Writing backwards

[GibbousHologram]

DD is year 1. She reads really well but struggles with her letter formation.

She's spent the holidays writing letters and notes to us, but she often starts at the bottom of the page and writes up the way.

Sometimes she'll start at the bottom right of the page and write whole words backwards, then when she moves to a new line will start working forwards from there.

Is this a stage? Symptomatic of something else? Totally random?

She's right handed so it's not that.

[Dellarobia]

It's normal at this age (is she 5 or 6?). Could be a sign of dyslexia if she's still doing it in a year's time.

[lateforeverything]

I'm a Year One teacher and a few of my pupils have had a stage of doing this in my time, especially when copying something out.

It's unlikely to be a symptom of an underlying issue. In my experience the chn concerned had grown out of it by Year 2.

[GibbousHologram]

Oh yay! Thanks. I've definitely seen it more if she's copying something.

I'm trying not to burst her writing bubble as she's loving it this holiday but I often have to ask her where I should start reading!

[mrz]

You could try putting a big dot or an arrow to show her where to start until she gets the hang of it.

[Ferguson]

I always claim young children may only see letters and words as 'shapes', without any particular orientation. So just as a circle or square would remain a circle or square wherever they drew it, letters and words, to the young brain, are not much different.

Give her a supply of letter shapes (junior Scrabble etc) and let her make up simple words.

[lateforeverything]

I'm trying not to burst her writing bubble ahhh that was so nice to read!

[KanyesVest]

Interesting reading, DD is nearly 6 and just finishing her first year at primary. She often writes letters backwards or right to left, and moreso when she's copying. I put it down to her being left handed but looks like it's pretty normal. thank god, one less thing to stress about

[Greenleave]

My daughter did that too(and so did I), until sometimes near end of year 1, (she wrote numbers backward too-like wheb you see them in the mirror)she is now best with her writing

[GibbousHologram]

Oh that's a good idea ferguson. We could separate letter formation from spelling that way. (She's not doing well with either of them...)

Also dots at starting point. Thanks mrz.

I guess it's just surprised me a bit as she reads a lot so she's very familiar with starting at top left.