Evnvironmental print is a term that the parents of every young reader should know.  It is the print we see all around us:  the labels on the cereal and peanut butter your child loves, the logo on a favorite fast food restaraunt, and the stop sign at the corner.  It is print we recognize from the colors, pictures, and shapes that surround it.

Evnvironmental print is usually the first print children recognize.  Then they move on to reading the words, first without the color and then without the pictures and shapes that surround them.  Recognizing environmental pring makes children feel successful at "reading" and motivates them to read more.

You can encourage your child to read environmental print.  All day long there are opportunities to point out print to your child.  As you prepare meals, read the labels of food items.  When you run errands, read traffic signs and billboards.  When  you walk into a place of business, read signs and the labels of the products being sold.

Help me bring environmental print to the classroom.  Please  begin collecting familiar print samples with your child.  Newspaper and magazine ads are an excellent source for print samples, as well as coupons and labels on packaged foods.  Send in as man samples, as well as coupopns and labels on packaged foods.  Send in as nmany samples as you can; repeats are welcome.  Samples may be downloaded from internet websites and printed out as well.  These samples will be used for various actrivities, including puzzles, educational games, and a class scrapbook.

Please start collecting today!  Your child will be proud to show classmates how well he/she can read.  As always, thank you for helping our young readers to grow.

Sincerely,