Reception dd finds it hard to write in a straight line

[yellowparrot]

I am really pleased with how my dd has done in phonics and with learning her letters whilst in reception. She can form all her letters usually correctly, correctly spell basic words and good attempts at others. The only thing that lets her down is that she cannot seem to write in a straight line! Even when i draw lines for her, the letters are all over the place. How can i help her with this?

I think they just have to practise. When dd started writing she used to write up in a curve instead of across in a line. She soon got the hang of it. She's in reception too and they did lots of exercises that involved moving the pencil across the page left to right when they first startednschool, following different wiggly and wavy lines. It all helped with pencil control and moving across the page in the right direction. I'm sure it will come and your child won't be the only one. In fact judging by the Christmas cards this year, a lot of the reception children write in a line that is anything but straight. It's lovely I think. V creative.

In my old fashioned primary school we used the multi-lined exercise books to regulate letter size, but not till year 1. I wouldn't worry, but you could always ask her teacher what s/he would expect.

I think that's usual, just as if there isn't space at the end of the line they continue underneath-sometimes backwards:

liket
sih

or

liket
his

We use lined books in reception but if she can't write even on lines I would suggest www.specialdirect.com/Product.aspx?cref=TTSPR1006968 the lines are raised to help children position the words on the page.

DeWe my DD does just that!

Hi
I wouldn't worry about it; it will come in due course, and as a TA I've had plenty of Yr 2, Yr3 that still aren't even forming letters correctly!

If you have toy letters (lower case) at home and a small white board and suitable dry-wipe pen, try her laying out the letters, and see if she makes a straight(ish) line. Then she can write them underneath. She could also try 'writing' in various media, say; tray covered very thinly in sand, or flour; a thickish layer of paint on a smooth plastic surface, then use a finger to form letters, shapes, lines etc (which she may already have done in nursery/preschool) It depends how much mess you can accept in your domestic situation! Magnetic letters on a plastic covered steel board is another possibility; lay them out in straight lines.

Is she AWARE of what is straight and what isn't? Try writing a short sentence yourself in thick felt tip several times over, on a large sheet of paper, varying the degree of 'straightness' between them, and see if she can distinguish or rank them in order of straightness. Another thing even quite old children cannot judge is whether they have enough space at the end of a line to fit in the remaining letters to complete the word. Obviously these things can only come with experience, and a Reception child hasn't yet had much time to gain experience.

Praise her for things she does correctly, make her feel good about herself, and don't worry about details which are not so important at this stage.

cheers,

My DD does this because she is astigmatic. She wears glasses but they don't seem to be helping much so far. I am also astigmatic and can't write in a straight line either. Have you had her eyes tested at all?

The only thing that let's her down???

She is 4/5 !

My DD struggles to write full stop!

Also in reception.

Letters are massive and all over the place.
She 'cheats' and uses capitals in the middle of a word because, although she knows it's incorrect, "it's just easier" (eg. she finds it easier to write D instead of d).
All her "S" are the wrong way round.
Pretty much illegible.
And to top it off she HATES practising writing.

But her drawing skills are also very limited. A year ago if given a piece of paper and some crayons she would just colour the whole sheet in red. Always red. Same with paint. I have lots of red pictures in her memory box from nursery!

She only just started doing proper stick figures last year.

I don't think it's a lack of intelligence She's doing fine in reading / maths. I think she has poor fine motor skills, a general lack of interest in drawing / writing and a naturally scruffy tendency (She also can't eat without getting half of it down her front!).

DD is 5 in March and is in reception. She struggles to differentiate between a 'b' and a 'd', especially when she is writing. I don't think this is a big deal as she is so young but she gets very demotivated when she can't work it out for herself.

Does anyone have any tips that I could show her to help with this?

Oops sorry- I meant to start a new thread with my previous post! As you were.....

b/d

She's in reception! Plenty of time. Relax.