EARLY LITERACY SKILLS

Print Awareness is knowing the forms, function, and conventions of print. With print awareness students know how to handle a book, where to read, differences between words and pictures, letters and words. They also understand that words carry meaning.

Letter knowledge includes students knowing the symbols that represent our language, specifically our 26 upper and lower case letters. They recognize their shape, know their name, sound, and how to write them.

Oral Language includes speaking and listening. Oral language is the basis for all literacy, builds vocabulary and aids with comprehension. Students need many opportunities to TALK. Oral language can be built into all the Reading Components (IN ALL GRADES, NOT JUST EARLY LITERACY) with opportunities for students to talk, read out loud, and do cooperative learning experiences.

Teaching the early literacy skills is best done using explicit instruction followed by guided practice. Students need lots of practice doing the different early literacy components you are teaching them in order to become skilled at them independently.

Print awareness has been found to predict future reading achievements, letter knowledge is one of the best predictors of how readily a student will learn to read, oral language is related to all other aspects of literacy and is the foundation to them all.