What is the teacher doing when pointing out the difference between uppercase and lowercase letters?

When a teacher points out the difference between uppercase and lowercase letters, they are primarily developing the student's print awareness. Print awareness is an essential foundational skill in literacy that involves understanding how print works, including recognizing the different forms of letters, understanding their roles in writing, and distinguishing between the various sizes and shapes. This knowledge helps students to make sense of written text and improves their ability to read and write effectively.

By focusing on the distinction between uppercase and lowercase letters, the teacher is helping students to recognize that these two forms of letters serve different purposes in writing—for example, uppercase letters typically begin sentences or indicate proper nouns, while lowercase letters are used for most other text. This foundational understanding of print lays the groundwork for further literacy skills, such as reading and writing, which are critical as students progress in their education.