In kindergarten, we use a multi-sensory approach to teaching, developing and strengthening handwriting skills. Fun and hands-on letter writing activities with materials such as shaving cream, play dough and chalkboards help young writers to explore the formation of letters using "big lines, little lines, big curves and little curves." These four types of lines are the foundations of the hand writing program we use, Handwriting Without Tears. This common language about lines makes it easy for students to repeat in their mind or say out loud as they work to form letters independently.
Recently, the students have been practicing writing "frog jump letters," letters that begin with a big line down, frog jump back to the top. and then continue with the formation of the letter. The frog jump letters include: F E P R B D N M. A kindergartner excitedly shared that frog jump letters, "jump up like frogs. First the big line goes down, jumps all the way to the tippy top of the big line, and then the next line finishes the letter it will be!"
Using chalkboards, tiny wet sponges, paper towels and chalk, the students were ready to try a new method of practicing letter skills, Wet-Dry-Try. First, the letter lines are practiced by using a wet sponge to "erase" the chalk letter. Then the letter lines are practiced by "drying" the lines with a paper towel. The last step is to try writing the letter with chalk over the dried letter and magically the letter appears again!
After exploring a variety of opportunities writing frog jump letters with shaving cream, play dough, and with chalk, the new writers were ready to confidently share their growing fine skills using traditional paper and pencil in what one friend called, "a big kid handwriting book!"
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