What is the key focus of the emergent stage of reading development?

The emergent stage of reading development is characterized by children's initial experiences with reading and writing, where they begin to understand that print carries meaning. At this stage, children often engage in activities such as creating stories through pictures and engaging in "pretend writing," which reflects their understanding of the connection between spoken language and written text. They may scribble or use letters to form approximations of words, demonstrating their early grasp of the concepts of print and narrative. This imaginative play is crucial as it builds the foundation for more advanced literacy skills they will develop later.

Other options relate to skills and understandings that typically emerge in later stages of reading development. For instance, independent reading is a skill seen in more advanced readers, while manipulating multisyllabic words and complex consonant patterns involves a level of phonological awareness that emerges after children have mastered basic reading concepts.