Concepts of Print
The basic knowledge of written language and how to use books.
Description
Concepts of print is the foundation that reading, and writing are built on. "Concepts of print can be viewed as basic knowledge about how print in general and books work" (Holdgreve-Resendez, 2010a). They are the rules that writers and readers play by so we can understand what each other is saying.
Why is it important??
The concepts of print are not a part of our DNA but something that needs to be taught and nurtured. Print, speaking, and reading are all part of a complicated web of rules. There is a whole gambit of concepts that children need to learn:
- How to handle a book, front and back, right side up, top and bottom, how to open
- Turning pages from left to right
- Read books, pages and words from left to right
- The wonderful return sweep (going from the end of the right side of the line down to the left side of the following line)
- A word is a group of letters
- Understanding that there is a space between words
- Understanding what is the first and last letter of a word
- Understanding the meaning of capital or lowercase letters
- Understanding punctuation
- A sentence is a group of words that conveys an idea.
- Understanding the different symbols ie. numbers and letters.
- The difference between the start and end of a sentence.
- Finally, that print relays a message.
For more information, please click on the links below.
Picture from Alison Huntington: Pinterest, Concepts about Print
References
- Holdgreve-Resendez, R. T. (2010a). Concepts of Print and Genre. Extracted from www.angel.msu.edu on October 13, 2010. Concept of Print and Genre.