1. Print Awareness

2. What is Print Awareness?
An understanding that print:
Corresponds to oral language
Conveys meaning
Has different functions
Follows a specific structure
Left to right
Top to bottom

3. How Do Children Develop Print Awareness?
Not a skill that children can develop by themselves!
Must be taught through:
Modeling
Interactions
Exposure
Experience

4. How Can I Do This With My Child?
Read Together!
Model how to hold the book, and how to identify the cover and back of the book.
Point out the title, author and illustrator. Explain what these are and have your child practice identifying each (Ex. Where is the title? Point to it.)
Use your finger or a pointer to track each word that you read. Model and explain that we read from left to right, and top to bottom. When reading a new page, have your child point to where you should start reading.
Explain that books can tell a story or give us information about something. After reading a book, talk with your child about what the story was about or what information the book told you.

5. Tip!
If the book you are reading has any of the following features, do not be afraid to explain them to your child!
Early and frequent exposure will help your child develop a better understanding of these features later on.
Features:
Table of Contents
Captions
Labels
Infographics
Glossary
Index
Headings

6. How Can I Do This With My Child?
Look Around!
Print can be found all around us! Take advantage of car rides, shopping trips and errand runs, as these are all great times to point out different forms of print.
In the car: Point out billboards, street signs and any other print you may see. Read the print to your child and explain what the function/purpose of each is.
In a store: This is a great opportunity to point out signs, price tags, labels etc. Again, make sure you explain the functions of each.
In a restaurant: Read through the menu with your child. Point out headings, ingredients and prices.

7. How Can I Do This With My Child?
At Home!
Labels are an easy and effective way to give your child exposure to words we use everyday. It will also help them make the connection between spoken and written words. Label as many things around the house as you can!
Visit our website to download premade labels for household items!
You can also download premade classroom labels as well!
Colored Pencils

8. How Can I Do This With My Child?
At Home!
Find different types of print around the house. Have a scavenger hunt with your child, collecting different forms of print. Make a pile, then go over each item that you found. For each, read through it and explain what its function is. The following are great examples of print to introduce to your child:
Recipes
Magazines
Newspapers
Dictionaries
DVD boxes
Food labels
Mail items (letters, brochures, postcards, newsletters etc.)
Board games (both the box and the directions)