What is a child’s earliest introduction to literacy known as?

A child's earliest introduction to literacy is known as print awareness. This concept encompasses a child's understanding of the forms and functions of printed language. It includes recognizing that print carries meaning, understanding the direction of reading (left to right in languages such as English), and identifying key components of books, such as titles, authors, and illustrations. Print awareness is foundational as it prepares children to engage with and decode written language, making it a critical early literacy skill.

Early exposure refers to the general introduction a child has to literacy materials, while literary context and language foundation, though related, do not specifically capture the nuances of recognizing and understanding print. It is through print awareness that children begin to make connections between spoken words and their written forms, which is crucial for their future reading development.