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Print and Alphabetic Knowledge: Literacy Foundations 4

Literacy foundations for preschoolers build on their understanding of oral language (as covered in the previous three resource posts), but also on their beginning understanding of symbols. By the end of preschool, most children should know about 10 letters and their associated sounds.


Children who have been exposed to books from infancy learn how to handle and appreciate books and that the words on the page carry meaning. Any child who asks, "What does it say?" or who says of a repeated reading, "Read it the right way!" is demonstrating that they understand that print represents language. Teachers can expand this knowledge as they link print to children's understanding of words and the sounds of language!


The most important messages are: Read to every child every day. Plan to intentionally notice and incorporate print into play every day.

  • Use books as provocations to literacy learning. Books like Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault can be paired with alphabet magnets and cookie sheets to inspire literacy play. Albert's Alphabet by Leslie Tryon can be paired with blocks or loose parts to encourage building letters.

  • Point out words as you read them. Books with words IN ALL CAPS, in speech bubbles, or different colors are fun to read with preschoolers, because the author wants us to read them differently. Try The Book with No Pictures by B.J. Novak or the Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems to illustrate this idea. Read the book multiple times so that you can appreciate the story AND the print with children.

  • Model print use in different areas of the classroom: make maps, signs, lists, books, labels, schedules, and name tags! Use naturally occurring opportunities to point out the words to children and explain what they mean.

  • Incorporate environmental print into children's play spaces: menus, food packages (e.g. cereal boxes), and cookbooks for the kitchen area; labels and price tags for a store; tickets, brochures, and maps for a train station; notepads, envelopes, and posters for the doctor's office; signs and books in the block area.

  • Use print during transitions and routines: Develop a sign-in routine, ask children to help make labels to organize materials, create signs that remind children of expectations or choices, point out writing on snack or meal containers.

  • Transcribe children's words: Write down children's stories and words on their drawings. Show children the direction of print, how you make spaces between words and how the sounds they hear are represented by letters.

  • Give children the vocabulary to describe books. Preschoolers are ready to hear about authors, illustrators, and titles. They can understand the difference between a story or fiction book and an informational or nonfiction book.

  • Notice words that start with the same letter - even when they make a different sound. "Ophelia and Owen and Otto all start with the letter 'O', but can you hear how they sound different at the beginning? What are the sounds you hear in Otto's name?"

  • Go on a letter hunt once children are ready. Once children are inspired by letters, how many can you find in print in your classroom or local community? Take photos of found letters and make an alphabet book of the letters you find around you.

  • Have an alphabet chart or strip available. Near a writing area in the classroom, display an alphabet chart that children can use to identify both uppercase and lowercase letters (and ideally a keyword starting with the sound). All kindergarteners use the Fundations chart, so that's a nice one to have on hand. There are also lots of other options, including ones children can help to make with found objects.


Think about which children are most challenging to engage with print: How can you find ways to engage them? Is it making traffic signs or a map for the toy trucks or labeling tickets for the "bus station"? Could they make a sign that tells others to be careful of their block structure? Do they want to tell you a story using a sand tray or loose parts?


Sample Book List for Print & Alphabetic Knowledge:

  • The Book with No Pictures by B.J Novak

  • Elephant and Piggie books by Mo Willems

  • Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault

  • I Don't Want to Be A Frog by Dev Petty

  • My Truck is Stuck by Kevin Lewis and Daniel Kirk

  • Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type by Doreen Cronin

  • Hug by Jez Alborough

  • Albert's Alphabet by Leslie Tryon

  • LMNO Peas by Keith Baker

  • Dr. Seuss’s ABC by Dr. Seuss

  • Discovering Nature's Alphabet by Krystina Castella and Brian Boyl

  • I Spy Letters by Jean Marzollo and Walter Wick

  • The Hidden Alphabet by Laura Vaccaro Seeger

  • Alphabet Under Construction by Denise Fleming

  • The Construction Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta

  • Oops, Pounce, Quick, Run!: by An Alphabet Caper by Mike Twohy

  • Z Is for Moose by Kelly Bingham and Paul Zelinsky

  • If Rocks Could Sing: A Discovered Alphabet by Leslie McGuirk

  • And so, SO many more alphabet books, books with interesting print, and even wordless books!


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