How to Teach a Child to Write

Your support and guidance during the learning process should help your youngster accomplish strong writing skills that will enable him to communicate through the written word -- a fundamental skill that everyone needs in order to communicate and function in the world. When the time comes to teach your child how to write, provide lots of encouragement for a positive learning experience.

Things You'll Need

  • Modeling compound
  • Finger paints
  • Large beads
  • Safety scissors
  • Letter cards (optional)
  • Pencil
  • Paper

Instructions

    • 1

      Build and strengthen your youngster̵7;s fine motor skills in preparation for writing, advises Education.com. Fine motor skills will enable your child to grasp and hold a pencil and make controlled marks to form letters. Manipulating modeling compound, finger painting, stringing large beads and cutting with safety scissors are some examples of activities that will strengthen fine motor skills.

    • 2

      Show your child the connection between printed words around him and individual letters, advises professor of pediatrics Bettye M. Caldwell, writing for the Fisher-Price website. Begin to point out specific letters your child knows and invite him to notice and recognize letters. This early recognition is a necessary foundation for learning to write.

    • 3

      Present capital letters to your child as the first letters to recognize and learn to write, advises the Handwriting Without Tears website. Capital letters are usually easier for children to learn because they are all the same size and they all require starting at the top and moving the pencil down. Show your child cards with capital letters or write them all out on a sheet of paper with clear, uniform strokes.

    • 4

      Teach your youngster how to write her first name, using capital letters. Write her name for her and say each individual letter in order as you point to them. Invite your child to trace the letters and then copy them to learn how to write her name. As she writes each letter, verbalize the steps necessary with coaching, such as, ̶0;Start at the top and make a big line straight down. Go back to the top and make a small curve and then make a diagonal line out to the side -- like this -- to make the letter ̵6;R.̵7;̶1; After she becomes comfortable writing each letter and learns the correct sequences, encourage her to practice writing her name until she learns it comfortably.

    • 5

      Progress to lowercase letters after your youngster demonstrates strong proficiency with all the capital letters. Coach your child through the process of learning the steps of each letter and watch to make sure he writes them correctly.

    • 6

      Encourage daily writing practice to help your child master writing skills. Keep the learning process uplifting and provide positive feedback for your youngster̵7;s efforts.

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