Writing

[linzy]

For those of you who have started to teach your child to write how are you doing so?  I have had Blaise do some dot to dot type activites, but I was wondering what methods others have used.

[KL]

The most important thing in the early stages is to get your child comfortable with using a pen/pencil.  Taht's why drawing is so useful (not to mention fun for the child!).
The next step would be to get them to be able to control their drawing strokes, so yes, the dot-to-dot exercise is one good exercise to do. Another one is a 'maze'-type exercise where the line must stay within the boundaries.  Then learning the alphabet with a a similar method (drawing the lines within boundaries) is a good way to start writing.

Look for worksheets online that you can print out.  We'll be doing some ourselves and putting it in the Free Downloads some time too.

[TABS]

Hi linzy,

Must just start by saying that my son is loving your planets download!!!      He's learned now that it plays different facts every time so he sometimes makes me start it again so he can hear more...

We do an alphabet letter a week. It sounds so basic after reading what other moms are teaching... anyway, it's what I started with and we are now on the letter S.  Hoping to finish by the new year.  My son is going quickly now that he has got into it.

We used the firstschool letter tracers for the Alphabet.  We would start the lesson him tracing it.  Initially I would do it first and then he would copy (we use chalk as he prefers it - we have a blackboard).  Now he just needs to know where to start the letter.  I then stuck these letters at his level in his bathroom (only because it's quite handy on the tiles with sticky stuff.)  He then copies them about once every few weeks.  He loves doing this.  He can write his name now.  But can't read yet.

TABS

[rixu]

when to introduce wrintting. we started colloring when E is about  8 months. now she can comfortably use pen/pencil. she do colouring works towice or trice a week. may i start  the dot-to-dot exercise now

[Sapna1322]

KL but how younger kids will be ble to play with mazes.I mean is there any way to make them understand about mazes.I mean there should be some starter mazes?Do have any idea about how to start with mazes?

Sapna

[linzy]

TABS, thank you so much it's great to know people are enjoying that download.  It sure was time consuiming.  But knowing that I will try to get some more of my encyclopedic knowledge info up on little reader. I love to think other kids aer getting a chance to share in the enjoyment. And Karma to you and KL for the wonderful suggestions.

Sapna, I know Kuman has a simple maze book that starts at age 2.  But I have the same problem with my son.  He just doesn't "get" the maze he will draw a line straight from the beginning to the end and ignore the maze walls. I like the idea of tracing the letters does anyone have a specific website that they have would to be helpful for printing out tracable worksheets?  Also, this is really basic, but does anyone know of a website that talks about correct pencil holding technique or how to teach it? I hold the pencil in one of the "non-standard" techniques as I was never taught correctly and embarrasingly am not certain what exactly the standard technique is.

[TABS]

Hi linzy,

This is a great thread and one that I've actually had on my mind for a while now.  I have heard and read just recently that cursive writing is better to start with and then you should teach print.  Also that cursive is easier for left handers to learn - which my son is.

As to the holding of the pen/pencil here is an paragraph from the link that follows it.

We were also taught how to hold the writing instrument (or stylus) correctly, cradled between the thumb and the forefinger (also known as the index finger) with the tip of the writing instrument resting on the long finger next to the forefinger, in a very relaxed position, enabling a writer to write for hours without tiring.
On the other hand, when a child is taught to print first, the writing instrument is held straight up with three or four fingers in a tight grip with much pressure being exerted downward on the paper placed in a straight position. When these children are then taught cursive in the second or third grade, they do not change the way they hold the writing instrument because a motor or muscular habit has been established that is not easy to alter. That is why so many children develop poor cursive scripts because of the way they hold their pens. Children do not easily unlearn bad habits. Which is why I tell parents that there are two very important no-no’s in primary education: do not teach anything that later has to be unlearned, and do not let a child develop a bad habit. Instruct the child to do it right from the beginning.

http://donpotter.net/PDF/Cursive%20First.pdf - here is a link to the reason for this thought.  It mentions that it aids reading and spelling.

And this is a link to a site that offers lessons and handwriting practise worksheets.

http://donnayoung.org/penmanship/manuscript-lessons.htm

Would love to hear what you think.

TABS

[linzy]

Very interesting article, it definitely gives me some things to think about.  My son doesn't like to pick up his pen when tracing so maybe cursive would be easier for him. Hmm...thanks for giving me food for thought. i also found a section on teaching cursive on the Donna Young website: http://donnayoung.org/penmanship/big-cursive.htm.  Karma to you for helping me out.

[Jake]

Thanks for that site of donna young ,The dots help allot,i try to do some prints .It is true that with a dough helps kids for writing.It helped when i gave mine some beading tooand picking beads with a tweezer.

[TABS]

Hi Linzy,

I have been looking more on this subject and got a website for font downloads - the one they (donnayoung) reccomended is called "School script dashed" it is pretty, but I didn't love the r's nor the capital G and Q.
From the same website I found a font called "Hand Garden" which is very useful as it shows the arrows, then the font called "Learning Curve Dashed" is also quite good as it's dot to dot, and then there is the font "Hand Writing Mutlu" that now joins everything up.  I have done a few work sheets to see how I would use them.   I started with the Hand Garden with my son's name m a r k and then used the Hand Writing Mutlu to have the letters joined.  I then did what they suggested and went to Format Fonts and changed the effects to outline.  It really looks like it's going to work - however, after printing it I'm not too sure...  The outline makes it too faint to see clearly and even after making it bold it didn't seem to make a difference.  What a pity!  I'll have to get my husband to look at it for me and see if I'm not doing something wrong.  Anyway, if it does work, I think this is the way I'll go.  The r's in Hand Garden are normal and the capitals are not overly fancy.  He can always add his bits as he gets older.

Here is the link for those fonts.

http://www.dafont.com/theme.php?cat=602

Ps. Enjoying your downloads... 

TABS

[TABS]

Hi there,

Ah my husband is wonderful!!!  I had the printer set on economy print so it was at it's best.  Now the font is clear, still a little light but definitly something that I can work with!!!   

Oh, and as to mazes - just keep doing them.  My son surprised me the other day while we were doing one, he had figured out how to go through it, in literally a minute.  What I do is just take each route and trace it with my finger and if it comes to a block we try another, then when we have found the path that goes through to the end we then get the pen and he does the maze.

TABS

[Jake]

any site that i can print easy abc for writing please.

[THen]

Here is a website I have used with my children.  It has thing you can print off to help teach your child to write.  It has both, Standard Block Print or D'Nealian Modern Block Print (a slanted font).  It also has other craft ideas (in the bar on the left organized by theme/topic).  Hope you find it helpful.   

[Jake]

Write me the web site please .thanks.

[THen]

Oops, sorry, here, I'll try again.  Here is the website.

http://www.first-school.ws/theme/alphabet.htm

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