Concepts of Print 02

8/9/2019 Concepts of Print 02

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Concepts of Print

and Genre

Authored by Nell K. Duke for TE 301

With modifications by Meagan K. Shedd

Summer 2009



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About Concepts of Print

Concepts of print can be viewed as basicknowledge about how print in general, and

books in particular, ³work.´ Concepts of print include such things, in

English, as that: It is print that we ³read.´

Illustrations are related to the print.

Print represents language. There are many purposes for print (this is also part of

genre knowledge).

Words don¶t change between readings (usually).



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About Concepts of Print Concepts of print , continued:

We read words from left to right.

We usually read from word to word left to right.

We read from top to bottom (at least when it is a text to beread linearly).

We use ³return sweep´ -- when we get to the next linedown, we start back at the left again.

Space separates words (part of ³concept of word´).

Words, sentences, and texts have a ³beginning´ and ³end´

(usually).

Words have a ³first letter´, a ³last letter´, and ³middleletters´.



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The orientation of letters matters in print (apen is a pen no matter how you hold it, but a

letter could be a p, b, q, or d depending onhow you hold it).

There is a ³right side up´ for print.

We hold a book a certain way.

We open books a certain way.

We turn pages of a book from left to right (atleast when it is text to be read linearly).

http://www.dropshots.com/chrisconsolati#date/2008-01-13/17:51:52




Books have a front and back, a cover (usually), an author, perhaps an illustrator.

Some books have other important parts suchas the index, table of contents, glossary (thisis not always included in ³concepts of print´).

Many people consider knowledge of punctuation and upper and lower case lettersas part of concepts of print as well.



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Alphabetic Principle

The alphabetic principle is a concept of print or

closely related to concepts of print. The

alphabetic principle is the understanding thatwords are made of letters and letters for the

sounds we say when we way the words. It

includes the understanding that by putting

letters together in different ways, we make

different words.Definition from Bennett-Armistead, V. S., Duke, N. K., & Moses, A. M. (2005). Literacy

and the youngest learner: Best practices for educators of children from birth to five. New

York: Scholastic.



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The Importance of Concepts of Print

Concepts of print are essential to conventionalreading and writing.

Concept of word is especially predictive of growth in reading in the early grades.

Instruction sometimes relies on, or assumes,concepts of print. For example, a teacher mayassume that children know what she means

when she says, ³Look at the beginning of theword,´ but not all children may know this.



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Deve

lopment of Concepts of Print

Concepts of print can begin to be developedvery early (see video).

But concepts of print may still be developingwell into elementary school (or beyond, in rarecases).

Some concepts of print -- such as learning howto hold and open a book -- are likely to be

acquired before others -- such as the direction inwhich to read letters within an individual word.



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As children are developing concepts of print, they may beactively developing theories about how print works. For example, one child wrote:

LAEYMBABCODLPK

She then ³read it as ³I like rainbows because they

have so many colors.´ What is her theory about how

print works?

Example from Teale, W. H., & Sulzby, E. (1989). Emergent literacy: New perspectives. In D.

S. Strickland & L. M. Morrow (Eds.), E merging Literacy: Young Children Learn to Read and

Write (pp. 1 - 15). Newark, DE: International Reading Association.



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There are assessments designed to

measure where children are in their

development of concepts of print.

You can also learn a lot about where

children are in their development of

concepts of print by observing children as

they draw, write and interact with books

and other texts.



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There are many ways to help children developconcepts of print. You will learn more about this

in TE401/2 but here are some ideas for now: Hold the book or other text so children can see it.

Point to words as you read them.

Write in front of children in such a way that they can read it.

Say words as you write them.

Use terminology like ³front,´ ³back,́ ³author,́ ³illustrator´and so on.



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When the time seems right, explicitly tell childrenabout particular concepts of print (e.g., ³this spacehere tells you it¶s the end of this word´).

Have children ³help´ you with concepts of print (e.g.,³Now where should I start reading?´ or ³Juan, can youhelp me turn the pages of this book as I read?´

Adapted from Bennett-Armistead, V. S., Duke, N. K., & Moses, A. M. (2005).

Literacy and the youngest learner: Best practices for educators of children from

birth to five. New York: Scholastic.

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