What does Ehri's fourth phase focus on in reading development?

Ehri's fourth phase of reading development, known as the consolidated alphabetic phase, emphasizes the ability of readers to understand and utilize larger segments of language, such as onsets and rimes, rather than relying solely on individual phonemes or letters. During this phase, students begin to see patterns in words and connect these patterns to familiar sounds, which significantly enhances their reading fluency and comprehension. This increased focus on recognizing chunks of language allows readers to decode new words more efficiently and shifts their attention from single letters and sounds to more complex structures in written language. This advancement is crucial as it supports the learner's transition from early reading strategies to more sophisticated text processing abilities.