The print environment in kindergartens: A study of conventional and holistic teachers and their classrooms in three settings

Abstract

Recommendations that teachers provide a print‐rich environment in the classroom are ubiquitous in the emergent reading literature. This study assessed the physical print environment of 18 kindergarten classrooms, addressing the extent to which the teachers honored literacy by providing materials and special places for reading and writing to develop. Four categories were used for analysis: books, writing supplies, literacy centers, and incidences of print subcategorized as student, teacher and commercially produced. Both suburban and holistic classrooms had significantly more writing tools and student/teacher generated print than rural, urban and conventional settings. Urban and conventionally taught children saw more commercial print and had fewer literacy centers. Several conclusions seem justified: (a) because of the overall print‐poor environment found in most of the classrooms, teachers are missing the opportunity to honor and cultivate literacy to its fullest potential; (b) where a child goes to school and the philosophy of the teacher may affect children's access to special literacy areas, the amount and type of print displayed, as well as the opportunity students have to create their own print around the room; and (c) early childhood inservice and preservice teachers (no matter their theoretical perspective) need explicit guidelines in how to establish a deliberate, well‐planned print‐rich environment.