DD, who is 6 and in K, tends to reverse some of her letters and numbers. Her teacher said this is developmentally to be expected and not to worry about it. However, I'd like to work on it with her a little bit after school sometimes and during the summer. Any suggestions on programs/ techniques to use? I've heard Handwriting Without Tears is good, but does it help with letter reversals? She's left handed so I need to adapt any techniques for that...

Thanks!

We had the same problem and everyone said it was developmentally expected and not to worry (that they don't worry until 2nd grade). Just have her erase them and fix them. Get a writing board that has the numbers pre-printed (or make them yourself) and have her practice.

Carrie
and the crew...
Tyler 9/01 (9)
and Noah 10/03(7)
Andrew, Jason, and Tessa (5) 11/05

I agree wth PP. Don't worry...it is very normal! My gang is in First Grade and have stopped doing this for the most part. I would just have the erase and fix when you see them do it. Don't stress...it's normal and she will grow out of it.


Terri~
12/21/01 at 33 weeks

I was freaking out when my dd did this and then everyone else I talked to said their child did it.
I talked to friends, dr.'s and strangers and everyones children did it.
Look at other kids in her class papers and my bet is at least 90% of them do the same thing.
My dd is 7 and in 1st grade now and at the beginning of the year did it still A LOT but now 7 months into 1st grade MOST of her letters face the right way.
Not all of them, but most of them.
All I did was have her erase them and help her do it the correct way but ONLY if it was an important paper, like homework.
I did not stress about it.
She would write complete sentences backwards letters and all!

My left-handed kids did/do this as well. I was told it is because they are left-handed. Im not sure if that is true, but it has been for my girls. Four out of seven of my girls are left handed and the two that know how to write, have reversed their letters. They have even written the whole word backwards(quite a bit). It is just a developmental stage and it will pass. Endyah is in first grade and doesnt do it anymore. With my K daughter, I just erase the letter and have her rewrite it. Not a big deal. I did the same with Endyah, and it passed with her as well.

Jessika mom of
identical GGG born 11.21.01
girl 7yrs
girl 6yrs
girl 5yrs
girl 3yrs
boy 9months

thanks for the suggestions and reassurance! My DD also does the mirror writing thing sometimes too. I'm just correcting her when I see it... also bought her a dry erase board with handwriting lines on it that she loves to write on... hopefully the extra practice will pay off!
thanks again!

I bought the HWOT stuff a few weeks back, and so far I am THRILLED with it. I read a lot of stuff on homeschooling websites, and one of the comments I saw over and over was that it was so good to help kids with reversals.

The workbooks are less than $10, so definitely would be worth a try. Of course if you get excited and buy everything on the website like I did, it isn't quite so cheap!

BGG born 4/25/05 at 31w1d




New baby girl born 9/19/06