# data[].attributes.body
20 Tips for Teaching Print Concepts!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
Chances are, you are either a parent or early childhood educator trying to understand more about concepts of print. If so, you've come to the right place!

Let's take a look at what concepts of print are, tips for teaching the skills, and how to assess.

What is Concepts of Print

When teachers refer to concepts of print, they are referencing how text works, or a kids' ability to understand print, text, or written language.

Concepts of Print includes:

Identifying front and back of the book

Finding the title

Knowing what an author and illustrator are

Knowing where the words are

Understanding the different symbols (numbers vs. letters)

Where to start reading and writing

Following print from left-to-right

Swooping down after getting to the end of a line

Pointing and reading one-to-one (pointing to one word as one word is spoken)

The first and last word on each page

Knowing how to tell the start and end of a sentence.

Turning pages from right to left

Understanding a space separates words

Identifying the first and last letter of a word

Knowing the purpose of capital letters and punctuation

Tips for Teaching Concepts of Print

As an essential foundation of reading, it's important for parents and teachers to help the kids develop these early reading and writing skills.

Here are some ways you can help kids with concepts of print:

Do a read-aloud every day: As you read, the kids begin to develop a sense of language to text relationship, meaning the spoken words come from the print with the book.

Shared reading activities: While reading aloud a book, encourage the kids to participate in predictions, highlighting text features, having picture talks, etc. The goal is for the kids to interact with the text.

Read or sing a Poem of the Day: Point to the words as the kids recite the familiar poems and nursery rhymes. If you give them their own printable poem, they can point to the words and follow along.

Expose the kids to various types and sizes of books: board books, magazines, big books, touch and feel books, flap books, picture books, and even books on their favorite tablets.

Reference environmental print often: Point out letters and words on their favorite cereal or snack boxes, read aloud street signs, familiar restaurant signs, toy packaging, etc.

Model fluency and expression often: Express the importance of stopping when you get to a period, pausing when you see a comma, changing your tone of voice when reading questions, etc.

Highlight text features: Let the kids use highlighters, highlighting tape, crayons, or their favorite gel pens to highlight or circle text features such as capital letters, punctuation, first/last word, first letter of each word, etc. When doing this, be sure to pick one feature to focus on at a time.

When highlighting text, I prefer to use printable poems or printable books for kids, as shown in the picture below.

Record a Morning Message or Daily News: Write a morning message or daily news on large chart paper. Let the kids verbally share their ideas to add to the message, and you write them down word for word. For example, "Good morning! Today is Monday. We will read a book, and practice the letter Mm." Then, ask the kids "what starts with M?". When they tell you mouse starts with M, write down "Mouse starts with M." Then add a few more. The whole point is for them to see you write their spoken words.

Do letter and number sorts: Give the kids a mixed up set of letters and numbers, and have them sort them into two groups. This will demonstrate their ability to distinguish letters from numbers, which is an important concepts of print skill. To incorporate play-based learning into teaching concepts of print, you could fill a sensory bin with letters and numbers, and let them do a sort while "playing".

My friend, Amanda, is a mom of 2 and an amazing teacher. She created the Ultimate Sensory Box.

Use the code: LITTLELEARNINGCORNER to get 10% off your first box!

Name building activities: The first word most kids learn to read is their name. This is the perfect opportunity to use their interest (themselves), and build on concepts of print, such as pointing out the first letter and last letter of their names. You could also have the kids use letter tiles to build their name, and count how many letters are in their name. When done, make a room display sharing all of the fun name building work they've done.

Here's a video we made to share some name building activities with you all.

Use pointers to track print: Use a fun pointer, or make your own out of popcicle sticks and foam stickers, to practice tracking print from left to right, top to bottom, while reading.

Do Book Walks or Picture Walks: To practice turning pages from right to left, and distinguishing text from pictures, do book walks often. Book walks, or picture walks, are when you have the kids walk through the book, starting at the first page, and tell what they see happening in the pictures. Once you've gone through all of the pages, encouraging kids to participate in talking about the pictures, they will have already formed an understanding of what the book is about. Then, when reading the text, they will understand the printed words help explain what is happening throughout the book.

Do Letter Hunts: When doing a letter hunt, on a worksheet or in a book, the kids track print from left to right, top to bottom, searching for specific letters. Grab these printable Letter Hunt worksheets to begin practicing concepts of print, today!

Who has front cover/back cover?: Have the kids put their hands in their laps, then put a book in front of each of them (mixing up who has a front cover or back cover facing up). Tell them not to touch the book until you say "go". They look to see if they have a front cover facing up or a back cover. Tell them, "if you see the front cover of your book, hold it up. Go". After they put theirs down, call out the same for the back covers. Keep the game going by letting the kids pass a book to their friend (face up of face down).

Follow along on audio: Let the kids follow along to their favorite stories on audio. I absolutely love audiobooks on Audible. If you don't already have it installed, you can try it and get 2 free audiobooks, here.

Build alphabet awareness: The more you build on alphabet, letter-to-sound correspondence, the more the kids will begin to understand concepts of print.

Authors and Illustrators for a day: This is such a fun activity to practice concepts of print. The kids will pair up to be an author and illustrator for a day. One kid gets to tell the story (either they try to write it, or an adult writes the child's exact words), and the other kid gets to draw pictures to match the story. In the end, they will have a book they can present to their friends and family.

Encourage journal writing: The best way for kids to practice concepts of print is to apply their skills to writing. Encourage early writing skills to get the kids comfortable with sharing their thoughts on paper. Even if they are still emerging writers, their written work needs to be validated, too. When ready, encourage them to begin writing letters for the sounds they hear in a word. Pretty soon, they will be writing the beginning sounds for each word, leaving spaces, and punctuation will start to appear. All of these are signs of understanding concepts of print. They can also draw pictures to represent their words.

Concepts of Print Assessment

When your kiddos pick up a book, take note of their directionality. Do they know how to hold the book? Can they point to the front cover and the title? These simple observations are the first part of doing a concepts of print assessment.

Once they identify the front/back covers, see if they can point to the first and last words on the page.

As a kindergarten teacher, I encouraged journal writing everyday. The kids' journals were my way of assessing concepts of print.

Let's look at an example of an end-of-the-year kindergarten writing sample:

Based on the kindergarten writing sample above, we can tell this kid has the following concepts of print skills:

writes from left to right

writes from top to bottom

has correct letter formation except one letter reversal

uses punctuation at the end of her sentence

leaves spaces in between her words

draws an illustration to match her writing

The following is a printable Concepts of Print assessment, I used to document the kid's writing progress:

Check out the reviews on this Concepts of Print rubric, HERE.

These rubrics are a great way to document the child's progress, as well as share the information with the parents. They, too, like to know what their child is expected to learn as an emergent reader and writer.

Conclusion

Thank you so much for stopping by to learn more about concepts of print. I hope you found this blog post useful, and are able to get started teaching and assessing concepts of print.

Before you go, here are a few blog posts you may enjoy:
115 Top Picks for Poem of the Day 5 Tips for Name Writing Practice 21 Best Educational Apps for Kids 5 Best Educational Subscription Boxes

Concepts of Print

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
20 Tips for Teaching Concepts of print | Little Learning Corner

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own. Chances are, you are either a parent or early childhood educator trying to understand more about concepts of print.

# data[].attributes.headline
Games to Promote Phonological Awareness!

# data[].attributes.subject
Games to Promote Phonological Awareness!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Phonological Awareness focuses on the sounds of language. The Learning Centers aid students in developing phonological awareness through activities surrounding words, rhyme, onset and rime, syllable, and phoneme practice. According to research, awareness of words and sounds in spoken language is the most important indicator of success in developing readers.

Resources for all Learning Center Skills

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Phonological Awareness focuses on the sounds of language. The Learning Centers aid students in developing phonological awareness through activities surrounding words, rhyme, onset and rime, syllable, and phoneme practice. According to research, awareness of words and sounds in spoken language is the most important indicator of success in developing readers.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Some might say that sight words can be boring. That it always seems like you have to do the same old practices to get your students to learn their sight words. Right?! WRONG! Sight words can be loads of fun! Having taught the sight word intervention group at my school, I have been able to come up with some great ideas that have been really effective, and lots of fun!!!

Sight Word Musical Spots

I purchased these flower cut-outs from Michael's for $2.99 (plus the 15% teacher discount that I never knew we got! Ahh!). So, here is how you play...

It is played much like musical chairs, but in a less, well, aggressive way! We all know how intense musical chairs can get sometimes. Anyways, the amount of spots or flowers you need depends on the amount of students in your group. My after school group only has 8 so I needed 28 flowers. I wrote "about" on 7 flowers, "any" on 6 flowers, "every" on 5 flowers, "just" on 4 flowers, "our" on 3 flowers, "could" on 2 flowers, and lastly, "then" on 1. This made it so one student got out each round. (The students were great sports about getting out! I just let them help me control the music on my Pandora radio app and call out the next word!)

I randomly laid out the flower spots all over the classroom floor. Like this...

I played the music and the students began dancing around the room! They loved this part and the fact that I had Alvin & the Chipmunks on my phone!

When the music stopped I called out the words in order (about, any, every, just, our, could, then). This way one student got out each round. As a variation, you could do enough of the same word so that no one gets out, however, the students enjoyed the excitement of the elimination.

The kiddos had soooo much fun!

Sight Word Glow-in-the-Dark Bottles

Our group did sight word discovery bottles with glow-in-the-dark rice! OMG, it was a BLAST!!! Check out the pics and learn how you can use this activity in your classroom too!

I got white rice from Wal-Mart for $3.50 for 5lbs of rice. One bag was plenty to make 8 discovery bottles. I purchased glow-in-the-dark paint and simply mixed each color with some of the rice. I found that using zip-loc baggies was nearly mess free! I added a tablespoon of rubbing alcohol to each color bag to help the paint dry faster. After letting the baggies sit and dry overnight (with zip-loc open), I mixed all the colors together in one bowl. Lastly, let the rice charge in the sun and then there you have it, glow-in-the-dark rice!

After making the rice, I purchased glow sticks from the Dollar Tree (15 for $1) and added one stick to each water bottle. Then I filled each water bottle with 3 sight words (Be sure they are double-sided so they can be read regardless of which way they are shaken.). Fill the rice about 3/4 of the way full to allow the rice to move around the water bottle.

Let me just tell you, the students LOVED this! The students had to find the 3 words in his/her bottle and use the words in sentences before getting a new bottle. The children were so motivated and wrote some great sentences using their words! You better believe I saved that rice too! I plan on doing this activity again sometime!

Even with the lights off, the glow was enough to see the words. Being that the classroom isn't pitch black, it was perfect! I HIGHLY recommend a black light if you can get one! The rice glows so much more with the black light. I know you are probably thinking who really has a black light lying around?! Well, you probably don't! But, no worries because a black light can be purchased for a cheap $11 at Wal-Mart!

More Sight Word Fun

Practice sight words in a fun, hands-on way!

Your students will absolutely love this activity! I got these colorful bowling pins from Michael's for $5. (They were originally $10 but I had a 40% off coupon plus the teacher discount.) I used pieces of ribbon to tie their sight words to each bowling pin. Students took turns bowling. They had to read the words they knocked down, then write the words down on their paper. SO. MUCH. FUN!!!

Students mixed and fixed their sight words using these egg cartons. I got ping pong balls from the Dollar Tree and used Sharpie to write the letters in each word. Each student got an egg carton and mixed and fixed the letters to figure out the word. After, students were asked to use the word in a sentence before switching to the next egg carton. At the end we shared out some of our sentences!

I wrote the letters Y-O-U-R on the back of Dixie cups that I found on sale at Wal-Mart (pack of 100 for $2). The students worked in pairs to mix and fix the letters in the word. They LOVED being able to manipulate the materials. I think whiteboards can get a bit boring for the kiddos so this was a hit!

The students also enjoyed removing letters and having their partners guess the missing letter.

We had a lot of fun using play-doh to make our sight word!

I picked up a pack of 80 pom pom's from the Dollar Tree! We used them to make "your".

This was the winning activity by far! The students used color changing markers to trace and re-trace "your". (I even found myself over at this station writing with the markers!) I got them at Wal-Mart on CLEARANCE for $2 for 6 markers! Such a STEAL!

We practiced writing our sight word on paint swatches. Can't beat this free activity!

I picked up a couple of these magnetic doodle pads from the Dollar Tree. (If you cannot tell already, I am a bargain shopper!) The students liked having a different word writing experience besides whiteboards.

Pipe cleaners!!! They really had a lot of fun making "your" with these! The students came up with creative ways to make the letters. Some students used multiple pipe cleaners to create each letter, while other students were able to bend one pipe cleaner into each letter. It was cool to see their different approaches!

After all of this (yes, a lot I know!), we worked together to make the word "your" with our bodies! I was stuck as the bottom of the "y". So, yes, I had two sets of feet in my face! Haha! It was fun though! I wish I had a picture for this one (bummer). They are requesting we do this for every new sight word! 😉

Sight Word Charts

We use this "less than fancy" anchor chart when learning new sight words. The students have found comfort in using the same song to introduce new words. Also, having some of our sight words in the song is helpful too! 😉 This original song is sung to the tune of Frere Jacques. Make one for your classroom!

After we learn a new sight word and feel confident in spelling and reading it, we add it to this chart! I have students write the words and I display the chart in the classroom. 😉

Have questions about sight word activities for your classroom? Email me at meetmissparker@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you! Also, a HUGE thank you to Jen for having me join in on this fun series!

Want more sight word activities? Check out my Pinterest board for more ideas for beginning readers!
this post contains affiliate links

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Sight Word Activities-Sparkling in Second

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Some might say that sight words can be boring. That it always seems like you have to do the same old practices to get your students to learn their sight words. Right?! WRONG! Sight words can be loads of fun!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Learning to read starts kids on a lifelong learning journey, but literacy is more than just understanding the words on a page. Reading fluency involves comprehension, speed, accuracy, and prosody (reading with expression). There are many ways to help kids develop reading fluency, both in and out of the classroom. Here are some of our favorites.

1. Start with a reading fluency anchor chart

Introduce the basics of reading fluency with an anchor chart you can hang in the classroom. It's a good reference for kids throughout the year. Here are 17 more fluency charts to try.

Learn more: Teaching With a Mountain View

2. Model fluency with read-alouds

Reading aloud to kids is important for so many reasons, but one of the best is that it teaches kids what fluency sounds like. Adults can model expression, phrasing, pace, and so much more when they read to kids. Try some of our favorite read alouds, or use the free website Storyline Online as part of your reading center activities.

3. Hang reading fluency posters

Post these in your classroom reading center to remind kids what reading fluency really means. They're simple but effective. Get your free set here.

4. Try sentence trees

Sentence trees are terrific for building fluency in younger readers. They allow kids to focus on each word, improving accuracy and speed along the way.

5. Put together poems and nursery rhymes

Kids often memorize nursery rhymes long before they learn to read. By breaking those rhymes apart into individual words and putting them back together again, kids see how words build into sentences and stories in a natural flow.

Learn more: Mrs. Winter's Bliss

6. Use line tracking and word pointers

For some kids, focus is a challenge. Their eyes wander around the page, and they have trouble developing the speed needed for fluency. Use another piece of paper to help them focus on the line they're reading, or try pointing to the words one by one.

Learn more: Katelyn's Learning Studio

7. Read and reread ... and reread

Fluency involves lots and lots of reading and rereading. When kids read a passage over and over again, they build up their speed and accuracy automatically. One fun way to work on expression is to try rereading with different voices.

8. Add a timer to rereading

Combine repeated reading with a timer. Students read a passage for one minute, working to increase the number of words they read correctly each time. This is a nice tool for working on speed and accuracy.

Learn more: 1st Grade Pandamania

9. Track student progress

While you don't want to overemphasize numbers, tracking a student's fluency is helpful to both you and them. Parents can help with this one at home, too.

Learn more: Katelyn's Learning Studio

10. Work on those sight words

One of reasons elementary readers focus so much on sight words is that they help to build reading fluency. Find a roundup of all our favorite sight word activities here.

11. Look to punctuation for expression cues

Punctuation makes passages easier to read, but it also gives a reader cues on proper expression. Help your kids recognize what each punctuation mark sounds like when reading fluently.

Learn more: The Owl Teacher

12. Answer the fluency phone

These are such a fun tool for helping kids really hear themselves read! They're great for busy classrooms and reading centers. Kids talk softly into the phone, and the sound is amplified in their ear. You can buy fluency phones, or make them yourself from PVC pipe.

Learn more: Mrs. Winter's Bliss

13. Read with partners

Whether kids are reading together or you pair an adult helper with a student, taking turns reading is a terrific way to get more fluent. When one reader is stronger, have them read the passage first and have the other reader echo it back.

Learn more: The Measured Mom

14. Get a reading buddy

Shy kids will especially appreciate the chance to practice reading out loud to a stuffed animal pal. Encourage them to read as if their fuzzy friend can hear everything they're saying.

Learn more: Stories by Storie

15. Give kids a reading fluency rubric

Use this free printable rubric when evaluating students' reading fluency, or send it home for parents. Kids can even use it to self-evaluate!

Learn more: Teacher Thrive

16. Use a fluency bookmark

A handy bookmark keeps fluency strategies front and center when kids read. We love this idea for kids who are ready for chapter books.

Learn more: Upper Elementary Snapshots

17. Introduce the concept of scooping phrases

Pointing to words is good for building speed and accuracy, but scooping phrases takes things to the next level. This practice is a great help for developing expression and comprehension.

Learn more: This Reading Mama

18. Hold a school-wide fluency challenge

Make literacy and reading fluency something the whole school focuses on. Have PE teachers post sight words for kids to read out when they run past. Invite cafeteria workers to join you for storytime. Track fluency and celebrate milestones with individual and whole school rewards! Learn more about holding a school-wide fluency challenge here.
Need more reading fluency help? Try these 27 Awesome Free or Low-Cost Websites for Practicing Reading. Plus, 25 Incredible Reading Apps for Kids.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
18 Fantastic Reading Fluency Activities To Build Literacy in Young Readers

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Learning to read starts kids on a lifelong learning journey, but literacy is more than just understanding the words on a page. Reading fluency involves comprehension, speed, accuracy, and prosody (reading with expression). There are many ways to help kids develop reading fluency, both in and out of the classroom.

# data[].attributes.body
After implementing the PAST assessment to my student Yessenia, I realized that she had gaps in identifying the medial and ending sound. Every day for a month, I began incorporating sound cards at the beginning of every intervention session for about 5 minutes. I started recognizing that much of her confusion was stemming from her Spanish language. I began incorporating songs, rhyming, and sound manipulation activities and within a month, she knew all her letters and sounds!