Writing numbers backwards

[jamhead]

Just realised from homework task that DD2 is writing most of her numbers facing the wrong way. When asked, it became clear she doesn't really remember which way round they should be - or feel it's important. She is 6 and quite bright - making a start on times tables etc. Anyone have experience of or advice about this? Thanks in advance.

I was quite surprised when ds wrote letters and even full words backwards when he was in nursery, so age 4 or 5, and dd is now doing this age 4. Nursery teacher told me how common it is and now I've seen it lots! But, as I say they are/were younger. Your dd muct be in school though if she is 6, right? Therefore I'd guess the teacher has seen it and therefore I wouldn't worry about it, though a quick phone call to school could reassure you they know or will now watch out for it?

hI not much advice really but ds3 7yrs(yr3) still gets..3...9...b....d the wrong way round but will correct it himself if i say "oh, is that right"... i think it will come in time if it is just a few letter/numbers....age 6 is that yr 2 if you are on x tables ? HTH

My ds did that in Reception and Y1. Teachers said he would grow out of it as it was very common and he did.

DS did this and grew out of it in yr2. He's good at maths! DD is doing it at the moment, she's yr 1 and not so good at maths. Her teacher recently advised me not to nag her about it at home, as she was reminded about it quite enough at school and it could be demotivating. But I do remind her sometimes, especially when she's written a number properly several times, only to reverse the next one.

I wrote a 3 backwards today.
Admittedly, I was writing it upside-down... but still =P

dd is 6 and does this sometimes - as do most of her friends on occasion so i wouldnt worry as long as you correct

DD still does this occasionally with 5. She is in Yr4 and in top maths group but up until last year wrote 2 and 3 backwards occasionally and 5 all the time.
DS does it with 5 about 50% of the time, he is Yr1

HTH

The reason children write their numbers/letters backwards is because they're still learning how to use their eye muscles properly to scan left to right.

Before you start learning to read you're never expected to move your eyes left to right. So when you start school most kids can't do this. Instead their eyes move all over the place - they move right to left as often as they move left to right.

Therefore back to front looks the same as the other way round. Their eyes are scanning each letter left to right and right to left.

If kids learn to control their eyes they 'grow out' of writing their numbers /letters backwards.

If not eventually they're labelled dyslexic.

Dont worry about it OP. I'm pretty sure every child has done that before. It would be a good idea to just have a quick check with the teacher if you're concerned still. There might be something they can suggest to help.

Hi jamhead:

Both my DDs started to have this problem when in Y1. Quite a surprise because in nursery they had written numbers/ letters correctly (albeit with help).

I'm not totally sure - but we felt part of the problem was working around tables - so quite often half the table was opposite to the teacher/ TA writing, and therefore started to see things upside down and reversing the position 180 degrees of a letter/ number when copying wasn't always accurate.

In our case - this was a phase (and perhaps Indigo's point that it is about eye control explains it) - but it does seem to correct itself.

With numbers I taught both girls to double check against the clock in their classrooms or number displays on the bulletin boards. They hadn't thought to look up.