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PRINT

Print is understanding that letters are organized in a particular way to create words, sentences, phrases. And, that there is an order to read and create them, like reading from right to left or starting at the top of the page and reading until the bottom. Also, having an understanding of the letters, spaces, and grammars.

The age range that print awareness typically starts is well before school. As early as 8 months, children are beginning to see print all around them. At about 18 months, a child will turn pages in a book, and at 36 months, children will begin to pretend read. Of course, children can start preschool as early as 36 months. Children are typically guided at this age and up with print awareness and reading.

Assessment ideas for children are to ask probing questions regarding print. It could be about the front of the book, or the inside, or even letters in the book.

An Evidence Based Instruction idea can be interactive read alouds. The National Early Literacy Panel in 2008 show that interactive read-alouds assist children’s print awareness.

Print can be Differentiated by ensuring to take extra time to support the children that needed. Even go at a slower space and ensure to use bigger print examples if needed as well.

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PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS

Phonological Awareness is when a child can recognize different sounds in words along with rhyming words, breaking down the syllables and hearing the individual sounds. There are four levels to phonological awareness and they are: Word (rhyming/sentence segmentation), Syllable (one or multiple syllable words), Onset and Rime and then Phonemic Awareness.

The age range that children typically begin learning phonological awareness is kindergarten thru first grade.

Assessment ideas for phonological awareness include pictures -and testing students with letter recognition. Or, assessing their growth with non-word pictures.

An Evidence Based Instruction idea that has been used over the past 2 decades include letter-sound correspondence instruction.

Students that struggle or need additional support, instruction can be differentiated with teachers or parent assisting with strengthening their phonemic awareness, their sounds and blending.

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PHONEMIC AWARENESS

Phonemic Awareness is when children can understand that words are made up individual sounds - these sounds are called phonemes. It is important to know and understand the alphabet and the type of sounds they make.

The age range that children typically begin learning phonemic awareness is kindergarten thru first grade, just like phonological awareness.

Assessment ideas for phonemic awareness can include having the student break down words and their phonemes. They can write out their phonemes or say them to you.

An Evidence Based Instruction idea that has been used in different classrooms is snail talk. This will include talking very slowly so students can hear and repeat the sounds that make up the word.

Differentiation when teaching phonemic awareness can be having the teacher or parents go back and practice the different sounds letter makes and repeating this until this part is conquered. Then, slowly moving on to words.

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LETTER NAMING KNOWLEDGE

Letter naming knowledge is exactly what it is named. It is developing the skill of letter recognition and letter naming. It supports spelling, writing and of course sound recognition, and knowing phonemes. Also, knowing what letters constantans and vowels. It would include knowing the letters in capital or small format.

The age range that children typically begin learning phonemic awareness is kindergarten thru first grade, just like phonological and phonemic awareness.

Assessment ideas for letter naming knowledge can include questioning different letters and asking for their sounds, and/or their value. This can be written and/or repeated back to teacher in an oral assessment.

An Evidence Based Instruction idea that has been used in different classrooms are flash cards, sound and letter pronunciations.

Differentiation for letter naming knowledge can look like supporting students by spending more time on recognizing the letters and corresponding sounds. And practicing more with flash cards on letter recognition and sound recognition. Providing visuals and physical objects and/or even using examples that student may see at home.

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REFERENCES

CDE. 2024. Foundation: Interest in Print. https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/cd/re/itf09landevfiip.asp

Heggerty. 2024. What is Phonological Awareness. https://heggerty.org/blog/what-is-phonological-awareness/

National Institute for Literacy. 2006. Developing Early Literacy. Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel

Reading Rocket. 2025. Basics: Alphabet Knowledge. https://www.readingrockets.org/reading-101/reading-and-writing-basics/alphabet-knowledge#:~:text=Alphabet%20knowledge%20is%20the%20ability%20to%20name%20letters%2C%20identify%20the,children%20have%20mastered%20the%20alphabet.

Reading Rockets. 2025. Phonological Awareness Instructional and Assessment Guidelines. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/phonological-and-phonemic-awareness/articles/phonological-awareness-instructional-and#:~:text=Phonological%20awareness%20skills%20seem%20to,between%20kindergarten%20and%20first%20grade.

Reading Rockets. 2025. The Foundation for Reading. https://www.readingrockets.org/topics/about-reading/articles/foundations-reading

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Alphabet knowledge is the ability to recognize and name uppercase and lowercase letters, recognize letter symbols in print, and know that there are sounds associated with each letter. Alphabet knowledge is a key pre-literacy skill and lays the groundwork for future reading success.