Concepts+of+Print+and+Sight+Word+Recognition

Concepts of Print and Sight Word Recognition
**//Initiated by ‍‍Wendy ‍‍Wilcox//** Students should be taught about print concepts from prekindergarten through the primary grades because the more contact they have with print, the more skills they will have to become successful readers (Plasta, Justice, McGinty, & Kaderavek, 2012). Concept of print is only one aspect in learning how to read, but includes such fundamentals as students understanding that books are for reading and that print is simply oral language that is written down on paper (Gately, 2004).

Shared reading helps students develop many early literacy ‍‍skills, which ‍‍include concepts of print. Showing students the difference between print and pictures helps them learn about the purpose and structure of print. Children who understand print concepts can distinguish between letters and words (Lovelace & Stewart, 2007). They also understand how words in a sentence and sentences in a story work. Students learn about capital letters, punctuation, and print features of word families (Gapp, Hovland, & Theis, 2011). Learning the different print features helps students to be prepared to learn about other aspects of reading, such as reading for meaning.

Teachers use shared reading to foster literacy development. During the lesson, they not only talk about print but also use nonverbal cues, such as pointing to the print. Teachers ask questions and also make comments about the print in the book they are reading. When adults talk about print, children also talk about print, which helps the students use print to gain meaning from the text. Using a pointer to track print from left to right helps students learn that print in the English language is read from left to right (Justice & Kaderavek, 2002). They also learn that text is read from top to bottom and that after a line of text is read, the reader’s eyes go down and to the left of the next line to continue reading (Lovelace & Stewart, 2007). When it is the class’s turn to read, the teacher makes sure the students understand one-to-one correspondence and focus their attention on the print by pointing their finger to the word when they read it (Gately, 2004).

Children attend to print concepts when adults focus on the print too; however, print concepts should not be taught in isolation. They should be taught during shared reading through the teacher asking questions, making comments, and requesting students to be engaged with the print. Through shared reading, students can be taught with meaningful materials in a natural environment (Gapp, Hovland, & Theis, 2011). Predictable texts, which contain language that is supported by pictures so that students can successfully predict what the print says, can be used in shared reading lessons (Gately, 2004). When children learn print concepts through interesting and engaging books, they are better able to understand why they need to attend to these features while reading.

Teachers can teach sight words through shared reading too. According to Johnston (2000), primary literacy teachers should introduce new words in a “meaningful and supportive context offered by predictable text” (p. 253). When students can read the sight words fluently in the original text, then they are ready to read a less predictable text to show that they can read these words independently in another context.

Manning (1997) suggests another way that sight words can be taught through sharing reading. The teacher covers a particular sight word that appears several times on one or two pages of text so that the students can brainstorm all the words that would make sense in these sentences. At the end of this activity, the teacher uncovers the author’s word for the students to read.

Struggling readers, however, need more explicit instruction regarding concepts of print. According to Gapp, Hovland, and Theis (2011), some students may have difficulty distinguishing between sentences if the line of text looks simply like a black line. Likewise, they would have difficulty seeing individual letters if they are only beginning to see “blobs and spaces” (p. 130) on paper. For these students to learn to read, they need to notice the features of print, such as uppercase and lowercase letters, letters of words, spaces between words, and punctuation marks. Teachers need to be observant of their students in order to ascertain what they see when they look at print. They should be asked what they notice about the print before reading the text. For example, struggling students can take turns pointing out words that are familiar to them. They can also point out specific letters and punctuation. After the text has been read, the children can make connections between the print and what they know. Then the teacher can adjust the lesson to extend the learning with new information.

Looking through a text for print concepts is helpful for English Language Learners (ELLs) too (Cipriano, 2011). Focusing on capital letters at the beginning of sentences and punctuation at the end of sentences allows for these students to learn how sentences are constructed for meaning in the English language. For students whose first language is written differently from English, print-concept activities during shared reading can be especially helpful. They learn that English is read from left to right and top to bottom. They also learn to distinguish between the front and the back of the book.

Shared reading activities help ELLs learn sight words that must be learned in context because these words cannot be illustrated any other way. For instance, Cipriano (2011) states that conjunctions and transition words can be taught through shared reading activities so that ELLs can understand how these words are used and what they mean. This approach also allows for repeated readings over several days so that these students have the time to learn new vocabulary in the context of a story shared with the entire class. They need this repeated exposure before they can read new words automatically.

Shared reading introduces students to reading in a safe, whole-class environment. Children learn as the teacher reads the text and points out the print features and other elements of reading. They also can take turns pointing out these features. Shared reading is a helpful activity for young readers and also for readers who are struggling or are learning a second language.

References Cipriano, Jeri. (2011). 32 tips for ELLs: Help your English language learners gain ground from the first day. //Instructor,// //121//(1), 36-38.

Gapp, S. C., Hovland, M. R., & Theis, B. L. (2011). Look: Examining the concept of learning to look at print. //Reading Improvement,// //48//(3), 128-138.

Gately, S. E. (2004). Developing concept of word. //Teaching Exceptional Children//, //36//(6), 16-22.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Johnston, F. R. (2000). Word learning in a predictable text. //Journal of Educational Psychology,// //92//(2), 248-255. doi: 10.1037/0022-0663.92.2.248

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Justice, L. M., & Kaderavek, J. (2002). Using shared storybook reading to promote emergent literacy. //TEACHING Exceptional Children,// //34//(4), 8-13.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Lovelace, S., & Stewart, S. R. (2007). Increasing print awareness in preschoolers with language impairment using non-evocative print referencing. //Language, Speech & Hearing Services// //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">in Schools, //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">//38//(1), 16-30.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Manning, M. (1997). 14 ways to use shared reading. //Teaching Pre K-8,// //28//(1), 129-131.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 16px;">Piasta, S. B., Justice, L. M., McGinty, A. S., & Kaderavek, J. N. (2012). Increasing young children’s contact with print during shared reading: Longitudinal effects on literacy achievement. //Child Development,// //83//(3), 810-820.