Children who have an awareness of print understand that the squiggly lines on a page represent spoken language. They understand that when adults read a book, what they say is linked to the words on the page, rather than to the pictures.
Certificate of Completion
After completing this module and successfully answering the post-test questions, you’ll be able to download a certificate of completion.
Average time to complete: 4 hours
Children with print awareness understand that print has different functions depending on the context in which it appears — for example, menus list food choices, a book tells a story, a sign can announce a favorite restaurant or warn of danger.
Print awareness is understanding that print is organized in a particular way — for example, knowing that print is read from left to right and top to bottom. It is knowing that words consist of letters and that spaces appear between words. Print awareness is a child’s earliest introduction to literacy.
While some children enter school with print awareness firmly in place, others do not. So let’s take a look at how teachers can help students to develop or strengthen print awareness.