Evidence Snapshot for Educator Preparation Providers: Preparing Future Teachers for Print Awareness Instruction
Why it matters Teacher knowledge directly impacts student literacy outcomes. Many educators report feeling underprepared to teach early reading skills. Strong preparation reduces variability in classroom instruction. What the evidence shows Explicit instruction is highly effective but requires training to implement well. Coaching and professional development improve instructional quality. Both teachers and caregivers can successfully […]
Evidence Snapshot for Educators: Effective Print Awareness Instruction for Preschoolers
Why it matters What the evidence shows Key instructional practices What to watch for Tips by student group Multilingual learners Provide extra practice connecting sounds to letters. Use visuals and real objects to support understanding. Pair language development with print instruction. Students with disabilities Use explicit, structured routines with repetition. Incorporate multisensory supports (visual, tactile, […]
Supporting Print Awareness and Concepts of Print in Preschool Instruction
Abstract Print awareness and concepts about print are foundational understandings required to be able to learn letter-sound correspondence skills which ultimately allow students to decode and read words (National Early Literacy Panel, 2008; Shanahan & Lonigan, 2010). One of the key goals of emergent literacy instruction is to teach preschool-aged children about how print works […]
Evidence Snapshot for Education and Civic Leaders: Supporting Print Awareness in Preschool Instruction
Why it matters Early literacy skills predict long-term academic success. Strong early instruction reduces need for costly later interventions. Print awareness is a foundational skill for reading proficiency. What the evidence shows Explicit instruction leads to stronger literacy outcomes than implicit approaches. Both schools and families can effectively support early literacy. Consistent, short-duration instruction produces […]
Evidence Snapshot for Parents and Caregivers: Supporting Print Awareness and Concepts of Print in Preschool Instruction
Why it matters Early understanding of books and print helps children learn to read more easily Simple daily interactions with books build lifelong literacy skills Caregivers play a powerful role in early reading development What the evidence shows Children make strong gains when adults actively teach and talk about print Shared reading at home improves […]
Evidence Snapshot for Educators: Effective Literacy Instruction for Early Learners
Why this matters Early literacy skills are the foundation for reading and academic success Students learn best through a balance of explicit instruction and guided play Teacher interaction significantly improves language, vocabulary, and sound awareness Key practices Teach, then play: Provide short lessons followed by hands-on practice Use small groups: Increase opportunities for interaction and […]
Evidence Snapshot for Educator Preparation Programs: Preparing Future Teachers to Connect Instruction with Play-Based Learning
Why this matters Teacher preparation directly impacts student literacy outcomes Many educators feel underprepared to connect instruction with play-based learning What the evidence shows Strong outcomes occur when teachers: Combine explicit instruction with guided practice Actively guide and support student learning Small-group instruction and intentional design are essential Teacher mediation is critical for diverse learners […]
Evidence Snapshot for Education and Civic Leaders: Integration of Emergent Literacy Instruction Across Classroom Activities
Why this matters Early literacy predicts long-term academic and workforce outcomes Effective instruction reduces the need for costly later interventions Balanced approaches (instruction + play) produce stronger results What the evidence shows Teacher-guided learning leads to greater literacy gains Small-group instruction is more effective than large-group formats Literacy-focused curricula outperform broad, implicit approaches Classroom design […]
Evidence Snapshot for Parents and Caregivers: Integration of Emergent Literacy Instruction Across Classroom Activities
Why it matters
Integration of Emergent Literacy Instruction Across Classroom Activities
The goal of emergent literacy instruction is to engage preschool-aged children with oral language, print, and sound-based skills to increase their language comprehension, alphabetic knowledge, concepts of print, and phonological awareness in order to lay the foundational elements required to learn phonics skills and to develop decoding (reading) and encoding (spelling) skills in their early […]
