Last Name

[rainbowmama]

Sometimes it looks like every preschooler can write their full name. My kids have a very long last name (about twenty letters) that isn't super phonetic. With each kid, I really struggle teaching them to spell it, and this often doesn't happen reliably until around second grade and with some tears. Any advice for teaching a very long, non-phonetic last name? 

[Lang Syne Boardie]

I think getting it by second grade is fine, and if taking even another year would solve the problem of crying, I'd do that.

 

Make sure they can SAY it.

Put an ID card in their coat pockets, or sew labels into their jackets.

Get printed sticker labels with their first and last names, for when they need to sign something.

 

Now they are accommodated - able to say their name, show it to an adult or an older child who can read, and even "sign" it (with the sticker label). Maybe with these helps, the pressure will be lowered enough to work at it a little every day, without tears.

 

Disclaimer: I'm not an expert on this, my kids have a foreign but single syllable name, but this plan makes sense to me, for whatever that's worth!)

[Arcadia]

I have ex-classmates with long asian last names. Some were copying from their student ID when it comes to filling up forms and coloring scantron sheets even when they are 17.

 

My kids last name is only 5 letters long and they couldn't remember it until 4th grade. They rarely write their name in full because their public school teachers didn't require it.

 

What is helpful was having their full name on those small name tag zipper pulls and attach to their jacket and backpacks. It was easy for my kids to double check when their outside class teachers have a relief/substitute teacher and needed to verify their last name.

 

When it comes to taking exams like SAT and ACT in the future, the admission forms does have the full name and address of the candidate. My kids double check if they are unsure. There is a more common way to spell my husband's last name which is a letter less than his last name so other people have misspelt my kids last name.

Edited February 16, 2017 by Arcadia

[carriede]

I don't have any direct experience... but most kids can memorize a list of random letters... called the Alphabet!

 

So, if you're so inclined, try to match the letters to a tune to sing together!

[freesia]

10 letter German last name here.  I get it.  Don't even worry about it.  I'm on my fourth child. They learn to spell difficult names better after they are reading and writing and spelling.  Third grade is the sweet spot here (although we start copying it and practicing it around 6 or 7).  No one knows or cares that they couldn't spell/write their last name until 8 or 9.

[maize]

I couldn't spell my last name until 4th grade.

 

I married someone with a nice short family name, so my kids don't have the same struggles but I don't think it's a big deal if littles can't spell a complicated name. Making it into a chant or song/jingo that you repeat every day may help, but I definitely wouldn't push a child to tears trying to get it into their heads.

 

In fact I still have to chant the letters of my maiden name in my head if I want to spell it all out. I never used more than the first five letters followed by a squiggle in my signature :)

Edited February 16, 2017 by maize

[Syllieann]

I taught ours one syllable at a time. We "say it for spelling" like in the wrtr. For ods, reciting it aloud every day, then decreasing to every few days worked. We did the same for phone number and address. For dd I use letter tiles from aar/aas because there's some sort of short circuit between her ears and her memory. Dd is in k and doesn't quite have it mastered yet. I think 2nd grade is fine as long as the kid can say the name and tell the first letter. In a typical classroom, they would write first name and last initial at that age.

[MerryAtHope]

I wouldn't worry about it, and would try to teach it with the least amount of angst for them as possible. If other people have a problem with your kids not spelling their last name, that's their problem. 

 

I'd do things like write it for them to copy and make cute name plates--something they can decorate and hang in their rooms. Try to have fun with it.

[TheAttachedMama]

A Song...

 

Can you put the letters to a tune?    (Similar to the way kids learn to "sing" their ABCs.)    Maybe try it to the tune of Mary had a little lamb?   

[mamamoose]

We don't have a long last name so I can't speak to that per se, but my youngest's name is Gwynevere...we break it up like I taught with phone numbers...sort of sing songy and 3-4 letters at a time. I don't think it's necessary to stress them out over any of it, though. When she first started writing her name I allowed her to write her nickname "Gwynn" and as she got better in Kindergarten she wanted to write her full name. So I would say, "G-W-Y" "N-E-V" "E-R-E"! Somehow it ended up sticking pretty quickly.

[sweetpea3829]

I agree with others that said don't worry too much about it.  Our last name is not very long (8 letters), it is MOSTLY phonetic, but it's Portuguese and my youngest kiddo, 2nd grade, is only just now learning to spell it.  And he still has to ask.  Our last name has a lot of vowels (which ALL make a sound) and he often gets the placement of them wrong.  

 

No biggie.

 

Now adults that look at our family name and butcher it?  That irks me...lol.  People have given some pretty out there pronunciations.  For example, the first two letters are GR and people invariably pronounce it GAR.  I can only shake my head and ask, "Really?  You got THAT from what you saw?"  

[HomeAgain]

A Song...

 

Can you put the letters to a tune?    (Similar to the way kids learn to "sing" their ABCs.)    Maybe try it to the tune of Mary had a little lamb?   

 

This.  I still remember how to spell "encyclopedia" because of Jiminy Cricket.  It has stuck in my head for wayyyyy too long.

 

For others, it helps to have a mnemonic device.  My first Russian class taught 'hello' this way: Three green peas, a-b-c, may-I borrow your underwear (with a smile), Mr. Ed? Zdravstvyute!  (It makes a lot more sense with the Cyrillic letters than the English ones)

[Minerva]

Sigh. My dyslexic dd, who is eleven, still cannot reliably spell our very simple last name. 

 

I know that doesn't help you at all, but it felt good to write. 

[ReadingMama1214]

I would suggest a song as well. Or just having it on a flash card for them to reference.

 

Our last name is only 5 letters and it wasn't hard for my daughter to remember. But her middle name is longer and she has a harder time with that.

 

I think second grade is fine with such a long and complicated last name.

[maize]

Sigh. My dyslexic dd, who is eleven, still cannot reliably spell our very simple last name.

 

I know that doesn't help you at all, but it felt good to write.

My dyslexic child got the luck of the draw in names: a three letter first name and a last name that is her first with two letters added to the end. (like being named Jon Jones)

 

Of course I didn't know she would be dyslexic when I named her, but all my other kids' names are harder. Even her middle name is super short and simple.

[sweetpea3829]

Sigh. My dyslexic dd, who is eleven, still cannot reliably spell our very simple last name. 

 

I know that doesn't help you at all, but it felt good to write. 

 

Take heart!  My very dyslexic husband, as an adult, is able to spell his last name with no difficulties.  They do eventually memorize it!

[Petrichor]

Do he NEED to know how to spell his name right now? If he doesn't, then just wait until he's older. It will be easy for him then, and less stress now. 

 

DS finally can write his name now. He figured it out some time during first grade. His first name is 8 letters, and pretty phonetic. I didn't teach it to him, he just eventually learned. 

 

I'd just write it down on a placard at his desk, and have him write it every once in a while. He'll probably figure it out eventually, no tears necessary. Just because other 4 year olds CAN write their name doesn't mean yours has to. 

 

Edited February 18, 2017 by Dust

[ForeverFamily]

I teach my kids how to spell their first, middle, and last names by having them copy it everyday on top of their WWE page. They just copy it from a separate piece of paper that I have written the name on. After about 6 months to a year they usually have a pretty good handle on it, usually by the end of 1st. Sometimes it takes them until 2nd to get it down. It has been a painless easy way to teach them. I just have them start with one name and once they are pretty comfortable with that one I add the next. I have also taught them how to write dates this way as well.

 

ETA: One of my kiddos still struggles at times with our last name. I wouldn't stress over it to much.

Edited February 18, 2017 by ForeverFamily

[cintinative]

I taught ours one syllable at a time. We "say it for spelling" like in the wrtr. For ods, reciting it aloud every day, then decreasing to every few days worked. We did the same for phone number and address. For dd I use letter tiles from aar/aas because there's some sort of short circuit between her ears and her memory. Dd is in k and doesn't quite have it mastered yet. I think 2nd grade is fine as long as the kid can say the name and tell the first letter. In a typical classroom, they would write first name and last initial at that age.

This is kind of how we learned our city name and, when I think about it, also how I learned to spell other city names like Mississippi.  You sort of chunk them. We learned it almost as a chant with each syllable being a line of it if that makes sense at all.