GACE Vocab

Print awareness

Knowledge that written language is related to oral language and the understanding that the printed text conveys contexts

• First step toward reading

• Print carries messages that can be deciphered and decoded

Lap Reading

intentional action of reading to a pre-reader or beginning reader

directionally of print

English print is written and read from left to right

spacing

the allotment of space between letters, words or lines in print

Alphabetic principle

understanding that letters and groups of letters combine to create words and meaning

environmental factors

setting in which the child is educated and raised

Letter knowledge

a critical first step in learning to read

alphabet displays

very colorful and usually include the upper and lowercase letters of the alphabet along with an image that exemplifies the lette

Letter formation

is the ability to write letters

letters sounds

the speech sounds made by each letter

Phonemes

are the individual letter sounds found in words, making students' names a good place to start when helping them acquire this skill.

phonics

the use of letter sounds to form words. Sounding out words is often the first step toward independent reading.

sight words

small words that are best memorized by repetition rather than phonetics, are a crucial aspect of word recognition

phonetics

the sounds letters and letter combinations make when spoken

cursive

to form letters with minimal lifting of the pen or pencil

text structure

How a writer organizes the ideas in a piece of writing

Chronological

This text structure uses time order or logical sequence to convey meaning

Cause and Effect

As the name suggests, this text structure aims to show the relationship between two or more events or ideas. The cause is the reason why something happened, while the effect is what follows the cause.

Problem and solution

The problem and solution structure presents a problem and then offers several solutions that address the problem. Writers often use this structure in persuasive or rhetorical writing to explain an issue or situation.

Compare and contrast

This structure focuses on how items, events, or people are similar through comparison and how items, events, or people are different through contrast. This structure is seen mainly in nonfiction writing.

Description

Descriptive text structure contains vivid language. It is used in both fiction and nonfiction writing. Writers often incorporate figurative language to enhance a description.

Process

writing structure mainly includes step-by-step instructions on how to complete a specific task.