Print direction

Version 0.2 · expanded edition · built from cited public sources Content is based on the official frameworks and sources listed under Sources and standards. No official endorsement is claimed. Written in the style of common primary school assessments. No exam result is promised.

Student lesson

Words to know

1. Discover: Which way?

Ama opens her new story book. “Where do I start?” she asks. Her teacher says, “Start at the top left and move your finger along the line. When you reach the end, go back to the left and down to the next line.” Ama points to the first word and reads.

Think: Which way does your finger go along a line?

2. Understand: How print works

Idea 1: Left to right

In English, we read each line from the left side to the right side.

Idea 2: Top to bottom

We start at the top of the page and read down. When a line ends, we go back to the left and down to the next line.

Idea 3: Pages

A book has a front and a back. We open it from the front and turn pages one at a time.

3. Worked examples

Example 1 (I show you): Where do I start?

A page of words.

1. Look at the top of the page.
2. Start at the top left.

Answer: At the top left

Example 2 (We do it together): Which way along a line?

A line of words.

1. Put your finger under the first word.
2. Move it along.

Answer: From left to right

Example 3 (You try): After the end of a line

You have reached the end of a line.

Did you know?

Not all languages read left to right. Arabic and Hebrew read from right to left.

Why this matters

Knowing how print works means you can read any book the right way.

4. Explore: Finger track

Track the words with your finger.

1. Choose a short page.
2. Put your finger under the first word.
3. Move left to right along the line.
4. Go to the next line and keep going.

5. Practise

Say it in a sentence

Use these starters when you talk about the lesson. Say them out loud.

• We read from ___ to ___.
• We start at the ___ of the page.
• At the end of a line we go to ___.
• I turned the ___.

Guided practice

Independent practice

Level 1: Start

1. We read from left to ___.
2. We start at the ___ of the page.
3. After a line we go to the next ___.
4. What do we use to follow words?
5. Do we turn pages from front or back?

Level 2: Grow

1. Where is the first word on a page?
2. After the last word on a line, where do we look?
3. Point to the first word of this line.

Level 3: Stretch

1. Explain how to read a page.
2. Why do we follow words with a finger?
3. Kofi starts at the bottom right. Is he right?

Answers are in the answer key below. Try first, then check.

6. Apply: English in everyday life

Show a family member how to read a page of a book.

Another one. Draw arrows on a page to show the reading path.

7. Common mistakes

8. Lesson summary and revision card

9. Check and master

Answer all 14 questions. You will see feedback after each one.

Show my result

10. Key takeaways

• Read from left to right.
• Read from top to bottom.
• Go to the next line at the end.
• Use your finger to keep place.

11. Next lesson

Next lesson: Words and sentences. Keep going with the next idea in this course.

Exam practice

These questions are written in the style of common school and international primary assessments. Try them on your own, without looking back. Then check your answers in the marking guide. The marks are shown in brackets.

1. Which way do we read along a line? [1 mark]
2. Where do we start on a page? [1 mark]
3. What do we do at the end of a line? [1 mark]
4. Why do we follow words with a finger? [2 marks]
5. Explain how to read a page of a book. [3 marks]

Total: 8 marks.

Printable worksheet

1. We read from left to ___.
2. We start at the ___ of the page.
3. After a line we go to the next ___.
4. The next line starts on the ___.
5. We follow words with our ___.
6. We open a book from the ___.
7. True or false: we start at the bottom.
8. True or false: we read left to right.
9. Draw arrows to show how to read two lines.
10. Point to the first word on this page.

Homework

Read two lines of a book to a family member while pointing at each word.

Answer key and marking scheme

Independent practice answers. Level 1: 1 right; 2 top; 3 line; 4 our finger; 5 front. Level 2: 1 top left; 2 at the start of the next line; 3 the first word. Level 3: 1 start top left, go left to right, then next line; 2 to keep our place; 3 no, he should start at the top left.

Quiz answers: 1 B, 2 C, 3 A, 4 B, 5 C, 6 A, 7 B, 8 C, 9 A, 10 B, 11 C, 12 A, Challenge 1 B, Challenge 2 C.

Mastery and remediation

Courseversity badge thresholds (overall quiz score): Gold = 90–100%; Silver = 80–89.9%; Bronze = 70–79.9%. A badge is never a full record of progress.

If a learner struggles

1. Find the misconception: Starting in the middle of the page. Start at the top left.
2. Explain another way: use real objects, pictures or actions first, then words.
3. Show a simpler example: Use big print and a finger or bookmark.
4. Guided practice: work through one example together and let the learner try the next one.
5. Reassess: use the quiz again or the worksheet.
6. Move on when the learner shows Silver-level evidence independently.

For parents and guardians

In this lesson your child learns how print works: where to begin and which way to read. You do not need to be an expert to help.

• Let your child turn pages.
• Point under words as you read.
• Ask: where do I start?
• Ask “how do you know?” after each answer, and listen.
• Praise effort, not only right answers. Mistakes are how we learn.
• Ten to fifteen minutes a day is better than one long session.

Teacher package