6.1: Concepts of Print

Concepts of Print are fundamental to the Emergent Literacy Continuum of Skills. They provide the building blocks for understanding how written language operates, which is crucial for the development of both reading and writing abilities. By integrating Concepts of Print early and reinforcing them throughout the literacy journey, educators can help children develop the skills they need for successful reading, writing, and overall literacy. These concepts form a bridge between early language experiences and more advanced literacy skills, making them an essential part of the continuum.

In Chapter 5 we learned phonological awareness is a constrained skill, meaning once you learn the skill, you do not need to relearn it. Another category of constrained skills are concepts of print, or print concepts. Concepts of print refers to an awareness that print has an orientation (how to hold the book to see the text and pictures) and directionality (text moves from left to right). Concepts of print also include an awareness of the distinction between pictures or photographs, sentences, words, and letters. As young children are developing an awareness about print they begin turning a book over until it is “right side up” and can point to the pictures and words. Eventually, children understand that words are made up of individual letters grouped together and then groups of words form sentences. They might not be able to read all the words independently, but they can track the words left to right with a proficient reader in familiar text.

Print Knowledge Terms

Key Terms	Definition
concepts of print	The basic understandings of how print works. It includes knowing the difference between letters and other symbols, knowing we read from left to right, and knowing that the words on the page—not the pictures—convey the meaning.
emergent literacy	The skills, knowledge, and attitudes that are developmental precursors to conventional forms of reading and writing.
letter name knowledge	Letter name knowledge is the ability to recognize and name letters. In this guide, letter names are shown as A, D, M, for example.
letter sound knowledge	Letter sound knowledge is matching a speech sound to its letter(s). Typically, letter sounds are written with forward slashes. For example, the letter M says /m/.
print knowledge	Knowing letter names, letter sounds, and concepts of print. Print knowledge does not include sounding out printed words, whereas phonics does.
print referencing	A strategy teachers use, typically during read-alouds, to increase a child’s print knowledge by emphasizing the forms, functions, and features of print. It involves focusing children’s visual attention on print by explicitly commenting on, asking questions about, pointing to, and tracking text that is being read aloud.

What is Print Knowledge?

The goal of emergent literacy instruction in preschool is not to teach children to read connected text—words that are linked, as in sentences—or even whole words. The goal is to teach the building blocks that will, in later grades, provide children the foundation needed to become proficient readers. One of those essential building blocks is print knowledge, which includes letter names, letter sounds, and concepts of print. It is important to understand each of these skills in order to effectively teach them when it is developmentally appropriate

Letter Names

Letter-name knowledge is the ability to recognize and produce letter names. Letter-name recognition is a bit easier than letter-name production. Letter-name recognition is demonstrated when a child is asked a letter name, and he or she points to, or recognizes, the letter. For example, a child who is shown several letters and asked “Which letter is the letter M?” points to the letter M. Letter-name production is demonstrated when a child names letters that he or she is shown. For example, a child who is asked, “What is this letter name?” sees the letter S and says S. Naming letters and matching them to a letter arc can be a fun way for children to practice recognizing and producing letter names.

Letter Sounds

Knowledge of letter sounds is the ability to look at a letter and tell you the sound it represents. For example, when you point to the letter M and ask what sound the letter makes, a child with knowledge of letter sounds will say, “/m/.” Children are often motivated to learn letter names when they begin with identifying the letters in their names. After being explicitly taught a few letter names and letter sounds, children can work in pairs to practice using plastic letters or letter cards. For example, one child in the pair selects a letter (that has been previously taught) and says the letter name, S, and then the other child says the letter sound, /s/. Children take turns selecting the letter and saying the letter name and the letter sound.

Concepts of Print

Concepts of print are the basic understandings of how print works. When children know concepts of print, they understand such things as:

• The difference between letters and other symbols.
• That in English, we read from left to right.
• That the words on the page—not the pictures—convey the meaning.

Read-aloud activities with engaging text help build children’s knowledge of concepts of print. For example, during a read-aloud, you can point out the difference between a letter and a word. You can demonstrate, by pointing, explaining, or both, where to begin reading, which direction to read, and where to go at the end of a line. You can also ask a question (that the picture does not answer) and read the words that provide the answer to the question. This will show children that words convey the meaning.

Why Is Print Knowledge Important?

Print Knowledge Is a Precursor to Skilled Reading

A child must have print knowledge to be a skilled reader (Hammill, 2004; Lonigan & Shanahan, 2008; Stahl & Murray, 1994; Storch & Whitehurst, 2002). Many children who enter preschool can sing the alphabet song, which may help them learn letter names and letter sounds. But not all children who have learned the alphabet song will actually know the names or sounds of specific letters. At-risk children—children from backgrounds of poverty, children with disabilities, and children with genetic risk for reading disability—may struggle with learning print knowledge (Boudreau & Hedberg, 1999; Bowey, 1994; Chaney, 1994; Fernandez-Fein & Baker, 1997; Justice, Bowles, & Skibbe, 2006; Justice & Ezell, 2001; Lonigan, Burgess, Anthony, & Barker 1998; Pennington & Lefy, 2001).

Although all children in preschool benefit from instruction in print knowledge, without early intervention, many children who lag behind at the beginning of schooling will be significantly behind their peers in later reading outcomes (Catts, Fey, Zhang, & Tomblin, 2001; Pennington & Lefy, 2001). Measures of preschool and kindergarten children’s print knowledge are associated with achievement in decoding, spelling, and reading comprehension outcome measures in kindergarten or later (Hammill, 2004; Lonigan et al., 2008; Lonigan & Shanahan, 2008).

Understanding concepts of print can help young children in later reading instruction. For example, when teachers use the term letter or word during a lesson, children who understand concepts of print better understand the lesson (Mason & Kerr, 1992). In kindergarten, children who understand concepts of print will also know, for example, where on the page to begin reading, which direction to read, and where to go at the end of a line or a page to continue reading.

Print Knowledge Helps Children Understand the Alphabetic Principle

Children’s reading development depends on learning the alphabetic principle—the understanding that there are systematic and predictable relationships between written letters and spoken sounds. Children learn these relationships and apply them during the process of reading and writing words (Ehri, 2002; Phillips & Torgesen, 2006; Share, 1995). While children are learning letter names and sounds, their phonological awareness (the understanding that speech can be broken down into parts and the ability to manipulate those parts) also continues to develop.

Print knowledge and phonological awareness intertwine to allow children to learn the alphabetic principle. Children receive more-formal literacy instruction in kindergarten that builds on and strengthens their print knowledge, phonological awareness, and understanding of the alphabetic principle.

Print Knowledge Is Included In State Standards

Each state addresses print knowledge in its early learning standards. Locate and review your state standards to see how your state has included print knowledge as a key learning goal for children. If you work with 3- and 4-year-old children, become familiar with your state’s learning standards for both age-ranges. In fact, since children’s learning and development are not uniform, it is helpful for all teachers to be familiar with learning progressions so they can build upon the individual and developmental characteristics of each child. When reviewing your state’s standards for 3- and 4-year olds, you may find that they are located within different documents. For example many states include 3-year-old standards within early learning guidelines for children birth through three. In addition, it can be helpful to familiarize yourself with the kindergarten standards related to language and literacy in your state. These are likely in separate documents as well.

References

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Catts, H. W., Fey, M. E., Zhang, X., & Tomblin, J. B. (2001). Estimating the risk of future reading difculties in kindergarten children: A research-based model and its clinical implementation. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 32(1), 38–50.

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