Name Writing

[green hippo]

Hi all,

Just wondering how others teach name writing as I've seen so many different ways of doing it and am also aware of differing opinions about how NOT to do it!

We currently have all the children's names handwritten on laminated cards which match the picture on their peg. These name cards are velcroed to the side of the mark-making cupboard. We initially play 'finding-name' games to show the children where their name is, then encourage children to find their name if they are attempting to write it. They can also practise writing over it with the whiteboard pens. Currently, we don't do any trace-writing on paper e.g. over dots but I noticed that my son's Nursery did this all through the year - even before my son could hold a pencil properly. Of course, you can see the progress but I'm not sure if this is the best way? They seem to spend an awful lot of time on this - may be we're not doing enough?

What do others do? Is doing lots of tracing a good idea? Should we continue support and encourage those who show an interest and gently introduce it to those who don't?

Thanks

Green Hippo x

[Guest]

I think you've answered your own question in the last sentence. We keep a selection of mark making tools and a variety of writing resources on the writing desk along with childrens name cards and when they show interest, we guide them. We do a lot of structured work on listening to and sounding letters rather than 'teaching' them to write their names

[Inge]

I have a big aversion to dots to write over and follow for writing of any kind

 

better to help them develop the skills they will need to hold pencil correctly and let them enjoy the product of making marks at this age.. they will develop the writing when they are ready for it, and you will know when to introduce it.

 

I had a child come to us from another nursery where they had been doing the dots to write the name and she could write her name very well... BUT she wrote the dots first to write over! she could not write it without making the dots herself to write over.. she thought hat was the way to write, dots first then write over it, and did it for everything she 'wrote' - we never did stop her doing it, we had her 6 months but it was a habit she had formed and we tried many ways to change it but did not manage it..

[Guest]

Hi what kind of setting are you in? If you are pre school I would say to introduce it as interest is shown but if you are in reception (as this forum would suggest), I would be very worried about a child who had reached this end of the year without being able to write their name and I would be working with them to write it. As a reception teacher I usually have about 1/2 my children coming in being able to write their names and one of the first things we do with them in september is lots of activities in guided group to teach them how to write their names from painting them, making in playdough, painting in glue and glittering, tracing cards etc. so that usually by Christmas they have it in the bag. I really don't like going over dots and prefer them to write over yellow felt tip with just 1 dot to show where to begin. Out of the children who come to me being able to write their name the vast majority of them formed their letters incorrectly which is much harder to correct once established and so I would suggest that if children are keen to write their name then guiding them to correct formation (even if you don't agree with dots or tracing etc) is better for the child in the long run.

Deb

[green hippo]

Hi,

I'm in a school Nursery so not at the stage of worrying that the children are behind. The reception teacher has never said anything negative either - so I'm probably worrying about nothing (as usual!!) but just wondered whether we should be 'teaching' name-writing more reguarly so that all the children have a chance to learn to write their names not just the ones who show an interest. We also have a few children that come into Nursery who have learnt to copy their names in their own 'style' or indeed in capitals and it's hard to tell them that "here we do it like this..." and try to get them out of their habit. Even after all the practice that my little boy had in his Nursery year he has only just started to form a 'o' in the correct direction and start the 'n' from the top - he hasn't had as much trouble learning to form other letters that are not in his name!

Thanks for all your help

Green Hippo x

[Guest]

hi i am in a nursery setting and have a mark making area with various mark making tools and the children' s name cards etc. The children self register every morning with most recognising their own name and then separate name cards are put in to the mark making area. Each year for me has been very different, last years group the children were not interested in writing at all however this years group i have at least half the class writing their name. You will always have some who are either not ready to write or just not interested especially boys as they would rather be constructive or outside. At least once a week i do sit with the children tracing their name from their name card so that at least the children who are not interested get practise of writing their name.

 

hope this helps kate x

[Guest]

As a Reception teacher I often find that those who come to school already 'writing' their name often use capital letters or do not form their letters correctly - tend to create a shape that looks like the letter, and it is a struggle to evolve into correct formation, whilst those who come to school not actually recording their own name have much better formation once they get round to it. I think parents often like to see their child 'writing' their name in whatever form possible, as soon as possible.

We write each child's name in bubble writing - i.e with a space inside for their whiteboard pen, red dots for starting point on each letter - on A4 paper, laminate it, they practise writing inside their name, and progress to copying under the model as they are ready. Baseline assessment groups them into green, yellow or red dots on reverse of sheet so we know green are ready to form letters quite soon, yellow need longer, and red need lots and lots of fine motor development before they access formal name writing. Like everyone else we do lots of formation in the air, on carpet with fingers as we introduce letter sounds, scarves outside, paint brushes and water as well as all the cont prov of sand and water eye coordination, play dough, pegs, tweezers, beads, construction etc. We have also introduced (Shonette Bason idea) play dough disco where each child has a small piece of playdough, and we give our fingers a work out to a disco tune each day - they love it as they roll, squeeze, flatten playdough then Tommy thumb goes for a dance, Ruby ring etc.

[Susan]

red dots for starting point on each letter -

 

I was advised to use a green dot for go and a red dot for stop, as it is dyslexia friendly.

[lashes2508]

Thanks Iri for all the info - our EY teacher has also said the same re; children not necessarily writing before they start school - it is often the parents - some great ideas though - love the dough disco