get ready to write...

When I was in first grade I usually got involved with one big problem: Children don´t know how to grab a pencil!!!

To deal with this problem I had tried different strategies (a compile of them is often recommended) and I used one that brought me lot of satisfaction. 

This "booklet" prepared for the students try to make an effort on focusing in aspects like grabbing the pencil, direction of letters (pre-writing), pressure needed when writing...

I didn’t want to do just a worksheet for the students to do by themselves. I want them to know how to grab a pencil, how hard they have to press when writing and how they have to complete each line.

When I use these activities I always use a tambourine but you can also clap to show them when they have to do a line. Why? You must ask yourselves… Because as I told you this product has been made to teach them how to write.

I have seen a lot of first graders grabbing a pen in a wrong way and I think it is essential to show and practice how they should do it.

To get started I show them this picture and I explain how they have to grab the pen and how we are going to work on the book.

 

When I check that everyone grabs the pencil correctly I start knocking on the tambourine. Each bang is a line. When it gets complicated I bang the tambourine each time the line changes the direction. 

ALWAYS STARTING AT THE DOT!!

When all of us have finished doing the page in pencil they can complete the page tracing all the lines again with colored pencils. Children love it!

 

If you like the idea go and download the preview at:

I’m sure you’ll like it!