Page 339 - KSPK ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Environmental print is the print we see in signs and labels in our everyday lives. There is ‘commercial
environmental print’ (e.g. road signs, logos and food and clothes labels) and ‘home-made environmental
print’ (e.g. labels around the classroom, daily schedules, shopping lists, names on badges or birthday
posters) Environmental print is especially useful for learning English if teachers:
 label objects and visuals in English
 use the written word in posters, displays and charts
 bring children’s attention to the print in English around them.

Supporting children’s literacy development

There are a number of ways teachers can support children’s literacy development in English, without
actually teaching the children to read formally.

By using rhymes and chants:this supports children’s literacy development by:
 building their English vocabulary
 providing natural exposure to a variety of rhyming words
 highlighting the syllables in words through the musical beat
 exposing children to authentic culturally-bound texts.

By sharing storybooks:this supports children’s literacy development by:
 building their English vocabulary
 developing their phonological awareness, through exposure to the different words and their rhyming
characteristics
 exposing children to chunks of language which they can imitate
 expanding their familiarity with forms of literature, for example narrative, non-fiction or poetry.

By promoting dramatic play: this supports children’s literacy development by:
 aiding the memorisation of a variety of scripts, e.g. a narrative script based on a story; an imitative
script based on shared experiences
 tapping into the children’s enjoyment of and need for make-believe.

By providing environmental print: this supports children’s literacy development by:
 bridging between the known and the unknown, e.g. using child-familiar logos from toys, films and TV
shows
 helping children associate print with meaning
 showing what a word looks like and how it is represented in letters
 giving children confidence in their ability to read in English
 supporting early writing experiments if and when children begin to copy the print around them.

By encouraging group talk and discussion: this supports children’s literacy development by:
 exposing children to extended contextualised discourse
 ensuring children see English as a language used for a real purpose.

Implications for preschool English sessions and the classroom

 Try to use as much English as possible when interacting with the children.
 Include songs and rhymes in planning (see above section on songs, rhymes and chants).
 Play with different rhyming sounds.
 Share storybooks and stories in English with children (see section on storybooks and storytelling).
 Carefully model how to read a book (left to right, top to bottom).
 Include drama and role-play in planning.
 Introduce and refer to environmental print in English (e.g. make written labels for key classroom
objects, use written words in routine posters).
 Demonstrate reading and writing in English for real (e.g. finding a name on a register, reading a book,
making a list, writing notes for a story, leaving a message).

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