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Preschool education

writing letters back to front.....

9 replies

dilbertina · 29/02/2008 15:11

My dd is just 4. She likes writing letters and attempts to write her name. She's generally pretty good. All good so far!

However, most letters that can be back to front are back to front. At the moment I just praise her for making the effort and sometimes just show her the right way round.Doesn't seem to sink in though.

I appreciate she is very young still and it doesn't really matter but does anyone have any advice on how to explain the right way to her? I have some very vague recollection of there being a way you can describe how the letters are formed....or I might just be thinking of instructions to tie knots! (something about rabbits going round the tree and then down the hole!!) Is their something similiar for any letters?

thanks
Many thanks

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dilbertina · 29/02/2008 15:12

see...I'll be really really grateful if anyone has any ideas!!

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Littlefish · 29/02/2008 15:17

I honestly wouldn't worry at this stage.

It will come in time. She's only just 4.

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Joash · 29/02/2008 15:18

'Mirror writing' is fairly common and normal part of learning to write - this might go on until she is about 6 or 7. Some children can actualy be writing for a year or two before they start mirror writing. The best thing to do is not to make a fuss about it, just correct what she does and she'll stop eventually.
Hope that helps.

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dilbertina · 29/02/2008 15:23

To clarify, it's not something I'm worried about - in fact I'm delighted she's showing any interest at all! But why is it easier for her to do them back to front even when she's looking at it the right way round?!

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Youcannotbeserious · 29/02/2008 15:24

Mirror writing is pretty common.... You could try showing her the letters in the mirror - this way you could show her what the letters should look like the 'right' way round... Might be a way of interacting without making too much of an issue... Might make it fun?

I loved mirror writing...

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Tommy · 29/02/2008 15:27

my DS1 used to do that - I was really surprised and thought it was a problem - it wasn't at all. I think it must be just one of those things that they do

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happystory · 29/02/2008 16:23

Another thing, make sure she starts on the left hand side of the paper. Some children start too far over on the rightand then write 'backwards' to fit it all in, because they run out of paper....

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Orinoco · 29/02/2008 23:08

Message withdrawn

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mrsgboring · 01/03/2008 14:40

I believe there are pictures you can draw for the ones which are commonly got round the wrong way - e.g. a drawing of a bed with the mattress resting on the b and the d but I don't know how much they help TBH and certainly not necessary if you're happy to just chill.

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