Posted on May 14, 2001 at 10:10 a.m.

STORY:

Before children learn to read, they must develop what educators call “print awareness,” a set of skills that includes identifying the front and back of a book; differentiating letters and numbers; and understanding that the left-hand page is read before the right. But not all teachers understand its importance, according to the results of a focus group of Birmingham area teachers.

WHAT:

Researchers for the Ready to Learn in School Preschool Preparation Project at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Education conducted the focus group. Ready to Learn is designed to help at-risk children improve their language skills. Researchers found that among the eight kindergarten teachers and 15 preschool teachers interviewed, the preschool teachers didn’t include print awareness among the skills needed for success in kindergarten. The findings will go into a final report in 2003 with recommendations that will be made available to childcare providers, school leaders, business leaders and others with an interest in early childhood education.

WHY:

UAB researcher Kay Emfinger, Ph.D., said public school kindergarten teachers are required to have bachelor’s degrees and they have specialized training in literacy development but preschool teachers are not. “

Also, print awareness is a relatively new area of literacy, so teachers educated in the 1980s may not have training in that area.” Emfinger said the results emphasize the need for more understanding of the importance of print awareness.

TIPS:

As you read to your child, point to the words. This teaches them that books are read from left to right and top to bottom. Be sure the child is sitting in your lap or beside you so they can get a good view.

• Identify the features of a book such as the title and the author.
  
  
• Draw the child’s attention to uppercase and lowercase letters, punctuation and other print features in the books.
  
  
• When driving or shopping, point out words and letters on street signs or labels.