What is the characteristic feature of the strings of letters phase?

The characteristic feature of the strings of letters phase is the development of writing that includes some legible letters. This phase typically occurs in early literacy development, where children begin to experiment with writing by forming letters or combinations of letters, even if the writing does not form meaningful words or coherent sentences. The focus at this stage is on the physical act of writing and developing fine motor skills, as well as an understanding of letter shapes.

In this phase, children may not yet have a grasp of complete words or sentences, hence the writing will often consist of strings of letters that may not be intelligible or organized. This contrasts with other developmental phases where the emphasis might shift towards sentence structure, paragraph organization, or vocabulary usage. Therefore, the distinguishing factor here is recognizing that some letters can be formed, which marks a beginning step in the journey of literacy development.