Which of the following is NOT a feature in Chall's pre-reading stage, ages 6 months to 6 years?

The correct answer highlights that mastery of the alphabet and simple words is not a feature of the pre-reading stage according to Chall's reading development model. During this stage, which spans from approximately 6 months to 6 years, children's focus is primarily on developing foundational skills that prepare them for reading, rather than actual reading itself.

Features of this pre-reading stage include language appreciation, where children begin to enjoy stories and rhymes, and being aware of printed words, which involves recognizing some familiar words in their environment, such as logos or common signs. Sound-symbol association is also a significant aspect of this stage, as children start to connect sounds with letters and words, laying the groundwork for phonemic awareness, which is crucial for later reading skills.

The mastery of the alphabet and simple words implies a level of proficiency that typically occurs in later stages of reading development, particularly in the "learning to read" phase, where children begin to decode and understand written text. Therefore, recognizing this distinction in the stages of reading development is essential for understanding how children advance in their literacy skills.