Word-search strategies and stages of word recognition

Word-search strategies were studied within a longitudinal design from Kindergarten 2 to Grade 1 (children aged 5–7). Results showed clear developmental trends from logographic, to assembled alphabetic, to alphabetic/orthographic addressed strategies, and differences in the speed of progression through the phases were linked to reading and spelling in Grade 2. However, results also showed a strong individual variability in strategy use at each observation period. Thus, stages of word recognition should be defined by the predominance of one type of strategy, and not by its exclusive use. The data also spoke in favor of the centrality of the alphabetical phase, because no evidence was found that some children could skip it.