Which stage of a child's writing development shows the use of symbols from the alphabet but lacks knowledge of letter-sound correspondences?

In the context of children's writing development, the precommunicative stage is characterized by the use of various symbols, including letters from the alphabet, but without an understanding of the phonetic principles that govern their use, such as letter-sound correspondences. At this stage, children might string together letters or symbols in ways that do not correspond to actual words or sounds, reflecting a nascent exploration of written language rather than a firm grasp of its structural rules.

This stage serves as an important foundational period where children begin to familiarize themselves with the shapes and forms of letters. However, their writing may not convey specific meanings or sounds, as they are still experimenting with the concept of writing itself. This exploratory phase allows children to develop an awareness of writing as a form of communication, setting the stage for future stages of development where they will begin to incorporate more structure and phonetic understanding into their writing.

In contrast, the phonetic stage involves children starting to understand and apply letter-sound correspondences more accurately, while the semi-phonetic stage often sees them making initial connections between sounds and letters, using a limited number of letters to represent words. The transitional stage indicates a higher level of development where children demonstrate more sophisticated phonetic skills and begin to apply