Writing Road to Reading

[Guest forehand]

My wife and I have been going through the Writing Road to Reading. Does anyone know of any videos online that give an example of how to teach the idea of the clock positions to a child? It would seem that once that was understood then the included instructions for each letter would be reasonably easy for the kids to get, but without understanding the clock well the instructions would be difficult, if not impossible.

[Jen the RD]

As difficult as it may seem to you right now to introduce letters using the clock, kids pick this up very easily. My 5yo dd had no trouble understanding the clock. I used a clock stamp and stamped it on a notecard. I set it in front of us everytime we had our writing lesson. He learned to write all of his letters much more quickly than my dd who used HWT writing program. I still refer back to this clock (now, 1 yr later) to help him remember or when he gets lazy doing his writing. Trust me, the entire Spalding method works and I can't say enough great things about it!!!!

 

This is the link to the Spalding International website, where you can find valuable info about the Spalding method and an on-line store. The link will take you directly to posters that they sell to use with the clock, line, and combined clock-line letters. FYI, they do sell DVD's of actual teachers presenting the reading, writing, and spelling lessons. You may want to investigate that, too.

http://spalding.org/store/posters.php

 

HTH,

Jennifer

 

DD: 5th grade WRTR, Singapore, WWE, History/Geog-my own curriculum, Science-Developing Critical Thinking Through Science II, Exploring the World of Physics, Usborne Science Ency, Latin-LFC, Easy Spanish

DS: 1st grade WRTR, Singapore, WWE, History/Geog/Science-sits in with Sis and we read lots of books

[Colleen in NS]

My wife and I have been going through the Writing Road to Reading. Does anyone know of any videos online that give an example of how to teach the idea of the clock positions to a child? It would seem that once that was understood then the included instructions for each letter would be reasonably easy for the kids to get, but without understanding the clock well the instructions would be difficult, if not impossible.

 

We just use a big circular clock with clear Arabic numbers (that you might see in a classroom or somewhere where you need to see the clock from far away) that I found at a thrift store. You could even draw a big clock on a big piece of paper or posterboard, bold black marker on white so it's easy to see and not distracting. Whenever I was working on letter formation with either child, I'd take the clock down from the wall and use it at the table. I'd take the child's hand and trace, on the clock, the letter as I explained the directions. For example with letter a, I'd put the child's hand at the 2 on the clock and say, while tracing with child's hand, "this letter starts at 2 on the clock. It goes up and around the clock, back to 2, then goes straight down to the base line." (or however it exactly explains in the book - but the point is, I'd trace the big clock with their hands as I read the explanation of forming the letter)

 

After they understood the positions on the clock, I'd sometimes remind them and have them trace the letter in the air, while I said the directions with clock positions, and not bother with the clock. But I started off with the big clock and I moved their writing hand around the clock as I explained. It helped reinforce it faster, because their hand and arm muscles, and eyes, were engaged at the same time they were hearing me say the directions.

 

As difficult as it may seem to you right now to introduce letters using the clock, kids pick this up very easily.

 

Trust me, the entire Spalding method works and I can't say enough great things about it!!!!

 

I couldn't agree more. I have loved using it for teaching how to read, how to spell, and handwriting.

[Ellie]

You know, all you need is a rubber stamp of a clock face, and you draw the hands on it. No biggie. Most teacher supply stores have them. You can stamp each page your dc writes on, and put arrows at the appropriate numbers.

[SonshineLearner]

Here's an idea, too. There's a book called "Cursive First." It gives great reasoning behind teaching cursive first. Cursive was taught to children as their "way to write" until map printing was used at an older age. Students usually revert back to the first way they were taught, when older. Also, when children are first being taught, cursive isn't hard. Young students can concentrate on handwriting skills, and then when the child reaches 3rd grade, they aren't having to spend their time learning a new skill. Cursive First works with the clock face. Look at anyone who's about 70 or so, and see their beautiful handwriting, and you may very well be convinced:-)

[FO4UR]

I have a clockface on the wall at my dc's shoulder-height, made out of paper and laminated. I just made it myself. It's taped up on all sides so my dc can trace away with clumsy hands and not rip it down.

 

My 3yo saw me teaching my 5yo and has learned to start at 2 O'clock to make a zero....my 2yo traces around the circle too (he has to have a turn:tongue_smilie:), and I make sure he always traces counter clockwise for future reference.

 

I like having it big and on the wall. It's much easier for young dc to begin learning. I have a clockface stamp too, for writing on paper.