What does environmental print refer to?

Environmental print refers to the words and symbols that children see in their everyday environment, which includes items like traffic signs, restaurant names, storefront signs, and product labels. This form of print is significant in early childhood education because it helps children make connections between spoken and written language. By recognizing these familiar symbols and words, children begin to develop literacy skills, as they learn to understand that print carries meaning in the world around them.

When considering the other options, formal educational materials in classrooms usually include textbooks, workbooks, and instructional guides, none of which fall under the category of environmental print. Books and literature used in early education are critical for developing literacy but are not what is typically meant by the term environmental print. Online educational resources, while beneficial for learning, do not represent the physical and contextual print that children encounter in their daily lives. Therefore, the correct answer highlights the significance of exposure to real-world print in the development of young children's reading skills.