What is a key characteristic of the Pre-Alphabetic stage in decoding skills?

In the Pre-Alphabetic stage of decoding skills, a key characteristic is word recognition based on visual memorization. At this stage, learners do not yet utilize phonetic principles or understand sound-letter associations. Instead, they identify words primarily by their visual features, such as unique shapes or specific letters. This means they may remember how a word looks rather than the sounds associated with it. Consequently, children in this stage might recognize logos, familiar words, or simple sight words by sight, indicating that they are starting to develop literacy skills, but have not yet transitioned to understanding the alphabetic principle or phonetic awareness.

Phonetic principles and sound-letter associations are typically learned in later stages, while understanding of letter patterns involves a more advanced understanding of linguistic structure that develops as children progress in their reading and decoding abilities.