Arkansas Foundations of Reading Test (FORT)

According to Piaget, which stage involves children beginning to think symbolically and exploring the alphabetic principle?

1. Concrete Operational Stage

2. Formal Operational Stage

3. Preoperational Stage

4. Sensorimotor Stage

The correct answer is: Concrete Operational Stage

The correct answer is the Preoperational Stage. In this stage, which typically occurs between the ages of 2 and 7, children begin to engage in symbolic play and learn to manipulate symbols, including letters and words. This is when they start to understand that written symbols correspond to sounds, which is fundamental to grasping the alphabetic principle. During the Preoperational Stage, children develop imaginative play and begin to use language in more complex ways, paving the way for their understanding of literacy concepts. This is a key period for fostering skills related to reading and writing. The other stages, while important in development, do not specifically focus on the beginnings of symbolic thinking related to literacy as the Preoperational Stage does.