Are you ready to teach your child how to write, starting with printed letters (as opposed to cursive)? Here is the easiest sequence. You can avoid buying all those expensive learning-to-write booklets.
Using kindergarten manuscript paper (available online), teach the letters in the order presented below. The child will be starting with the letters that he or she prints by moving his pencil up and to the left, first. Anchor the child's movements to focal points in the room, not on his paper, by saying (for example): "Draw toward the dining room window first" (which would be in front of him) and then "Draw toward the clock" (on his left side).
Here's the list:
c
o
a
d
g
q
f
When he has solidly conquered the printing of those first seven letters, move on to the next batch of five similar letters – the straight stick ones with humps up to the right:
n
m
r
b
p
Then, the third group – the shorter straight stick group:
i
j
t
x
v
w
y
z
Then the fourth group, which contains the taller straight stick letters:
h
k
l
and the final group:
u
e
s
If the child STILL has trouble with this manuscript sized lettering – get the letter size even BIGGER – using half a piece of letter size (8 ½ x 11”paper) – and only have him/her TRACE the directions with his/her finger or a chop stick or clicker end of a pen (making NO marks) – just getting the directionality established.
