At which of the following stages of literacy development would a child first be able to start using phonemic awareness to decode unknown words?

The late alphabetic stage is where a child first demonstrates the ability to use phonemic awareness effectively to decode unknown words. During this stage, children have generally developed a firm grasp of the connection between sounds and letters and can apply this knowledge to sound out words. They begin to recognize more complex phonetic patterns and can segment words into individual phonemes, which is crucial for decoding.

At this point in their literacy development, children can start to use their understanding of phonemic relationships to decode unfamiliar words, building their reading skills and confidence. This ability to manipulate sounds allows them to tackle new vocabulary and enhances their overall literacy level. In contrast, earlier stages, such as the pre-alphabetic and early alphabetic stages, focus more on recognizing words and understanding the alphabetic principle rather than the application of phonemic awareness for decoding unfamiliar words. The orthographic stage, meanwhile, emphasizes the recognition of word structures and patterns rather than the phonemic decoding of new words.