The benefits of creating a print rich environment in your classroom are vast. Surrounding your students with many different pictures, letters, words and sentences helps them make the connections necessary to read and write.
What is “Environmental Print”?
We are surrounded by letters and sounds all day long. Logos, signs and labels are everywhere and are easily recognizable. This is call “environmental print”. Most kindergarteners will tell you they “can’t” or “don’t know how to read”. But if you show them a McDonalds or Paw Patrol logo, they will overwhelmingly be able to tell you what it “says”. This is very powerful and as a teacher you can use is to your advantage.
Why is Environmental Print Important?
Using environmental print helps with early literacy development and print concepts. Seeing familiar logos and pictures in the classroom can help develop positive attitudes toward literacy. Pictures give meaning to the words we say, thus supports literacy development. Environment print in the kindergarten classroom is not only fun and engaging for the students, but also a MUST to literacy advancement.
Alphabet Letters
Having the alphabet prominently displayed in your classroom enables your students to begin making connections between letters and words. Letters in an engaging picture form helps students construct meaning to print. Making sure the alphabet is within visual reach around the classroom gives your kiddos the reinforcement of these skills. Exposing your kindergarteners to many different kinds of fonts is soooo important. However, anchor charts and teaching materials needs to be in a legible font in order for the students to make the connections necessary for literacy.
Want a **FREEBIE** Junbo letter download? Click on picture for easy download.
You can use the letters around your room, add to anchor charts, label items, or anything else you can think of. The sky is the limit!!
Pictures and Logos
Pictures and logos that are familiar to your students keep them engaged and interested in learning. Sorting, pocket charts and building sentences charts are meaningful ways to use environmental print. Remember, kiddos LOVE seeing things from the outside world in their classroom. Download this **FREEBIE** to use in your classroom.
Go to blog post “Using Environmental Print in the Classroom” for more ideas.
