Wisconsin FORT (Foundations of Reading) Practice Test

Which of the following is NOT a step in learning the Alphabetic Principle?

1. Learning letter sounds

2. Learning letter shapes

3. Learning phoneme blending

4. Learning letter names

The correct answer is: Learning phoneme blending

In learning the Alphabetic Principle, which is the understanding that letters represent sounds in a systematic and predictable way, children need to develop certain fundamental skills. Learning letter sounds (option A) is crucial for understanding the relationship between letters and the sounds they represent. Similarly, learning letter shapes (option B) helps children recognize and differentiate between the visual symbols of the alphabet. Learning letter names (option D) is also an essential step in understanding the Alphabetic Principle as it allows children to identify specific letters by name. On the other hand, learning phoneme blending (option C) is not a step in learning the Alphabetic Principle. Phoneme blending is the ability to blend individual sounds together to form a word. While phoneme blending is a crucial phonological awareness skill that supports reading development, it is not specifically about the relationship between letters and sounds, which is the focus of the Alphabetic Principle.