What capability do children in the Syllables and Affixes Stage of development demonstrate?

Children in the Syllables and Affixes Stage of development exhibit a strong capability in reading with good fluency and expression. This stage typically occurs in later elementary grades, often from around third grade onward, where children begin to understand and use more complex word structures, including syllables and affixes. These linguistic skills contribute to enhanced reading fluency, allowing them to read more smoothly and with proper emotional intonation where appropriate. As they familiarize themselves with the syllabic structure of words and the rules for adding prefixes and suffixes, their ability to interpret texts with greater understanding and expression improves significantly. Their reading comprehension also benefits, as they can decipher meaning from more complex sentences and varied vocabulary.

The other aspects mentioned—mastering short vowel sounds, identifying phonemes, and writing sentences with correct punctuation—reflect earlier stages in literacy development or specific writing skills rather than the fluency and expression that characterize the capabilities of children in this particular development stage.