Print awareness, also called concepts of print, involves understanding the basics of how the written word and books “work.” It includes important early literacy concepts and skills such as:
- understanding that print has meaning
- handling a book (finding the front, back, title)
- understanding how we read print: left to right, top to bottom, front of book to back
- learning that letters make words, which combine to make sentences
- observing that print has different functions (menus, street signs, stories, letters, recipes, etc.)
Here are some fun and easy ways to incorporate these skills into your everyday reading and playing:
Take advantage of read-aloud time:
- Ask your child to show you where to start reading
- Hunt for a letters on each page – maybe the letter your child’s name starts with
- Point out an interesting word
Hunt for print when you are out and about:
- street signs
- store names
- grocery store items
- menus
- receipts
- forms at the doctor’s office
Make your own functional print together – scribbles are great!
- lists
- letters
- signs for the bedroom door
- recipes
- scrapbooks and journals
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Love this post! Yay for words! Yay for reading!
Great ideas. I especially liked the idea of doing lists (scribbles) together. Thanks!
I like the idea of making signs for the door. Great blog!