds, which they begin to use for decoding words. At this stage, students may use limited letter-sound knowledge to sound out unfamiliar words, often relying on the first letters or a few letters in a word to begin decoding processes. Typically, children in this stage can connect sounds to letters for a few selected letters, which enhances their ability to read simple words.

This understanding is essential as learners transition toward more sophisticated reading skills. They gradually move from recognizing words through visual memory toward utilizing their phonetic knowledge. The Partial Alphabetic stage is crucial because it serves as a bridge to the Full Alphabetic stage, where children use a more comprehensive understanding of letter-sound relationships to decode words more fluently and automatically.