Before children can read words, they need to understand how books and print actually work. That might sound so basic it hardly seems worth mentioning — but these early understandings, known as concepts about print, are genuinely important for reading development. And the good news is, your child is probably already learning them whenever you share a picture book together. Even messy, distracted bedtime reading does some of this work.
What Are Concepts About Print?
Concepts about print (sometimes called "print awareness" or "print concepts") are the foundational understandings about how written language is organised on a page. They include things like:
Book Orientation
- Knowing which way to hold a book (right way up, front cover facing forward)
- Understanding that the front of the book is where you start
- Knowing the difference between the front cover, back cover, and pages inside
Directionality
- Understanding that in English we read from left to right across the page (other writing systems run differently, and print in your home language counts too)
- Understanding that we read from the top of the page to the bottom
- Knowing that when you reach the end of a line, you sweep back to the left and start the next line (called "return sweep")
Print Carries Meaning
- Understanding that the print carries the words of the story (the pictures help tell it too)
- Knowing that the reader is reading the words on the page
- Recognising that print is different from pictures
Word and Letter Concepts
- Understanding that print is made up of words separated by spaces
- Knowing that words are made up of letters
- Beginning to recognise the difference between a letter, a word, and a sentence
- Understanding that some words are longer and some are shorter
Punctuation Awareness
- Noticing that there are marks on the page that aren't letters — full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas
- Beginning to understand that these marks tell us something about how to read the text (where to stop, when a question is being asked)
These might seem incredibly simple to an adult who reads automatically. But for a young child who has never formally encountered print, every one of these concepts needs to be learned.
Why Do Concepts About Print Matter?
Concepts about print are part of the foundation for reading. A child who doesn't yet understand that English print runs from left to right, that words are separated by spaces, or that the print carries the words is going to find formal reading instruction confusing.
Think of it this way: before you can learn to play a board game, it can be helpful to understand that there's a board, that it has a start and finish, that you move in a particular direction, and that different pieces do different things. Concepts about print are the equivalent for reading — they're the "rules of the game" that make everything else possible.
Research consistently shows that children who enter school with well-developed concepts about print are better positioned for early reading success. They're ready to engage with phonics instruction, they can follow along during shared reading, and they understand the basic mechanics of how print works. In my experience, these are the skills adults most often assume children already have — and they're often the quiet gap holding an early reader back.
Where Did This Idea Come From?
The term "concepts about print" was first introduced in early literacy research in the 1970s, recognising that very young children develop important knowledge about print long before they can actually read. Since then, the science of reading has evolved significantly — and while early concepts about print research is part of the historical picture, current evidence-based literacy practice focuses on systematic phonics instruction, phonological awareness, and oral language development as the primary pillars of early reading.
Concepts about print are still important — they're part of how children become familiar with books and the conventions of written language. But they're best understood as a complement to systematic phonics, not a replacement. A child who knows how to hold a book and turn the pages still needs explicit instruction in how sounds are represented by letters.
What to Look For
In an early years setting (or at home), you might notice whether your child can:
- Show the front of a book and turn the pages in the right direction
- Understand that English print runs from left to right and top to bottom
- Recognise that the print carries the words the reader is saying
- Point to individual words and letters as you read
- Notice that there are spaces between words
- Notice punctuation marks and understand they mean something
These observations give you a sense of where your child is in their early literacy journey — without requiring any formal assessment.
Developmental Expectations
Concepts about print develop gradually through exposure to books and print. Here's a general guide to when children typically develop these skills:
| Age | Typical Concepts About Print Development |
|---|---|
| 1–2 years | Holds books (may be upside down); turns pages (may turn several at once); points at pictures |
| 2–3 years | Holds books correctly; turns pages one at a time; shows interest in print; distinguishes print from pictures |
| 3–4 years | Knows front and back of book; understands that print tells the story; may recognise own name in print |
| 4–5 years | Tracks left to right with support; points to individual words; recognises some letters; notices full stops and question marks |
| 5–6 years | Tracks print independently; understands word boundaries (spaces); recognises most letters; understands basic punctuation |
Concepts About Print in the Australian Context
The Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) (birth to five) and the Australian Curriculum: English (Foundation year) both recognise concepts about print — directionality, word boundaries, the idea that print carries meaning — as foundational skills. They sit alongside phonological awareness, systematic phonics, and oral language as the pillars of early literacy. For how the code-learning side develops, see our article on phonological awareness; for how those sounds get connected to print, see phonics and early reading.
When Should You Be Concerned?
Most children develop concepts about print naturally through regular exposure to books and shared reading. However, it's worth paying attention if your child:
- Shows little interest in books by age 3 (doesn't choose books, doesn't want to be read to)
- Can't show you the front of a book or where to start reading by age 4
- Doesn't understand that the print is what's being read by Prep age
- Can't track print from left to right with support in the first year of school
- Doesn't recognise that words are separated by spaces in Foundation year
These aren't causes for alarm on their own, but if they're combined with other early literacy concerns — like difficulty with phonological awareness, limited interest in rhyming or sound play, or speech and language difficulties — they're worth discussing with a speech pathologist.
The Key Takeaway
Concepts about print are the quiet, foundational skills that make reading possible. They develop naturally through shared reading and exposure to print, and they give children the framework they need to make sense of formal reading instruction when they start school. If you're curious about whether your child's print awareness is developing as expected, we're always happy to chat. get in touch — we work with families across Brisbane's south side and Logan. Any actual clinical work — assessment, diagnosis, or therapy — happens in a consultation about your child, not from an article.
Ready for practical strategies? Read our companion article: Teaching Concepts About Print: Strategies for Brisbane Parents and Educators
Alexandra Bouwmeester is a Senior Speech Pathologist (MSPA, CPSP) and certified Sounds-Write Clinician with over 14 years' experience and a mum of two young boys. She knows first-hand that shared reading doesn't always look perfect — and that's perfectly okay. She offers mobile speech pathology to families across Brisbane's south side and Logan.
References
- Speech Pathology Australia. (n.d.). Literacy: Position statement and resources. https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
