ds (4) won't even attempt to write his name at preschool.

[OracleInaCoracle]

he has been going to preschool for about a year, but only 3m at this one and is going into the "morning group" (prep for school) in sept. on alternate days he has to sit at the table and trace his name. then copy it underneath. but he refuses to do it. he has a v short attention span (like me) and plays the fool when he's bored.

he can read, and can write most letters, but he refuses to do it in a structured environment. is this normal and how do i handle it? i dont want to turn reading and writing into a chore for him, but feel that we should do something!

Don't do anything. He'll get there! Lots of children start school unable to write at all.

i think the thing is he CAN write his name, but only when noones looking and he has no distractions. tis v frustrating!

Yes normal. Just leave him to it. If you force him, you risk putting him off learning

He's so young. You don't need to do anything.

Why on earth should he write his name on demand, just because it's the day they do it? Seems very pointless to me, can't imagine how pointless it must seem to him!

flamingo, hadn't thought of it like that

Read How Children Learn by John Holt.

My DD1 learnt to read on her own (she's HE'd so didn't do phonics or a reading scheme) and did a lot of it 'in secret'. She didn't like reading to us, and did it only a handful of times throughout the whole process.

Children's learning belongs to them, not us, and I think it's very easy for them to be put off when it's treated as belonging to the teachers/powers that be!

He's a star, anyway, if he can write his name that young! Well done him! Just don't make him do pointless reading or writing. He'll learn far better from reading and writing he feels he needs to do.

thanks. when we do his bedtime story we use 1 learn to read book which he reads to me then 1 "story" book like the gruffalo that i read to him. that seems to work pretty well!

lissielou as a reception teacher I would like to say your son is very sensible as the activity you describe is totally worthless in preparing him for starting school.

Well done him!

pmsl, thank you, feel much better now, in fact am preening at ds who is obviously more aware and mature than anyone else in the class (teachers included)