Which reading stage focuses specifically on vowel sounds and patterns?

The Within Word Pattern Stage is the correct choice because this stage is specifically centered on students' understanding of vowel sounds and patterns. During this stage, learners begin to recognize and manipulate patterns within words, leading to an increased awareness of how vowels function in different contexts. They start to develop a deeper understanding of phonics, particularly focusing on long and short vowel sounds, as well as various vowel combinations and their roles in word formation.

In this stage, students not only work with individual letters and their sounds but also start to analyze how vowels contribute to different spelling structures and sound patterns in words. This level of understanding allows them to make connections between spelling and pronunciation, fostering a more comprehensive grasp of the language.

The other stages, while important in their contexts, do not focus specifically on vowel sounds and patterns to the same extent. The Letter Name and Alphabetic Stage is more about correlating sounds with letters and beginning to read simple words. The Emergent Stage primarily deals with pre-reading skills, such as understanding that text has meaning. The Syllables and Affixes Stage focuses on more complex structures in words and their combinations, rather than the fundamental vowel patterns emphasized in the Within Word Pattern Stage.