Which stage of spelling involves an incomplete understanding of the relationship between sounds and letters?

The pre-phonetic stage of spelling is characterized by a fundamental yet incomplete understanding of how sounds correspond to letters. In this stage, learners may use random letters to represent words, often neglecting the actual phonetic sounds that correspond to each letter or letter combination. For example, a child might write "DRE" for "tree" but does not yet recognize that "tr" represents the initial consonant blend or that the "ee" sound at the end is typically represented by the letter "e" or "ea."

This stage is essential for emerging writers as they begin to experiment with letter formation and sound representation. It reflects their early attempts to use letters, even without the full grasp of spelling conventions or phonemic awareness. As they progress through the stages of spelling development, they will begin to better connect sounds with their corresponding letters and refine their writing skills towards more phonetic awareness and eventual conventional spelling.