HOW TO PRACTICE NAME WRITING

By Traci Geiser
A young child begins her journey of reading and writing as she learns to read and write her first word. For most children, that first word is her name. But just how do preschoolers make the jump to writing their names and the other letters of the alphabet? And is there a right and wrong way to teach your child to write?
“Ideally, the first materials used are not markers and pencils but materials that allow children to strengthen the muscles in their hands needed to properly hold writing implements (fine motor skills), “ says Mara Guckian, Early Childhood Specialist and Managing Editor for Teacher Created Resources. "We add a tactile (kinesthetic) component when we practice shaping the letters with different materials. Shaping letters with dough, tracing them on textured paper cutouts, and writing in the sand or salt trays all help children internalize the shape of the letter, while developing their fine motor skills.”

• Air Writing. Have your child write letters in the air first. These large muscle movements will help your child process what she is writing and make it more likely to stick. As she writes the letter, have her say the letter name or the directions for writing the letter. For example, for the letter T, she might say, “Start at the top, go straight down. Pick up your pencil and cross it.”

• Kitchen Tracing. Pour a small amount of sand or salt In a cake pan or baking dish. Allow your child to practice tracing letters without the pressure of more permanent writing utensils such as markers and crayons. If she makes a mistake, she can simply erase what she wrote and try again.
• Puzzle Practice. Make a name puzzle by writing your child’s name in large letters on a sheet of paper. Cut the letters apart and have your child reassemble the letters of her name in the correct order. Click here for more info on how to make your own name puzzle.
• Glue writing. It’s time for glue writing! Have your child dip a popsicle stick into the glue mixture and draw each letter, following the pattern of the pre-drawn template on each index card.  Be sure to focus on just one letter at a time.  After your child traces the written letter in glue, set that card aside to dry.Cards all dry? It’s time to play with the bumpy bet! (For alphabet.) Have your child touch and feel the letters they created and trace their finger over the way each letter is formed. How well did the glue letters match the written ones? Which letters need another go-around? Feeling the handwriting strokes with her fingertips as she looks at the letter template will help your child make important connections.

Keep the cards for later play. For example, you can string several cards together to make words. Or you can add pictures of words that begin with each specific letter. Let your child be your guide, and keep those art supplies handy!

• How do you spell fun and learning? B-I-N-G-O! Don’t forget , this is a game. You want to challenge the child, and help him learn his letters and numbers, but not bring him to the point of frustration.  If the child does not know the letter or number that you’ve called, show him the card.  That way the child can find the matching letter on his bingo card. You can find printable alphabet template at  http://www.education.com/files/32201_32300/32289/file_32289.pdf

• After a  child has written all of his letters onto paper, have him glue rice on top. It may sound a little odd, but working with rice and glue helps improve hand dexterity (which works those writing muscles!), plus, it helps kids think about the shape of the letters, and the direction they moved while writing them. Dried corn, macaroni, raisins, or uncooked noodles also work well for this purpose.  
• When they are capable of writing their names on their own make the students feel like KINGS and QUEENS !!!!  They can write their names on crowns, decorate them and wear them!