Fun Way Of Writing Name? Please

[Guest]

Hi all, I really cant think straight at moment we are awaiting the call from the big "O" as we know it is coming, and have had LA advisors coming out of woodwork. Whole school is being observed by EVERYONE and having planning, assesments, environments, basically everything picked to pieces!!! All I am trying to think of is a fun way of getting the reception children to write their names, without asking them to "please come here and write your name on this paper". I would like to keep a copy of it so getting them to write it on pictures/paintings etc wont work as they always take them home. My mind is mashed so any ideas would be greatly recieved. thankyou. x

[janebe]

I would like to keep a copy of it so getting them to write it on pictures/paintings etc wont work as they always take them home.

 

Don't forget that you can always photocopy (or take a photo of) work that may be taken home or was perhaps written on whiteboards so, even if you get them to write their names using glitter and glue or form letters with pipecleaners, you could keep a record of it. A colour photocopy could look nicer in their files.

Edited September 23, 2010 by janebe

[Guest]

What about getting them to write a letter to someone? A toy, a visitor, the Head? We had a visit today from one of the children's Dads in his tractor so tomorrow we are going to write thankyou letters to him which I will photocopy before sending! We are waiting for the big O too..... Good luck!

[suebear]

How about making a card for someone and asking them to sign it? Then you have all their names in one place.

[Rufus]

You could get them to self register by signing their name on a white board or large piece of paper then they would get practice every day and you could keep it.

[Guest]

Writing with glow in the dark pens in a dark den and shining torches to show up the writing.

Writing in invsible ink

Writing in wax crayon and then painting over it with brusho to make it appear.

[Guest]

They could sign their names up to a class contract with your class rules. That way you kill two birds with one stone!

[Guest]

How about writing with less conventional implements? Such as with a stick in some mud or sand. Using a paint brush wet with water to write their name on a wall or the playground. Write their name in chalk on the playground and see if they can follow the letters by squirting water over them from a washing up liquid bottle. Writing their name in foam. Photos of these are not only your evidence but can also be used to praise and encourage when putting pen to paper. Hope that helps a bit!

All the best.

[HappyMaz]

Welcome to the Forum, s2o - and what lovely suggestions!

 

Maz

[Fredbear]

Hi what about coloured rice. Drip the glue for their name and then add the rice, shaking off any excess.

Glitters great and coloured sand to.

[fluffylamb]

Hi,

 

Can I ask why they are just writing their names? If you open up the whole writing and mark-making in CLL, you can gain so much more evidence than just writing their own name. Having their name on a sheet of paper in their file isn't the important part. Getting them to tell you what they have written, "It's a shopping list. I'm going to buy peas, carrots, milk and rice." or drawing and labelling characters from a story - even if it's play-writing is equally important. For your able chn who can already write their name, they should definitely be starting to write for a variety of reasons. They can sign the waiting list for the bikes/scooters, write a list of things they heard on a listening walk, write a letter, make a shopping list, make birthday/thank you cards, etc. If they had a challenge, like finding out the most popular fruit, they could record their findings in their own way - some will draw or write names, others might do a tally. It was also give you evidence for PSE, PSRN and KUW and encourage the more able learners. Just a few ideas.

If handwriting is a focus - often the case at the start of reception, do lots of work on fine motor skills - threading, peg boards, cutting, tap-a-shape, tweezers, pegs etc. Lots of practise of pincer motion really helps to have a strong pencil grip - then you wont have the very feint scrawl that looks like an ant crawling across a page!

If you just want them to practice name-writing: make a badge that they can decorate, or write in fun materials - mine love highlighters, invisible ink, chalk on the playground or walls, magic pens and rainbow wax crayons. If you give them some fun materials and model the process, they'll all have a go without you having to call them over.

I'd personally look at writing in lots of different contexts, not just name-writing and then I'd be able to use it as an assessment tool in lots of different areas.

 

Fluffy Lamb

[Susan]

Super ideas there Fluffy lamb, thank you.

 

I'm a bit concerned by the notion that writing isnt fun to be honest especially in reception classes where we should be looking at fine motor and gross motor skills to enhance pencil skills and handwriting of which name writing is just one element and actually quite important.

[mackdebs]

We did this too with rice and brightly coloured lentils. They were so beautiful, we kept them on show for the whole year!

[Freefaller]

Hi,

All of my indoor areas have a " I will work in the... area" clipboard where children write their names. We use the boards during recall time to find out what they managed to do in the signed area. My plan for more able is for them to record on the board what they did as well.

[Guest]

We have a signing in book.

When the children come in each morning they sign in the book, a clean page each day.

If they can write in another script we encourage this too (Ofsted lked this); we have children who can write their name in Arabic, Urdu and Thai.

We keep these books as it is always interesting to see how their name-writing progresses. they can move on to writing both names, age and even address.

hth

[Guest]

I saw an idea on here a while ago which I have used (sorry, can't remember whose idea it was!). We have a display which says 'Our Class' and each child draws a pencil drawing of themselves and writes their name underneath. This is then mounted on brightly coloured paper, different children on different coloured paper and then put on the wall. We then repeat this every term and then attach the new work on top of the old one but only securing it at the top. This means you can flick back through their work over the year and you have a wall showing their progress! Parents loved it last year!!

[janebe]

Great idea - think I'll try that too!