Learning to write - how do you help them write letters the correct way?

[jofeb04]

Hiya,

Ds was in nursery last year, and even though he could copy his name (he wrote it over dots - as in dot to dot - and also over highlights) he seems to write the letters the wrong way, such as an S will start at the bottom left, and a h will be line down, then bottom right curving up! Ds also does this with numbers.

His nursery teacher wasn't too concerned, but said we should help him over summer to see if he can change the way he does it , whch he should be able to!

So, how can we help him with this? It is only his name they concentrate on at the moment.

Thanks

[juuule]

If he asks show him. If he doesn't I leave him be for now. It will come as he gets older. Children start to notice that what they have written doesn't look quite the same as whatever they are copying from. I don't think there's any rush at this point and wouldn't be worried about it at all.

[Oblomov]

Ds is 4.6. He is the same. Starts school in Sept. Not sure if to encourage him and show him. Or leave him well alone. Do reception teachers like to show children how 'they' like it done ?

[jofeb04]

Perhaps it's just what chldren do

Ds often asks to see how we write it, but never copies it as he has seen it!

Thanks Juuule, always good to know there is no rush!

[Seeline]

Our school gave out a sheet at the new parents meeting in June showing the preferred way of forming letters. However, having already got DS at the school I know they don't put too much emphasis on forming the letters correctly at this stage. it all comes with time. Agree, if he asks show him, but don't get hung up about it. If he is keen, there are quite alot of the 'write on/wipe off' type books available which can help.

[Twelvelegs]

Be so careful, a critical eye can really put a child off. My dd1 (aged 22 months) already tries to write (ah hem can draw a circle) and her brother 5, writes beautifully but did nothing until aged 4, her other brother hated writing until 5 now 6 writes quite well... I am sure all will be at the same level by aged 7!!!
No rush, no worries, just praise every attempt.

[juuule]

Also, you could write his name on a sheet of paper and laminate it. Let him go over it each morning with whiteboard marker that you can wipe off the next day to do again. Only do it if he's happy to do so though.

[flack]

DS is 8, and apparently was the best boy at writing (wrt to sentence structure and volume, anyway) in his Y3 class... thing is, he STILL writes some of his letters and numbers 'wrong', but it hasn't hurt his academic progress at all, so far.

[quickdrawmcgraw]

When dd and ds were learning how to write I made these pages of letters for them to practice. I put arrows on to show the correct way to form them.
In dc's school they don't get too concerned about how they form the letters until they get to Y2. As long as they're writing happily you could guide them but not get too anxious about it.

[Oblomov]

Yes we have had those wipe clean books. I bought 4 of them, with a huge black marker from Costco. They are brill. Ds has had them for a long time. Yet he pays no attention to the direction, way the arrow points, to make the letters.
I just let it go. Because I am happy that he is even practicing at all.

[TracyK]

ds does the same his S's are back to front. He also writes the word backwards sometimes. His older cousin did every sentence backwards till she was about 6 then suddenly stopped and did it properly.

[jofeb04]

Thanks for all the advice. He loves writing, and I'm just pleased with that. At least he wants to learn how to write!

[quinne]

I read somewhere that you teach writing in this order: shape, size, slant. Make sure the child can do shape before moving on to size etc

My son learned to draw the letters any old way but i let it go on too long and its a shame now because he has to relearn how to draw each letter.

I'm about to start with DS2 (I have to home teach) and this time i'll start teaching him the right way to shape the letters just as soon as he's gained some confidence and has started to find pleasure from making something recognisable any way he can.

[bluenosesaint]

Ditch the pens and paper for a while.

Try playing instead - use sand/flour/mud etc and make shapes and patterns in it together with your fingers. Then lead onto writing letters

[TracyK]

I get ds to do his letters on the steamy shower door.