What does 'blending' refer to in phonics instruction?

Blending in phonics instruction specifically refers to combining individual phonemes to form words. This is a crucial skill in early reading development, as it helps students understand that words are made up of distinct sounds that can be joined together. For instance, when students hear the individual sounds /c/, /a/, and /t/, they learn to blend these sounds to read the word "cat." This skill is foundational for decoding and reading fluency, making it essential for literacy development. The other options pertain to different aspects of reading, such as reading expression, vocabulary development, and comprehension, but they do not relate directly to the process of blending sounds in phonics.