Problems writing letters and numbers

[RareBreed]

My preschooler is struggling with his writing skills. There are some letters and numbers that he does fine with and others that he doesn't seem to have a clue on, especially lower case letters. So far, they have practiced A-K. I have tried workbooks, worksheets, tracing letters/numbers, and "free-hand". He has no problems recognizing his letters and numbers.

It's almost like he's trying to write things backwards. He is left-handed which I don't find as an excuse as I too am a lefty and my mom says that I never struggled this badly with writing. I am getting worried and don't want him falling behind. Any ideas of what I can do to help him? Any great websites out there that may offer better worksheets to try with him? With Kindergarten being so much more advanced than it was when I was 5, I want to get this problem resolved before he starts.

Also, I know this is jumping the gun but would I be able to "hold him back" for another year of preschool or does he legally have to enter Kindergaten when he is 5? I'd rather him repeat pre-K than Kindergarten and see all his friends advance into 1st. Any advice/ideas would be appreciated. I am trying to not over-react as there's still 6 more months of school but worry has really set in.

 

[SouthernMdRocks]

My preschooler is struggling with his writing skills. There are some letters and numbers that he does fine with and others that he doesn't seem to have a clue on, especially lower case letters. So far, they have practiced A-K. I have tried workbooks, worksheets, tracing letters/numbers, and "free-hand". He has no problems recognizing his letters and numbers.

It's almost like he's trying to write things backwards. He is left-handed which I don't find as an excuse as I too am a lefty and my mom says that I never struggled this badly with writing. I am getting worried and don't want him falling behind. Any ideas of what I can do to help him? Any great websites out there that may offer better worksheets to try with him? With Kindergarten being so much more advanced than it was when I was 5, I want to get this problem resolved before he starts.

Also, I know this is jumping the gun but would I be able to "hold him back" for another year of preschool or does he legally have to enter Kindergaten when he is 5? I'd rather him repeat pre-K than Kindergarten and see all his friends advance into 1st. Any advice/ideas would be appreciated. I am trying to not over-react as there's still 6 more months of school but worry has really set in.

My little guy is a lefty.. you should give him some tests, easy home tests, to see if he might have an issue. PM me, my oldest had a problem with writing/visual skills.

 

[wearepbandj]

My preschooler is struggling with his writing skills. There are some letters and numbers that he does fine with and others that he doesn't seem to have a clue on, especially lower case letters. So far, they have practiced A-K. I have tried workbooks, worksheets, tracing letters/numbers, and "free-hand". He has no problems recognizing his letters and numbers.

It's almost like he's trying to write things backwards. He is left-handed which I don't find as an excuse as I too am a lefty and my mom says that I never struggled this badly with writing. I am getting worried and don't want him falling behind. Any ideas of what I can do to help him? Any great websites out there that may offer better worksheets to try with him? With Kindergarten being so much more advanced than it was when I was 5, I want to get this problem resolved before he starts.

Also, I know this is jumping the gun but would I be able to "hold him back" for another year of preschool or does he legally have to enter Kindergaten when he is 5? I'd rather him repeat pre-K than Kindergarten and see all his friends advance into 1st. Any advice/ideas would be appreciated. I am trying to not over-react as there's still 6 more months of school but worry has really set in.

Have you talked to his teacher? Maybe thats the way he sees it. He might be dyslexic. My sin is 3 1/2 and he has speech issues which are cause some learning issues. He still doesn't know his abc's and can't count pass 10. But he has early intervention. I would bring it up with the teacher then go from there.I would just keep going over each letter/number over and over again. If you feel that your not getting the answers that you need call child find. They helped me out.I wish you the best.

 

[RareBreed]

Have you talked to his teacher? Maybe thats the way he sees it. He might be dyslexic. My sin is 3 1/2 and he has speech issues which are cause some learning issues. He still doesn't know his abc's and can't count pass 10. But he has early intervention. I would bring it up with the teacher then go from there.I would just keep going over each letter/number over and over again. If you feel that your not getting the answers that you need call child find. They helped me out.I wish you the best.

If he was dyslexic, wouldn't he also see his letters and numbers backwards? He is fine reading his letters and numbers, just some give him trouble writing them. He does the step to writing some letters/numbers out of order, if you know what I mean. Such as 5. He will start with the last step and make the curve first, then the line up and then the line over. Or with "a", he does the line first and then the curve, making it look more like a "d" or will do cI and not connect the two.

I will keep working with him as well as his teachers. I know it takes time but as they get progressing, I feel like he's falling behind. I will keep Child Find in mind if needed. Thanks!

 

[greyhound]

I'd say give him time. He is only in pre-school. Remember....he will be learning letter formation in Kindergarten as wells as 1st grade. Don't expect him to be able to form all letters before he enters elementary school. His fine motor skills will develope further as he gets older.

 

[wearepbandj]

If he was dyslexic, wouldn't he also see his letters and numbers backwards? He is fine reading his letters and numbers, just some give him trouble writing them. He does the step to writing some letters/numbers out of order, if you know what I mean. Such as 5. He will start with the last step and make the curve first, then the line up and then the line over. Or with "a", he does the line first and then the curve, making it look more like a "d" or will do cI and not connect the two.

I will keep working with him as well as his teachers. I know it takes time but as they get progressing, I feel like he's falling behind. I will keep Child Find in mind if needed. Thanks!

Just in case Betsy St. Lawrence is the lady i contacted at Child find.

 

[WildCherry]

I'd say give him time. He is only in pre-school. Remember....he will be learning letter formation in Kindergarten as wells as 1st grade. Don't expect him to be able to form all letters before he enters elementary school. His fine motor skills will develope further as he gets older.

If you want to encourage him to use those fine motor skills. Get him some small things to work with, like Lego's or Knex or puzzles. That will help develop them some. But don't pressure him, it will come in time. That is what's wrong with kids they get too much pressure to excel before the time is right and it makes them feel like a failure if they can't do it.

 

[RareBreed]

I'd say give him time. He is only in pre-school. Remember....he will be learning letter formation in Kindergarten as wells as 1st grade. Don't expect him to be able to form all letters before he enters elementary school. His fine motor skills will develope further as he gets older.

Well, the teachers are showing great concern with this so it's getting me worried. I agree with you that he doesn't need to be perfect in writing them. Just needs the basic concept of them, which on some, he lacks greatly. I will keep working with him and try not to stress over it.

Granted, it's just pre-K but in today's schools, pre-K is like Kindergarten when I was young. Kindergarten is the new 1st grade, etc. My son is in 2nd and is reading whole books, writing in cursive, and doing double digit math. The curriculum is a lot different than how I remember it.

 

[foodcritic]

My preschooler is struggling with his writing skills. There are some letters and numbers that he does fine with and others that he doesn't seem to have a clue on, especially lower case letters. So far, they have practiced A-K. I have tried workbooks, worksheets, tracing letters/numbers, and "free-hand". He has no problems recognizing his letters and numbers.

It's almost like he's trying to write things backwards. He is left-handed which I don't find as an excuse as I too am a lefty and my mom says that I never struggled this badly with writing. I am getting worried and don't want him falling behind. Any ideas of what I can do to help him? Any great websites out there that may offer better worksheets to try with him? With Kindergarten being so much more advanced than it was when I was 5, I want to get this problem resolved before he starts.

Also, I know this is jumping the gun but would I be able to "hold him back" for another year of preschool or does he legally have to enter Kindergaten when he is 5? I'd rather him repeat pre-K than Kindergarten and see all his friends advance into 1st. Any advice/ideas would be appreciated. I am trying to not over-react as there's still 6 more months of school but worry has really set in.

I would just relax. First he is a boy and boys tend to be slower in their find motor skills than girls. If you make to big of a deal about it he will come to hate doing it and then you will have a real problem on your hands. Its true that they expect so much more from kids these days and I think that we push them to do things that they are not physically and mentally ready for. I would just relax and let him work it out.

 

[RareBreed]

If you want to encourage him to use those fine motor skills. Get him some small things to work with, like Lego's or Knex or puzzles. That will help develop them some. But don't pressure him, it will come in time. That is what's wrong with kids they get too much pressure to excel before the time is right and it makes them feel like a failure if they can't do it.

It's his ability to grasp the concept of how to form certain letter and numbers. Giving him Legos will not help him learn how to write letters and numbers on paper.

In no way do I make my kids feel like a failure. I don't need him to excel, just learn the basic concept. I am sure he'll be fine in the long run. It's just hard waiting for his "light bulb moment".

 

[greyhound]

Well, the teachers are showing great concern with this so it's getting me worried. I agree with you that he doesn't need to be perfect in writing them. Just needs the basic concept of them, which on some, he lacks greatly. I will keep working with him and try not to stress over it.

Granted, it's just pre-K but in today's schools, pre-K is like Kindergarten when I was young. Kindergarten is the new 1st grade, etc. My son is in 2nd and is reading whole books, writing in cursive, and doing double digit math. The curriculum is a lot different than how I remember it.

Is he in the Pre-K program within the public school system? If the teacher is concerned I would seek his/her advice.

I am very well versed in the 1st and 2nd grade curriculum.

 

[RareBreed]

Is he in the Pre-K program within the public school system? If the teacher is concerned I would seek his/her advice.

I am very well versed in the 1st and 2nd grade curriculum.

No, private preschool. All I was implying about the curriculum is that I am surprised how advanced it is nowadays.

 

[greyhound]

Rarebreed....check your PM

 

[MMDad]

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I'd say give him time. He is only in pre-school. Remember....he will be learning letter formation in Kindergarten as wells as 1st grade. Don't expect him to be able to form all letters before he enters elementary school. His fine motor skills will develope further as he gets older.

Sounds like the kid is normal, but Mom could use a Xanax or ten.

 

[Cowgirl]

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Sounds like the kid is normal, but the teachers could use a Xanax or ten.

:fixed:

 

[RareBreed]

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Sounds like the kid is normal, but Mom could use a Xanax or ten.

More like the teachers do. I was fine with his development until they started making it an issue. I really don't know what they expect. They sent home notes to 90% of the kids parents saying that their kid needs speech therapy. It's almost like they are patronizing me about it now.

 

[RareBreed]

:fixed:

I was just replying the same thing while you were posting that!!

 

[LusbyMom]

Honestly I wouldn't worry about it. My son went to PK and at the end he couldn't write all of his letters. He didn't even know all of his letters. He went on to K and for the first half of the year he was still struggling with it and then BAM the light bulb came on.

His K teachers and I stayed in contact throughout that time. He is now in 3rd grade and you would never know he had all those problems in the beginning.

 

[RareBreed]

Honestly I wouldn't worry about it. My son went to PK and at the end he couldn't write all of his letters. He didn't even know all of his letters. He went on to K and for the first half of the year he was still struggling with it and then BAM the light bulb came on.

His K teachers and I stayed in contact throughout that time. He is now in 3rd grade and you would never know he had all those problems in the beginning.

I won't worry about it. I just need to get the teachers outta my hiney about it.

 

[Pandora]

I'd say give him time. He is only in pre-school. Remember....he will be learning letter formation in Kindergarten as wells as 1st grade. Don't expect him to be able to form all letters before he enters elementary school. His fine motor skills will develope further as he gets older.

It is completely normal for children, at that age, to write backwards and show signs of 'dyslexia.' I would keep a very close eye on it, at this point, and I would not dismiss that parental instinct just yet.

There is a fabulous book out titled “The Mislabeled Child” by the Founders of the Eide Neurolearning Clinic that might be worth the read for you. If anything, it will give you cues on what exactly to look for and hints on how to work with the writing difficulty.