information:filtering, structural:summarization
Environmental Print

Environmental print is the words and writing we see on a daily basis. It incorporates all forms of writing that is presented to us. Examples include: logos on a T-shirt, stop signs, advertisements, labels, brand names, etc. A key feature of environmental print is that it is designed to be simple and attract a lot of attention. Due to this, children are more likely to make quick associations with the print and learn that the print represents something. For example: A child may recognize that the golden arches M of McDonalds means there is tasty food at that place. Environmental print is one of the first places where children start to understand that print can carry meaning. Children have been seen to interact with environmental print as young as two or three years old. At this age, they also start to have the ability to distinguish this print from numbers and pictures. Of the different types of environmental print (community signs, labels on household items, etc.) child-directed print is more likely to be recognized by children, particularly pre-schoolers. This print is mostly names of different toys such as Barbie, lego and crayons. Due to the abundance of environmental print, socioeconomic status does not affect a child’s exposure nor understanding of it.