Learning Letters with FUNdations and Handwriting

This year all children in our class will learn to read!  The road to get there will be supported by many pathways that merge, and we will work with all the bumps in the road along the way when kids don't understand a particular skill or need extra practice.

We begin by learning to recognize letter names and their corresponding sounds.  We are learning the difference between an individual letter and a word, which is made up of several letters and their sounds blended together.  We are practicing how to form the letters in a particular format on lined paper. Our handwriting goal is to focus on learning the motor pattern with the correct formation of each letter until it becomes an automatic movement.  When children write letters using the correct formation they can write more quickly and efficiently in order to get their thoughts and information down on paper with ease. 

Some children may come to school writing letters and are unsure why they need to change their habits and/or follow particular stroke patterns.  To help them understand that they need to follow a particular sequence, I call our handwriting practice the “kindergarten way” or “school way."  This helps children adjust or relearn letter formation pathways.  

We are practicing how to hold a pencil and isolate the thumb, index and middle finger as these three are used to hold a writing tool.  One way to strengthen this at home is to have your child practice holding a small button in their palm with the ring finger, naturally curving the pinky finger inward with it.  Next, have your child use their thumb, index finger and middle finger as a pretend talking puppet, ensuring only those three move in unison.  Have your child play games with those three fingers or pick up small items while the ring finger and pinky remain curled in.  

Our writing paper consists of four lines; each has a name to help orient the children when writing with a pencil.  In the pictures below you can see the "hat" "belt" "foot" and imaginary "worm" line.  We have practiced singing a song to the tune of "head, shoulders knees and toes" changing the words to "hat (touch the top of your head) " "belt (touch your waist) "foot (touch your shoes) and "worm (touch the ground)" to help learn the names.  When learning the formation we have a verbal path phrase we say while touching the lines or writing them on paper. For example, for the uppercase T we say, "pull down, cross" while starting at the hat line, pulling down to the foot line and crossing along the hat line.  It helps when children say the verbal path phrases aloud as they make the line strokes on their paper.  Pairing the repetitive, simple verbal cues with written arrow cues on their paper helps ensure children are practicing the correct letter formation repeatedly.

It is a lot to learn, but we make sure we are having fun, too, by singing and moving and watching how I project the formation from my iPad on to the big screen.  I can also project the writing paper we use on to the whiteboard and have children go up and use a dry erase to practice the correct letter formation. This week we will continue to practice good posture and how to hold a pencil. Learning all these skills is something we practice over time all year and all children grow and learn at their own pace, strengthening their skills all along the way. We support each child's learning pace and find techniques to individualize the support they need.   I will send home the “verbal path” cues as we practice each letter.  When your child writes at home, encourage the “school way” formation to help reinforce the strokes.  Have a great night!