A prekindergarten teacher regularly writes students' comments on chart paper during whole-class discussions. This practice supports young children's emergent literacy development primarily by promoting their:

This practice supports young children's emergent literacy development primarily by promoting their awareness of the relationship between print and spoken language. When a teacher writes comments during discussions, children can see the written words correspond directly to the spoken language being used in the conversation. This visual representation helps them understand that the words they hear can be captured and represented in written form, fostering the concept that print holds meaning and is used to convey thoughts and ideas.

This experience also boosts children's engagement in print, allowing them to make connections between what they are saying and what is being written down. It encourages them to anticipate the sounds and structures of language as they see their ideas transformed into written text, thereby laying a fundamental foundation for their reading and writing skills.

The other options are related to different components of early literacy but do not encompass the specific focus of linking spoken language with printed text as effectively as the correct answer does. For instance, while identifying letter-sound correspondences is vital, the primary focus of this activity is broader and more foundational, targeting overall awareness of print. Similarly, understanding phonological units and environmental print skills are essential but are not the core benefits of seeing written comments during a discussion.