PUKEKO ROOM NEWSLETTER

Wednesday 10th February 2010

 

Dear Parents/Caregivers

Recently I have had lots of parents asking me how they can assist their child at home with early literacy. I have therefore decided to write you this letter so that I can provide you with some background information and some general guidelines on how you can help your child at home, if they are displaying an interest in, for example, writing their own name.

Before children learn to write their wrist muscles need to be strong and toned. Spreading vegemite on crackers, cutting play dough with a knife, securing stickle bricks or connect straws, opening and closing clothesline pegs, and other manipulative type things like these help develop wrist muscles; as does swinging on a swing or across the monkey bars.

Before children learn to write they also need to be able to hold a pen or pencil correctly – we encourage them to use what is called a "tripod grip". Drawing and painting help them develop this grip because they soon figure out that they have more control over the tool there are using if they hold it the way we encourage them to.

Before children learn to write children need to know what letters of the alphabet look like. Their name cards that they put on their lockers each day teaches the children what the first letter of their name looks like (it's always a capital letter) and what the rest of their name looks like (the rest of the letters are, and should only ever be, written in lowercase).

Before children learn to write they need to develop a steady hand. Different activities that we do during "Mat-times" and "Transition Group time" provide them with plenty of opportunities to practice letter formation. They practice flow and curve, where to begin and where to end.

Attached is a copy of what we (and primary schools) use when teaching children how to write Uppercase and Lowercase letters of the alphabet correctly, and numerals from 0 – 9. If you have any further queries, please do not hesitate to come and see me.

Kind Regards

Melanie Te Paa (Head Teacher of Pukeko Room).