| Nowadays most schools let children print in block | | | | According to Maria Montessori some children learn |
| letters like the keys on a keyboard instead of | | | | to read first, while others learn to write first. It |
| teaching writing as in continuous cursive. Probably | | | | depends on the child. I have the child trace the |
| a lot of parents cannot see any benefit in | | | | new words or phonic sounds with Montessori |
| teaching writing as their children spend more time | | | | sandpaper letters and this helps to write the new |
| on a keyboard than with a pen and notepad. With | | | | words in the child's mind. While tracing the |
| the influx of modern technology in the classroom | | | | sandpaper letters the child is actually writing with |
| and university it would seem that writing is going | | | | her fingers so this is the start of the writing |
| extinct. | | | | process. Sometimes teaching writing too early can |
| But it doesn't have to be that way. | | | | hinder learning to read in some children. Because |
| Your children still need to be able to write so you, | | | | writing takes a longer time than reading it can |
| the parent, need to know how to teach your | | | | slow down the child as she spends more time |
| children to write. Teaching writing is not too | | | | trying to write. If your child is a slow writer just |
| difficult and once your children know how to write | | | | stick to reading. |
| they can write on cards and write shopping lists. I | | | | The school system of today has no time for slow |
| prefer the Montessori way of teaching writing and | | | | writers but the main problem has more to do |
| reading as it uses a hands on approach and can | | | | with hand strength than slow writing. Under the |
| be used with a school textbook. | | | | Montessori system the child's hand strength is built |
| The basics behind the Montessori approach is | | | | up every day. Therefore when they start to |
| sandpaper letters. You make up the words your | | | | write the child can control the pencil. If your child |
| child is learning at school or kindergarten. And your | | | | is having problems with writing, start by building up |
| child traces the sandpaper letter feeling the | | | | your child's hand strength. This simple act seems |
| texture of the sandpaper under her fingertips. | | | | to eliminate a lot of writing problems. Under the |
| This feeling the letters, helps to implant the letters | | | | Montessori system the child will start to write by |
| and words and how to write them in your child's | | | | themselves. After tracing the sandpaper letters |
| mind. When tracing the words your child is actually | | | | the child will usually pick up a pencil and just start |
| going through the motions of writing without a | | | | to write without any encouraging. The first part |
| pencil. This gets the hand and arm muscles read | | | | of the writing process is learning to hold a pencil |
| to start writing when your child picks up a pen. | | | | and coloring in different sized shapes. This gets |
| Writing like most learning takes time, and I think | | | | the muscles in the hand and arm ready for |
| the Montessori approach with sandpaper letters | | | | writing. The earlier children start to hold and use a |
| actually shortens the time it takes for you to | | | | pencil the earlier they will start to write. |
| teach your child to write. | | | | |