Letter formation in Lefties

[ReadingMama1214]

My daughter writes fairly well for her age and forms most letters well. We haven't done formal handwriting yet, outside of copy work at her request. She'll ask me how to spell words or sometimes I will write them for her to copy. She loves to write and draw and her fine motor skills are maybe slightly advanced (can sew, draw discernible pictures, write, etc.) and she is a definite lefty. She's been eating and drawing with her left hand since around 1.5. However, she forms some of her letters like a lefty. She often writes from bottom to top. For example, she starts the line for E at the bottom and goes up and when she writes a y, she tries to write it as if making a v and then tracing back down to make the tail.

 

We just stared going through HWOT K, but I am wondering how much emphasis on correct formation I should be placing on a preschooler who writes fairly well? Part of me wants to correct the letter formation now before it becomes  ingrained in her. But, I also don't want to kill her love of writing. 

 

Any tips on letter formation for lefties?

[Ellie]

Correct letter formation is important for lefties as well as righties. :-)

[Tanaqui]

when she writes a y, she tries to write it as if making a v and then tracing back down to make the tail.

 

...how do you write a y?

 

[ReadingMama1214]

...how do you write a y?

In handwriting without tears it has you write one short line down slanted downwards and then go back up and write the long line slanted downwards. So she'd write \ first and then go back up and write the long line to complete the y.

 

I write it as described. I don't make a v first

[ReadingMama1214]

...how do you write a y?

[ReadingMama1214]

Correct letter formation is important for lefties as well as righties. :-)

I agree. Do I press onwards even at a young age? She's 4.5, but does write. She hasn't been taught and has mainly learned by copying. Therefore her formation is a bit funny. I do think I want to correct it now while she's not as set in her ways.

[Grover]

please don't leave it... it's such a nightmare to try and address later.  I used to say "that's a great picture of a (letter name), now here's how we write it as a letter."  I wasn't judging her drawing, I was guiding her writing.  She wanted to write, not draw, so that worked well for her.  Bottom to top is just not ok. 

 

[desertflower]

I correct them when they are doing a handwriting program. I don't correct them when they are free writing. This is actually very painful to do. Lol

[ReadingMama1214]

I correct them when they are doing a handwriting program. I don't correct them when they are free writing. This is actually very painful to do. Lol

Thanks. This is actually what I've been doing lately. I'll have her practice a letter each day or the same letter for a few days. And that's when I'll correct it.

 

I've had some success with telling her to "leap back up" to start certain parts of letters

[Ellie]

You can take time during the day, when she's not "writing," to teach her how to correctly write circles (beginning at 2 on the clock, down to 6, over to 9, up to 12, down to 2), vertical lines (top to bottom), and horizontal lines (in the direction that we read and write, IOW, left to right, but you say it the other way to reinforce that left-to-right movement).

[mommyshanti]

I think it's a kid thing not a lefty issue. My son's are right handed and like to work bottom up. I am left handed and will say while I like to write it hurts my hand and I can barely go a paragraph without my hand hurting.

[Tanaqui]

I am left handed and will say while I like to write it hurts my hand and I can barely go a paragraph without my hand hurting.

 

I used to have that problem. I blame poor instruction. After the girls were in kindergarten and started learning to write, I improved my grip and haven't had that problem since. Had to look up the information on my own, though.

 

[ReadingMama1214]

She will have solid writing instruction in school. The school we plan to send her to uses Riggs which seems similar to Spalding in that it uses the clock formation method. But, she won't start there until Fall 2017 and so I want to tackle it before then

[Tanaqui]

Wait, how old is she?

[ReadingMama1214]

Wait, how old is she?

She's 4.5. Our state cutoff for school is October 1, so she'll start K a few months before turning 6

[HomeAgain]

In handwriting without tears it has you write one short line down slanted downwards and then go back up and write the long line slanted downwards. So she'd write \ first and then go back up and write the long line to complete the y.

 

I write it as described. I don't make a v first

 

It isn't a bad way to make a letter.  Ours starts as a u, and when you reach the top point you swing down to make the tail.  One stroke, no pencil off the paper.  It's preparation for cursive.

 

"Correct" letter formation is very subjective. 

[ReadingMama1214]

It isn't a bad way to make a letter. Ours starts as a u, and when you reach the top point you swing down to make the tail. One stroke, no pencil off the paper. It's preparation for cursive.

 

"Correct" letter formation is very subjective.

That is true. There are letters other than Y where her tendency to go bottom up, messes her up. But maybe I'll leave Y be. That's a good point

[HS Mom in NC]

I think it's important for a child to develop muscle memory when writing letters. When they've done it enough that they aren't thinking about how to "draw" it but are "feeling" it, that's muscle memory.  When they get to that stage they aren't wasting attention on forming the letters, they can focus their attention of the words and sentences they're copying or thinking.  Kids who have to focus attention on both how to form the letter and the words and sentences they're copying or thinking are often overwhelmed and struggle with writing. 

Because of all that, it's important to pick out which handwriting you want to do and work on forming a letter the same way each time to develop muscle memory.  When a kid is doing it different ways or one way that's different than the way the particular style of handwriting you want them to learn, it's counterproductive.  So, get your handwriting style picked out and start working on it with your child if your child is writing letters now.  It saves all kinds of hassles later.

 

People who have muscle memory and a very efficient style of handwriting can write very quickly and legibly when it's time to write for longer periods of time. I'm suprised at how slowly most kids write.

I personally like Getty Dubay Italic Script because it's the most legible handwriting I've ever seen (I hate frilly, old fashioned handwriting) and because the transition from print to script is so incredibly simple.  The letters in both are formed with the same strokes and the connecting strokes are uniform and simple so kids aren't saddled with learning a whole new kind of writing when they go from one to the other.  https://www.google.com/search?q=images+Getty+Dubay&tbm=isch&imgil=pWJoH7BIqxzXKM%253A%253BXrhDum_M3GqvpM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.handwritingsuccess.com%25252Fexample-italic.php&source=iu&pf=m&fir=pWJoH7BIqxzXKM%253A%252CXrhDum_M3GqvpM%252C_&usg=__hZIC6vYRoHwxpzdTj13M1DIurBc%3D&biw=1152&bih=575&ved=0ahUKEwjWn4mG4vHNAhXDdiYKHanWCGQQyjcIKw&ei=2uWGV9bKAsPtmQGpraOgBg#imgrc=OgmokHhQ0VA6mM%3A

Edited July 14, 2016 by Homeschool Mom in AZ

[ReadingMama1214]

I think it's important for a child to develop muscle memory when writing letters. When they've done it enough that they aren't thinking about how to "draw" it but are "feeling" it, that's muscle memory. When they get to that stage they aren't wasting attention on forming the letters, they can focus their attention of the words and sentences they're copying or thinking. Kids who have to focus attention on both how to form the letter and the words and sentences they're copying or thinking are often overwhelmed and struggle with writing.

 

Because of all that, it's important to pick out which handwriting you want to do and work on forming a letter the same way each time to develop muscle memory. When a kid is doing it different ways or one way that's different than the way the particular style of handwriting you want them to learn, it's counterproductive. So, get your handwriting style picked out and start working on it with your child if your child is writing letters now. It saves all kinds of hassles later.

 

People who have muscle memory and a very efficient style of handwriting can write very quickly and legibly when it's time to write for longer periods of time. I'm suprised at how slowly most kids write.

 

I personally like Getty Dubay Italic Script because it's the most legible handwriting I've ever seen (I hate frilly, old fashioned handwriting) and because the transition from print to script is so incredibly simple. The letters in both are formed with the same strokes and the connecting strokes are uniform and simple so kids aren't saddled with learning a whole new kind of writing when they go from one to the other. https://www.google.com/search?q=images+Getty+Dubay&tbm=isch&imgil=pWJoH7BIqxzXKM%253A%253BXrhDum_M3GqvpM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.handwritingsuccess.com%25252Fexample-italic.php&source=iu&pf=m&fir=pWJoH7BIqxzXKM%253A%252CXrhDum_M3GqvpM%252C_&usg=__hZIC6vYRoHwxpzdTj13M1DIurBc%3D&biw=1152&bih=575&ved=0ahUKEwjWn4mG4vHNAhXDdiYKHanWCGQQyjcIKw&ei=2uWGV9bKAsPtmQGpraOgBg#imgrc=OgmokHhQ0VA6mM%3A

So, if her school does Riggs, should I switch to that? She loves doing the HWOT workbook and will do it without asking. She actually correctly wrote lowercase y today without prompting and ran over to me practically jumping up and down with excitement

[HS Mom in NC]

So, if her school does Riggs, should I switch to that? She loves doing the HWOT workbook and will do it without asking. She actually correctly wrote lowercase y today without prompting and ran over to me practically jumping up and down with excitement

 

Is there a difference between the letter formations in Riggs and HWOT? It's your call, but I since I really care about building in muscle memory I'd go with one handwriting style/letter formation pattern for home and school to avoid frustration.

 

[ReadingMama1214]

Is there a difference between the letter formations in Riggs and HWOT? It's your call, but I since I really care about building in muscle memory I'd go with one handwriting style/letter formation pattern for home and school to avoid frustration.

 

I believe that Riggs used the clock formation method that has them start letters at certain spots. I'm not actually 100% sure. I've never used it or had a good look at it.

 

However, I'm not sure if she'll do handwriting with her grade. The school differentiates for math and reading/LA so placement depends on how they do on entrance tests.

 

I'll have to look into it. Riggs doesn't have a workbook which Dd likes.

[mommyshanti]

I used to have that problem. I blame poor instruction. After the girls were in kindergarten and started learning to write, I improved my grip and haven't had that problem since. Had to look up the information on my own, though.

[mommyshanti]

I think my grip is good and I hold pencil properly not the whole hand like I've seen lefties on videos( not sure who could even right like that.) Have any links? Thanks

[ReadingMama1214]

You can take time during the day, when she's not "writing," to teach her how to correctly write circles (beginning at 2 on the clock, down to 6, over to 9, up to 12, down to 2), vertical lines (top to bottom), and horizontal lines (in the direction that we read and write, IOW, left to right, but you say it the other way to reinforce that left-to-right movement).

Ellie, do you know the difference between Spalding and Riggs handwriting? Both seem to use the clock face method with starting positions at certain spots on the clock. I can't find Riggs materials cheap and don't want to buy the manual just for the handwriting component.

[Tanaqui]

I think my grip is good and I hold pencil properly not the whole hand like I've seen lefties on videos( not sure who could even right like that.) Have any links? Thanks

 

This was a while back, I'll have to see if I can reproduce what I did. I'll PM you if I can find what helped me.

[homeschoolkitty]

Ellie, do you know the difference between Spalding and Riggs handwriting? Both seem to use the clock face method with starting positions at certain spots on the clock. I can't find Riggs materials cheap and don't want to buy the manual just for the handwriting component.

I have Riggs, I'm no expert, but Riggs has an extra sound for some phonograms, the French Shwa so for "a" you have 4 sounds.... I cannot make that sound do I went with SWR. But they are the first that I learned about that used clock letters for teaching manuscript, so my kids learn with the clock.

 

However, I needed them to practice, so I made them lined with middle dotted line clock paper, for uppercase, then just a clock for the bottom line for lower case formation. It worked great for Cursive too. I don't have lefties, so I'm not sure if they would help for your lefty but I think practice will help.

 

ðŸ‘ðŸ¼

 

Best luck!

Edited August 2, 2017 by homeschoolkitty

[coastalfam]

I would hesitate doing any fine motor writing with a preschooler, but my lefties are boys, so maybe girls are ready sooner. With my lefties we do HWOT as well, and I have them form their letters as per HWOT, except when they need to ad horizontal lines to a letter, like F, T, E etc, then I let them go right to left as that is a lot more natural. You can always do more of the activities that involve letter formation in a large motor format, like using sidewalk chalk, or using foam in a cookie sheet, instead of the book for a while. Use the songs and rhymes from HWOT to practice starting letters at the top, etc., then move to the book later on when the motions and method is better known.