Teaching to write/recognise name...

[sereka]

Hi guys,

My DD is due to start reception in september. She can write and recognise her first name, though sometimes she still get it mixed up at the end sometimes..but not really worried about that.

I havent however thought her how to write her surname. I have showed it to her but she hasnt hrasped it yet.

What so you do when teaching the name.. do you teach both or just the christian name?

I am worried now, but plan to get her learning her surname soon as well

I'm a trainee teacher - and I'd be v. happy with recognising first name - a lot of kids don't even know how to write their first name - so i think you've done a good job.

Does she recognise surname if you say it? Only if there are a couple of children with same name in school she might be referred to as Molly Smith, etc.

Don't be worried. My DS has absolutely no interest in colouring or writing and as a result went to school not even being able to hold a pencil.

I think they go to school way too young and as he wasn't bothered about doing it before he went to school, I wasn't going to force the issue.

He soon picked it up and was writing sentences in a few weeks. Peer pressure is a wonderful thing, sometimes.

I wouldn't worry about it -- DS is about to go into Year 1 and still has to check how to spell his last name. It's not been an issue as everuthing at school has his first name on. Probably worth making sure she knows the first letter of her last name in case there are two girls with the sme first name, but beyond that she'll pick it up when she needs it.

DD decided to write her full name on a competition entry form a few weeks ago - it ws only then that I realised no one has got around to teacher her how to spell her middle name and surname. She's just finished Year 1.

Still, at least she apparently no longer thinks her middle name is 'Hayzor' (it's Hazel).

Geez..check out all those spelling mistakes.

too early in the morning...

thanks for all your responses..I feel a little better but will try to start practising the surname as well soon :)

It really doesn't matter if a child can't write their name when they start school but if you decide you want to teach your child it's more important that the child is taught to form the letters of the first name correctly than for them to be able to write both names. It's much harder for a child to learn correctly if "bad habits" are established.

DS2 has only just learnt how to spell his surname and he is 6. It isn't even a long or tricky surname, it's just that I hadn't thought to teach him!

I'm still struggling to get DD to recognise her name! she's only 3.1 though so plenty of time I guess. she recognises all letters (both cases) and numbers individually but not words, although she'd know it was her name if I pointed out the J at the start.

I'd love to know how to get her to recognise her name! she's definitely a kinaesthetic learner, one thing I thought of (and must get around to actually doing!) is writing the letters of her name quite big so she can match her letter magnets to them, as she likes matching things.

any more ideas would be gratefully received (sorry for hijack!)