In which writing phase do students commonly spell words based on how they sound?

Students commonly spell words based on how they sound in the phase characterized by focusing on initial, middle, and final sounds. This phase is often associated with early spelling development, typically found in younger learners who are beginning to understand phonemic awareness—the ability to hear and manipulate the sounds in words.

During this stage, students rely heavily on their auditory perceptions of language, leading them to spell words by sounding them out. This method may result in inventive spelling or phonetic spelling, where students write words as they hear them, such as writing "katt" for "cat" or "funn" for "fun." This approach emphasizes their understanding of phonetic components and encourages them to explore language creatively.

In contrast, the other phases such as transitional phases involve students developing a more complex understanding of spelling patterns and rules, while standard spelling represents the conventional ways to spell words. The mention of consonants representing words may refer to a more abstract understanding of letters and their stands, but aligns less directly with the fundamental practice of sounding out words during spelling.