6 Summary

This unit has focused on environmental print. This is the writing we interact with in our day-to-day life. It is writing that everyone can see, share and talk about, so it is a strong resource for teaching and learning. A ‘print-rich’ classroom can build students’ reading confidence. Students who learn to use contextual clues (such as pictures, location, objects, colours or diagrams) to make sense of writing in their environment will be able to make the transition to ‘real’ reading more easily.

Interactive displays of print, teaching materials and examples of students’ writing can reinforce learning and encourage them to take pride in their work. Displaying students’ own writing will not only motivate them but also generate easy, ready-to-use texts in English that other students can also read with or without the teacher. Displays are also a good way to decorate your classroom and ‘show off’ your practice. When parents come into your classroom they will immediately see the learning that is going on.

We hope you have enjoyed the readings and practical activities in this unit, and that you have developed ideas to create an interactive, print-rich environment in your classroom, as well as developing confidence in using English.

Other Elementary English teacher development units on this topic are:

• Mark-making and early writing
• Developing and monitoring writing.