What does the alphabetic principle emphasize in reading development?

The alphabetic principle is a fundamental concept in reading development that highlights the relationship between letters and sounds. It is the understanding that letters in written words represent specific sounds in spoken language, and that these sounds can be combined to form words. This principle is crucial for beginning readers as it helps them decode words and develop phonemic awareness, which is the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate sounds in spoken language.

Mastering the alphabetic principle enables children to read unfamiliar words by sounding them out, rather than relying solely on memorization. This skill lays the groundwork for reading fluency and comprehension, as readers learn to apply their understanding of letters and sounds to connect with text meaningfully.

In this context, other options focus on different aspects of literacy but do not address the core significance of the alphabetic principle as directly as the correct choice does. For instance, while phoneme manipulation (option A) is related to phonemic awareness, it does not encompass the full scope of the alphabetic principle. Book handling skills (option C) pertain to how a child interacts with books, and reading comprehension (option D) involves understanding and interpreting text, which relies upon the foundational skills established by the alphabetic principle but is not its focus.