Learning to Write Letters

Read the book The Writing Road to Reading by Romalda Spalding. I mentored under her for 4 years before she died at 97. THIS is a method that always works. I have taught many, many people the fundements of Reading Writing, Speech and Spelling using this book and I have been certified by the author before her death in 1994. It works absolute miracles in teaching English.

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Wow H., you are putting a lot on your plate. Best advice I can think of is RELAX with your kid(s)! You're trying too hard! Play and have fun with your kids. It's the best education they can get.

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I've been doing some reading that states basically what the previous person posted: the fine motor skills for writing take time to develop, and some kids develop later than others. It really has less to do with "training", but more to do with how their brain is developing.

Besides the things previously suggested, also try things like large beads (lacing beads), very simple origami or folding, anything that requires precision. Even large motor skills like balancing on a beam while walking have bearing on concentration, which is really required for acquiring fine motor skills.

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Hi H.,

You have a very bright baby. But babies are like little sponges and remembering and memorizing things come easier to them then doing...like knowing his upper and lower case letters but not being able to draw a straight line. You can teach your kids too much at this age and confuse them. For instance professionals recommend teaching your kids upper case letter first and not lower case till 3.5 or 4. I suggest doing some research on what pediatricians and experts say a 3 year old should know. I think you will find that you are way ahead of the curve! You need to be sure his curriculum at what ever age he is, is balanced.

Can he do a summersault? Jump? Spin in a circle? Throw a ball? These are important tools he needs to lean as well. Don’t put so much pressure on him to always please you, but let him be a baby. He has many, many years ahead of him of learning and being taught things!!

Here is a great web site for more info http://parentcenter.babycenter.com/0_milestone-chart-31-t...

Enjoy being a mom! <grin>

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Be patient. I am an elementary school teacher and a lot of kids are pushed too soon. Give him a lot of free exploratory with markers, easel painting, sidewalk chalk, and crayons. He is still learning to cross his midline which is developmental. The things listed above will help him with that. Making sure the learning is done through play will make him want to continue doing it more.

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He may be too young to be writing letters. There is a great program for preschoolers learning letters and writing from Handwriting without tears. Their webwsite is hwtears.com. You may want to visit a preschool to get more information. This can give you some direction. Also, they have classes to help you teach the material.
I am working with a 4 year old on the same material. I use a chalkboard and make him trace lines and squares and shapes. I would continue to work with simple shapes and tracing. Also, have him make shapes with playdough and draw them in the sand.
Also, get some books on 2-3 year old development or take a class at the community college on early childhood education.

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Right now, your child is still learning and exploring his fine motor skills. I teach at a Head Start Pre-School and am a mother of 4. My personal opinion, would be to work on the fine motor skills. He still seems to be a bit young to be writing. However, taking some time a few days a week to work on coloring, and drawing would be good. Every child is different and learns at different levels. I liked to get my children pre-school books. They are at Target, Wal-Mart, etc. They are little workbooks for children at different ages and stages. I have one with mazes for my three year old, a different one for my 4 and my 5 year old completed one prior to kindergarten. I don't know if any of this helped. But you seem to be on the right track. Just go at his pace, and understand that every child is different, and just because they can't do something now....doesn't mean that when he is in kindergarten he is going to be way behind because at the early age of three he couldn't draw a line.

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Trying to get children to do what is not age appropriate is never a good thing. You are messing with basic neurology placing these kinds of expectations on a human who is still technically a baby. The small motor skills necessary to do the activities you describe ONLY develop through large motor activities in PLAY of all types. If you stay on this track you can surely expect consequences of some type for your child's development and for your relationship with your child.

That sort of linear teaching at such an early age produces the opposite of expanding horizons for a developing human.

If you think you are putting your baby at the head of some kind of line you will be sorely disappointed because 'there' does not exist. But what does exist is your child's need to play, explore and have the personal time frame of their own body, mind and spirit respected, honored and prioritized in the home. That is the real gift of home-schooling. But don't take my word for it go - do the research.

Books like : 'You are your child's first teacher'

'Crack in the cosmic egg'

Books by Penelope Leach

Awakening your child's natural genius by Armstong

'Dumbing us down' by Gaddi

R.

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Hi! He is young for writing. I agree with the previous responses.

Coloring and painting can help develop small motor skills and also around 3 yrs old tracing helps. Drawing circles is one of the first steps then straight lines H is one of the easiest to learn. Any letters with slants or curves can definately be frustrating. Also, upper case letters are easier.

Don't get frustrated it will come but you don't want to discourage your son. They get mad at themselves when they can't do something.

Good Luck and don't stop trying!

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Up until 2 months ago I was a Prek Special Ed teacher, It is very early to start writing letters but there is an amazing program that I used to work on with my 3 year olds called Handwriting without Tears. It has different steps that build up to the actual writing of the letter. It is the most amazing program I have some across and the children learn it so quickly (even with special needs). I highly recommend it as most learned to write their full name before kindergarten and went onto regular education!

http://www.hwtears.com/

Good luck and make sure not to push it too hard!

A.

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Hi H.,
I have a daughter that age as well. I agree with much of what the other ladies have said. It is hard for little hands to draw small shapes with the crayon! Something that they do at my daughter's preschool in terms of "reading readiness" is to draw a big letter on a piece of paper, and let the child color it. They will talk about the sounds that letter makes and if any of the kids have a name that starts with that letter, they will sing a little song with the child's name in it, that kind of thing. So they are getting familiar with how letters look and sound, but they don't really write the letters at that age. My older daughter began writing letters at about 4 years old, but I noticed even at that age it was hard for some of the kids in the class. In Kindergarten they really have developed the fine motor skills they need to write letters well.

One other thing that they do with the 2 year olds that seems like a fun idea, is to write each child's name on a piece of bright paper, and tape them to the wall at kid eye-level. Then have the child go find his/her name. The kids seem to love that game! I was surprised that 2 year olds can manage that, but they all seem to be able to recognize the letters/shapes in their names over time.

You seem like a great mom, trying so hard to give your kids the very best! They are lucky to have such a dedicated mommy! I wish you luck!

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It sounds like you are doing so much already, I wouldn't be concerned with your little one writing at such a young age. My personal experience with my youngest daughter who had challenges with writing in pre-school and heard a lot of negative reinforcement about it, now at the age of 10 still is resistant to even try. This is opposed to my oldest daughter who didn't go to pre-school and writes beautifully without reservation. Many of these skills as others have said, are dependent on whether or not your child is developmentally ready, and honestly, I think even pre-school is little early to ask them to write letters from what I've seen and read according to childhood developmentalists.

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Ditto on the other's responses! I was a pre-K teacher for 3 1/2 year olds. They are NOT developmentally ready for writing yet. I would just be happy if they could grip the crayon correctly and make little marks. (and that's at 3 1/2!) My philosphy is if you nuture the child the brain will grow with it. Also, remember - children are not likely to do for their parents as they would for their pre-k teacher. Be the parent your child needs - not so much their teacher.
Best of luck to you.

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