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WHAT THEY ARE:
Concepts about print include awareness that: print carries
a message; there are conventions of print such as directionality (left
to right, top to bottom), differences between letters and words, distinctions
between upper and lower case, punctuation; and books have some common
characteristics (e.g. author, title, front/back).
WHY ARE THEY IMPORTANT TO TEACH:
Concepts about print are fundamental understandings
that support reading acquisition.
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Concepts of print include awareness
that:
- print carries a message
- there is a one to one correspondence between words
read and printed text
- there are conventions of print such as directionality
(left to right, top to bottom), differences between letters and words,
distinctions between upper and lower case, punctuation; and
- books have some common characteristics (e.g. author,
title, front/back).
Classroom practices that support
the acquisition of concepts of print for emergent readers:
- Have class helpers search for distinguishing features
of the front of books as they clean up the class library and
arrange them properly in book display racks.
- Model directionality and one to one matching
by pointing to words while using enlarged text in a big book, pocket
chart, poem or song chart. With repeated readings the language of
the text is learned and the children can practice following along
or eventually match the words they say with the print on the page
independently. They may practice by pointing to words with their finger
or any number of homemade pointers (chopsticks, dowels with pom poms
on the ends, rubber witchy fingers, etc.)
- Leave multiple pieces of familiar text (songs, poems,
rhymes, etc.) posted in the room at a child's eye level to be available
for students to "read around the room" independently.
- Write a brief, familiar rhyme or poem on individual
word cards and assemble them on a pocket chart. Construct and reconstruct
the text on the pocket chart with the children developing an awareness
of directionality, one to one matching of the print to spoken words,
spacing conventions, punctuation, etc.
- Have children search familiar text to locate an upper
or lowercase letter, a known word, punctuation, etc. Highlighting
tape, sticky notes, wikki sticks and children's fingers can be used
to isolate and locate a variety of conventions of print in a piece
of familiar text.
- Use interactive writing to provide opportunities
for constructing text with children. Model, share and support the
writing task for emergent writers. As the teacher "thinks aloud" throughout
the task children have the opportunity to hear about a variety of
print concepts and practice using them. (e.g. Should we put our first
word at the top or the bottom? Will the first
letter go on the right or the left? Should the M in Mark
be upper or lowercase? What goes at the end of our sentence?)
- Use magnetic letters, word titles or even name cards
to complete sorts emphasizing similarities and differences between
words and letters. (e.g. Put all the uppercase letters in this
pile. Find all the words that have the letter B.)
- Create a pocket chart activity using a few known
sight words, children's name cards and periods, exclamation marks
and question marks. Practice reading simple sentences like the examples
below. Students can develop an understanding of the importance of
punctuation as it alters the reading of such simply constructed texts
as:
Mary can jump.
I can run!
Can Paul sing?
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