What type of spelling is characterized by the use of pictures and letter-like figures?

The type of spelling characterized by the use of pictures and letter-like figures is referred to as prephonetic spelling. In this stage of spelling development, children often express their understanding of the world around them through symbolic representations rather than a phonetic or conventional letter arrangement. They might use drawings or arbitrary symbols that represent sounds or concepts instead of accurate letters or sounds. This approach reflects an early awareness of written language as a system for communication, as children begin to connect images with the words and meanings they understand.

Developing through this early phase, children gradually move toward more phonetic understanding and representation in their spelling as they learn the correspondence between sounds and letters, eventually leading to conventional spelling practices. The engagement in prephonetic spelling is a crucial part of literacy development, allowing children to express themselves while they are still in the early stages of understanding written language structures.