California Teacher Credentialing Examination (CSET) 2026 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Children begin to rhyme and blend words primarily during the beginning reader stage. This stage is crucial as it involves the development of phonemic awareness, which encompasses the ability to recognize and manipulate sounds in spoken language. Rhyming helps children to hear similarities in sounds, which reinforces their understanding of phonological concepts. Blending, on the other hand, involves combining individual sounds to form words, an essential skill for transitioning to reading fluency.

At this stage, children engage actively with sounds through activities such as nursery rhymes, songs, and sound games, allowing them to solidify their skills in phonemic awareness. This foundation is vital for their future reading success, as it prepares them to decode words effectively when they begin to read independently. The other stages, such as emergent and fluent readers, focus on different aspects of reading development, while the remedial reader stage specifically targets students who may need additional support in reading skills.