Literacy in action

We can support our tamariki in many ways. Here are some examples of how children are supported within our environment.

Concepts about Print

This is a term often used by teachers, particularly in junior classes. The Concepts of Print is a set of knowledge about books, letters and print. They include:

*directionality - knowing that we start reading and writing by going from the left-hand side of the page to the right-hand side and we start at the top of the page and read down the page)

*Front/back of book - knowing which is the front of the book and which is the back

*Knowing which is the title page - usually the first page in the book before the story begins

*Being able to identify the title (name) of the story (i.e.Where is the story's name?)

*Knowing the difference between a letter and a word e.g. B is a letter, big is a word

*Being able to identify the picture

*Knowing where to start reading if the text isn't at the top of the page

*knowing where the page ends and where to start reading after that

*knowing that the print carries a message or story that is constant

*knowing how to handle and care for books

*Recognizing things that don't 'fit' with our predictions