These are the signs, logos, and labels we see every day like a "STOP" sign that help toddlers realize symbols have meaning
What is Environmental Print?
This is the most important oral language activity a family can do together at home before bed
What is reading a story?
You might find these in a center to help children act out stories and build their oral language.
What are Puppets or Props?
This is the event we hold in September to invite families into our classroom community.
What is an Open House?
This term describes the building blocks of literacy that start with talking and listening.
What is Oral Language?
We put labels on toy bins for this reason, helping children connect a spoken name to a written word during clean-up time.
What is Functional Print?
Literacy isn't just about books; it’s really about these back-and-forth exchanges between a parent and child
What is Conversation?
This multisensory tool allows toddlers to move felt pieces around as they "read" a story.
What is a Flannel Board?
We use this parent-friendly style of writing so families don't feel overwhelmed by professional education language.
What is Simple or Everyday Language?
When we notice a child's unique sounds or gestures and respond to them, we are honoring these.
What are Cues?
When we display a child’s artwork at their eye level, it helps them feel seen and understood in our classroom.
What is Valued (or Seen and Understood)?
We share these with families so they know exactly what their child is working on in our Rise and Shine classroom.
What are Developmental Milestones?
We keep this area cozy with pillows and rugs because learning happens best when a child feels comfortable and safe.
What is Safe Space, or Cozy Place?
This type of communication happens every single day during drop-off and pick-up times.
What is Face-to-Face (or Informal) communication?
This theory says that children aren't just given knowledge, but they build it through active experience.
What is Constructivism?
Instead of just a generic label, we often add this to our cubby signs to help toddlers recognize their own special space.
What is a photograph of the child?
This is a great way for a parent to introduce new words while doing daily tasks like grocery shopping.
What is Narrating the Day?
This type of book is best for our two-year-olds because it can survive their curious and busy hands.
What are Board Books?
When we write a letter or note to our parents, we always start with a warm one of these to show we care.
What is a Greeting or Positive Note?
This word describes the feeling of safety and warmth a child needs before they can truly learn.
What is a Secure Base?
A classroom that is truly "print-rich" uses labels and signs to help a child navigate their day with this "I can do it" feeling.
What is Independence?
When a family values reading at home, it creates this for the child, making them excited to learn at school.
What is a Literacy-Friendly Home?
To make a book center inclusive, we make sure the stories reflect these two things about our students.
What are their cultures and lived experiences?
This is the ultimate goal of all our communication to build a strong, trusting one of these with our families.
What is a Partnership?
This is the word for the real-life literacy children see on cereal boxes and store signs.
What is Environmental Print?