1. Visual Perception:
This refers to the act of seeing the written symbols. It involves:
* Identifying features: The brain analyzes the shapes, lines, and curves of the symbols, noting their unique characteristics.
* Grouping elements: These features are then combined to recognize individual characters, like letters or punctuation marks.
2. Word Recognition:
This involves:
* Decoding: The individual letters are combined into meaningful units called words. This might involve recalling the sounds associated with each letter (phonemic awareness) or using visual memory to recall the word's appearance.
* Retrieving meaning: Once the word is recognized, the brain accesses its stored meaning, allowing us to understand the message conveyed by the written text.
Putting it together:
Observing written symbols and recognizing individual words is a complex process that involves both visual perception and linguistic knowledge. It is a foundational skill for reading and writing, and it develops over time through exposure to language and reading practice.