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Development of the Print Concepts Intervention

After reviewing print concepts research and nationally available curricula, FIE developed a Print Concepts Instructional Packet designed to help teachers systematically infuse print concept instruction into their everyday practice. Print Concept Instructional Packets include activities and materials for an entire year including monthly activity cards, a print concept poster (both large and small), and classrooms labels. Using these materials, teachers engage children in small group, print concept lessons each week using intentional, hands on instruction.

Print Concepts materials include a full-year intervention: monthly activity cards, print concept poster (large and/or small), and classroom labels. Using these materials, teachers engage children in small-group, print concept lessons each week throughout the year, using intentional, hands-on instruction. Print Concept Instructional Packet activities address the following print concepts:

• Recognizes shapes and letters
• Distinguishes among shapes, letters, and words
• Knows that print, not pictures, tells the story
• Connects oral language to written language
• Holds book right side up while reading
• Locates the front, back, top, and bottom of book
• Identifies title, author, and illustrator of book
• Predicts what a story will be about based on illustrations/title
• Knows where to begin reading print by pointing to the first word on a page
• Knows where to stop reading on a page and where to go next
• Knows reading is from left to right and top to bottom
• Reads from front of book to back of book and across pages
• Identifies first and last letters in words
• Knows and uses capital letters
• Knows ending punctuation ( . ? ! )
• Notices spaces between words
• Identifies sentences
• Knows that sentences make up paragraphs
• Understands that different texts are used for different reasons
• Locates different parts of books independently: Title Page and Table of Contents

The Need Print Concepts Intervention

Print concepts, an important predictor of early reading achievement, help children understand how language looks in printed form and teaches that print carries a message. Print knowledge influences children's language development, phonological awareness, and reading and writing development. Some children enter school already possessing knowledge of how print works, while others do not.