What is Early
Literacy?
Early literacy is what children know
about reading and writing before they
can actually read or write. Early
literacy skills include

Vocabulary

Print Motivation

Print Awareness

Narrative Skill

Letter Knowledge

Phonological Awareness
Most children begin to learn early
literacy skills in infancy. For various
reasons, more than one-third of
children in the U.S. enter school
without the literacy skills necessary for
learning how to read. Although most
of these children show progress in
literacy skill development as a result of
formal classroom instruction, they
tend to continue to lag behind their
peers.
Whitehurst, G. J. and Lonigan, C. J. (1998). Child
Development and Emergent Literacy. Child Development, 69
(3), 848-872.
This brochure and the online tutorial were
made possible through a Bloomsburg
University of Pennsylvania Presidential
Strategic Planning Grant and support from
the College of Liberal Arts. The Print
Motivation Literacy Play tote project was
funded by the Jones Center for Special
Education Excellence.
Bloomsburg
University
of
Pennsylvania
BU Toy Library:
Language and Literacy
Resource Center
400 East Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815
Website:
www.bloomu.edu/toy_library
Send email correspondence to
Dr. Mary Katherine Duncan at
butoylibrary@bloomu.edu
Play-to-Learn
Print
Motivation
Print Motivation refers to a child’s
interest in reading and writing. A
child with high print motivation
enjoys being read to, playing with
books, and pretending to write.
Kitchen Play
Create a menu or
shopping list. Read
and write recipes.
Take reservations.
Make a name tag.
Read today’s specials.
Write down orders.
Community Helper Play
Make traffic and
road signs. Write
tickets. Create
badges. Make
and read maps to
locate the scene
of an emergency.
Mail Carrier Play
Explorer Play
A child’s level of print motivation
predicts his or her ability to read,
understand what he or she has read,
as well as use and understand words
(vocabulary).
Strategies for promoting print motivation
focus on helping children to experience
reading as an enjoyable activity. Pretend
play, for example, encourages children to
practice reading and writing without the
risk of failing. In addition, pretend play
exposes children to a wide range of
literacy activities.
Keep a journal. Read
or write a book about
nature. Label an nature
exhibit . Read or make
a map. Learn how to
read trail markers and
animal tracks.
Medical Play
Fill out registration
forms. Read an eye
chart. Schedule your
next appointment.
Chart patients’
information. Write
prescriptions. Make
Get Well cards.
Read/write
postcards. Create a
schedule for mail
pick up and delivery.
Weigh packages to
ensure correct
postage.
Hair Dresser or Barber
Make and take
appointments.
Make signs
(services and
prices, open /
closed, hours of
operation).
Create a book of hairstyles.