Which writing sample indicates that a student is beginning to understand the alphabetic principle?

The writing sample that demonstrates a student beginning to understand the alphabetic principle is one in which the student writes letters and claims it as their name. This reflects an emerging recognition that letters represent sounds and can be associated with specific meanings, such as their own name.

When a student writes their name, they are engaging in the foundational concept that letters correspond to sounds and that these sounds combine to form words. This act indicates that the student is starting to grasp how written language functions, specifically by associating particular letters with identifiable personal or meaningful references.

In contrast, repetitive use of the same word does not show an understanding of the diversity of letters or their sounds, while random letters with no recognizable patterns suggest a lack of comprehension of the alphabetic connections. Finally, copying complete sentences from the board might indicate an ability to reproduce written language but does not necessarily demonstrate an understanding of how to produce language independently or connect letters with specific meanings.