What does "print awareness" refer to?

"Print awareness" refers to the understanding that print carries meaning and the knowledge of how books are organized. This foundational literacy skill includes recognizing that text represents spoken language and that print is used for communication. Children develop print awareness by observing the characteristics of books, such as the front and back covers, title pages, and the left-to-right direction of reading in English. This understanding is crucial as it lays the groundwork for reading development, allowing children to make connections between oral and written language.

The other options focus on specific skills or knowledge that, while important in literacy, do not capture the broader concept of print awareness. Writing skills, categorizing genres, and distinguishing between types of texts are all significant aspects of literacy development, but they occur after the foundational understanding of print awareness has been established.