Tricks for remembering b and d

[EmmaNZ]

My ds8 is thoroughly frustrated with himself and I don't know how to help him. Almost every time he writes the letters b or d he chooses the wrong one. Does anybody know of any great memory or visualisation techniques I can teach him, to help remember which way round they go? I'm not sure if it makes a difference but this is really only an issue when he writes, not when reading.

[Sk8ermaiden]

We learned it by doing the "OK" hand signal with both hands and then putting them together. The two loops are the mattress portion of the bed and the sticks of the b and d are the bedposts. So it looks like a bed and they're in order, like the spelling of bed...and once you can spell bed, you know b is the first one and d is the second one.

 

It sounds really convoluted, but it was a quick and easy way to check myself in elem, I remember.

[PeterPan]

Barton does something with balloons/pigs. It was really witty, but mercifully was one of those things we did for a while and didn't need anymore. Maybe google for it?

[Garga]

Write the word bed. Doodle over it to make it look like a bed with a headboard and footboard. The word "bed" can look like a drawing of a bed. That's what helped my kids.

 

...deb will not look like a bed. (Had to add the three ...'s because autocorrect kept trying to make my deb with a capital D.)

 

 

Google "b and d bed poster" and you'll get images of examples of what I'm talking about.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Garga

[Garga]

This is a great illustration. I love the poor girl trying to sleep on her deb.

 

https://practicalpages.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/b-or-d-new-posters-for-bd-reversal/

[ebunny]

Not a visualisation or memory trick, but how about Cursive writing?  b and d are written distinctly in cursive. b is written with a loop, d isn't.

[mykidsrmyjoy]

I've told DD to think b has a Big Belly and d has a Dirty Diaper. :)

[Heathermomster]

My DD learned the letter d in terms of letter formation. For the letter d, you form the letter a then swing tall. The letters d, a, and g were formed similarly, so she remembered the word dog. I completely removed any comparison between d and b.

 

With DS, cursive fixed the b-d confusion.

Edited February 8, 2017 by Heathermomster

[Petrichor]

d starts at 2 o'clock, goes up, curves around, down, then straight up to the top line.

 

b straight line down(and also, your lips push into a straight line before you can pronounce the "b" sound), up to the midpoint, curve around, and down. 

 

 

[zarabellesmom]

Barton does something with balloons/pigs. It was really witty, but mercifully was one of those things we did for a while and didn't need anymore. Maybe google for it?

Currently using this with my eight year old and it's super helpful. She's right handed which is nice because with the left hand you make a thumbs up sign with your fingers facing towards you. That's the letter b. It's like a balloon, the stick goes up like balloons do. It's helpful for distinguishing between b and p (but that's irrelevant here). So then you have a one handed gesture to check your b and d against while you write with your other hand. When you get to a b/d you make your gesture and see if it's balloons or not. If it's not, then it's the d.

[SKL]

We learned it by doing the "OK" hand signal with both hands and then putting them together. The two loops are the mattress portion of the bed and the sticks of the b and d are the bedposts. So it looks like a bed and they're in order, like the spelling of bed...and once you can spell bed, you know b is the first one and d is the second one.

 

It sounds really convoluted, but it was a quick and easy way to check myself in elem, I remember.

 

This also works without the "bed" - just 

 

b  d 

 

if he can remember that b comes first in the alphabet.

 

Later we used it for setting the table, "bread" and "drink," LOL.

[Squiddles]

my mom taught me, (and now i tell my boys) that when you say "b" your lips close to form a line and when you say "d" your lips are open like the front of the d...

 

It's harder to type out than it is to model in person LOL 

Edited February 9, 2017 by Squiddles

[EmmaNZ]

Thank you all so much for your thoughts - apologies I didn't manage to get back to reply before now. We have had tears (his, not mine this time :)) over this issue this week, so it has been on my mind a lot. He KNOWS which is which, but the wrong one keeps coming out. Sigh...

 

Barton does something with balloons/pigs. It was really witty, but mercifully was one of those things we did for a while and didn't need anymore. Maybe google for it?

 

Just looked it up - it is like a thumbs up - we'll give it a whirl!

 

This is a great illustration. I love the poor girl trying to sleep on her deb.

https://practicalpages.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/b-or-d-new-posters-for-bd-reversal/

 

Planning to print these for the wall!

 

Not a visualisation or memory trick, but how about Cursive writing?  b and d are written distinctly in cursive. b is written with a loop, d isn't.

 

 

Yes, we did some cursive writing, but it was so painfully slow that I backed off it. He is keen to start again, and I can see why it might be helpful. Can you tell me which programme you used? We had the loopy cursive style before and I think that was just too much going on for him if I want him to write a sentence in a reasonable amount of time (some processing issues).

 

Many, many thanks as usual!

[Garga]

Changing my response!  

 

I just realized I had some problems with the original cursive program I suggested, so I no longer want to suggest it.

 

For whatever cursive program you use, this cursive worksheet generator may come in handy.  

Edited February 11, 2017 by Garga

[ElizabethB]

I think Don Potter's hint will be helpful, and a link to some B/D then d/b exercises.

 

http://www.thephonicspage.org/On%20Reading/dbdb.html

 

I actually think it is better to overteach B first but have not yet updated my exercises.

Edited February 11, 2017 by ElizabethB

[caedmyn]

The HWOT way of starting d with "magic c" was helpful for my 8 YO.  He mixes b/d up when reading too and it doesn't help with that, but reminding him to write magic c first helps him get d facing right, and over time he's mostly getting it right now without reminders.

[ebunny]

 

Yes, we did some cursive writing, but it was so painfully slow that I backed off it. He is keen to start again, and I can see why it might be helpful. Can you tell me which programme you used? We had the loopy cursive style before and I think that was just too much going on for him if I want him to write a sentence in a reasonable amount of time (some processing issues).

 

Many, many thanks as usual!

 

My DD went to a Montessori pre-school+K where they taught her cursive. Alphabet writing was taught through different stages as prescribed by Maria Mont.- first tracing the alphabet in air, then in sand, then on sandpaper letters. all cursive letters, no print.

This article gives a brief idea about the process involved. I found the mont approach to writing quite fascinating. There are a couple of online stores that sell these cursive/print sandpaper letters, if you're interested. Ideas on how to make your own from those who've btdt, far cheaper and customisable (if there is such a word :D )

 

I did use books like this one with the tiny arrows on the letters when she was much older for extra writing practice.

 

HTH.

[Heathermomster]

LOE sells handwriting materials and sandpaper letters. I like how LOE teaches stroke patterns.

 

I also like NAC cursive, and my DD uses it.

[displace]

The bed example is useful, but some kids do better with their own "b d" acronym.

 

Big dinosaur

Best dad

Boring dyslexia

Bug dragon

 

Think of a phrase and story while using hand formation.

 

(Which may or may not work depending on kids who don't want to check their hands, mix up directions, etc).

[JaneEyre]

I've told DD to think b has a Big Belly and d has a Dirty Diaper. :)

This is similiar to what we used. I told my son b had a big belly and d had a big butt. For some reason he remembered it.

[fdrinca]

No one has posted our favorite trick, which is the baby b hidden in the big B.

[RKWAcademy]

My son struggled.  He still repeats the only phrase that helped:  Bat before Ball makes a b.  Doorknob before Door makes a d.  I'm sure I found it on pinterest because I printed little visual clues that I hung on the wall near him so he just had to glance at it. 

[EmmaNZ]

No one has posted our favorite trick, which is the baby b hidden in the big B.

 

Oooohhhh this might be the one! He knows the capital letters ("because it's so annoying that the capital B is the same way around as the capital D")

[displace]

If he needs a memory cue for capitals: B has bumps, D "doesn't ".

[ElizabethB]

Oooohhhh this might be the one! He knows the capital letters ("because it's so annoying that the capital B is the same way around as the capital D")

Tis is part if the reasn that I now think B first, and my exercises start with all uppercase, overlearn that, then all lowercase.

[MerryAtHope]

Here are several ways to work on b-d reversals. Hang in there!

[suenos]

Hi EmmaNZ 

 

This might be totally too basic for your kiddo - but would it help to back up and practice the actual handwriting of letters - to spend time on "b" like letters - b, h, r, m, n, p -fpr a period of time. Then turn to the "d" like letters - "magic c" like earlier poster mentioned  - d, c, a, o, q, g, ?   Maybe do some big movement - air writing, sand paper cards, big chalk letters on sidewalk?  Other activities to reinforce making the motion automatic?  

 

In the meantime, emphasize that  reversals are no big deal in free writing - who cares if it's readable and he tried to write?   There's a time to "practice" and focus on doing it correctly and a time to accept what happens...

 

I have a kid who struggles with the accepting part, so I know about tears...

[Guest]

Is he visual? Get out your magnet lower case b, d, p and q, then visually show and agree that they are exactly the same when rotated. Have Fun with seeing the mirror image. Then explain people decided to give each orientation a different name to make life easy. Big belly and droopy diaper help us remember which is b and which is d. Ask him to come up with a way to remember which is p and which is q. Keep doing activities that allow him to develop visual discrimination skills.