An emergent reader is best described as:

An emergent reader is characterized as someone who is in the early stages of learning to read and is actively developing foundational skills necessary for literacy, including print awareness. This stage involves becoming familiar with the concepts of print, such as understanding the direction of text, recognizing letters and words, and knowing that printed letters represent sounds. Emergent readers are typically learning how to connect spoken language with written text, making this description an accurate representation of their development.

In contrast, a reader who has mastered all phonics skills indicates a more advanced level of reading proficiency, while a proficient reader with extensive vocabulary reflects an understanding of language that far surpasses the initial stages of reading development. Similarly, a reader focused only on comprehension overlooks the fundamental aspects of reading instruction important for emergent readers, who also need to build skills in phonics and print awareness to enhance their overall reading abilities.