Lesson 10/Midaaswi

LITERACY LESSON OVERVIEW: Letter Tracing

Home Visitor Lesson Overview

INDIVIDUAL LEVEL

To prepare for lifelong success in understanding Receptive and Expressive Language, children ages 3-5 should be developing the following skills.

Keep in mind:

  • The expected progression of the development of each skill is listed in order starting at (a.).
  • Every child will develop skills at their own pace.
  • If you find a child has mastered one skill, begin to move on to the next.

Writes to Convey Meaning

  1. Controlled linear scribbles
  • Scribbles lines, circles, or zigzags in rows
  • Often repats action and forms
  1. Makes mock letters or letter-like forms
  • Writes segments of letter forms, e.g., lines, curves
  • May use too many segments to create a leter e.g., fine lines on an E
  1. Makes letter strings
  • Writes some letters correctly often letters in own name
  • Writes letters in unconventional order
  • Begins to separate groups of letters with spaces
  • May copy environmental print
  1. Writing name correctly

Children should ultimately be working toward production of marks, pictures, and symbols that represent ideas.

LITERACY LESSON PLAN: Letter Tracing

Home Visitor Lesson Plan

Target DomainLITERACY: Early writing II

Objectives

Parent Skills------> / Child Skills------> / Domain Concepts:
The Child will learn to use shapes, scribbles, pictures, and letters to represent objects, stories, experiences, and ideas.
Attends to child’s skills; / Uses crayons and other writing implements;
Understands differences in learning progression; / Develops familiarity with writing tolls and practices using them;
Encourages child to handle toys and writing implements; / Practices writing beginning shapes, symbols, and letters;
Supports child in doing things on their own; / Learns medicine wheel colors and directions.
Verbally encourages child’s efforts;
Responds to child’s emotions;
Shows emotional warmth.

Materials Needed

●Pencil and Crayons

●Medicine Wheel Coloring Sheets

●“Show Me My Name” and “Capital Formation Chart”

●Sentence Writing Strips

●Tip-sheet “How to Hold a Pencil/Crayon”

Time Required

Each lesson should be around 15-20 minutes in length, to leave an appropriate amount of time to complete the rest of your home visit. However, you may adjust the time you need to complete the lesson if need be.

How to Know Skills Are Being Learned

Child: LOLLIPOP (Letter Recognition, Writing Letters)

Parent: PICCOLO (Affection, Encouragement, Responsiveness, Teaching) Parent/Child Activity Folder

Warm-Up

The goal of any warm-up is to make the parents feel more comfortable, secure, and open to asking questions. You can start the visit by engaging the participant in an informal conversation about she/he is feeling and how things are going in their life. Take as much time as you need to answer their questions and listen to their concerns, keeping in mind that these lessons can be completed in about 15-20 minutes.

Review Previous Lesson and Follow-Up with Referrals

If this isn’t the first lesson with this family, take time to review the previous lesson(s). Ask if she/he has any questions remaining from the previous session, and probe to find out if she/he remembers the teaching points – or better yet, if they have been practicing the skills at home and in the community.

Ask the following questions and document on the Medical Chart Tab on the Visit Encounter Form:

  • “Since our last visit, have you had any changes to your health insurance?”
  • “Since our last visit, have you had any changes to your medical home?”
  • “Since our last visit, have you or your child been to the doctor or hospital for any medical appointments or emergencies or other care?” If, in a previous visit with this family, any referrals were made to any services (medical, community, social services, etc.) follow-up and document that the referral was completed.

Introduction to Today’s Lesson

Introduce the lesson and skills that you will be focusing on today:

  • Use the Objectives as a guideline for introducing the specific domain concepts.
  • If necessary, review the Teaching the Medicine Wheel Tip-Sheet before introducing Medicine Wheel teachings.
  • Remind the family that the Medicine Wheel can be used to teach us about life, language, and even math and literacy.

“Today we are going to practice writing the letters of the alphabet using a pencil or a crayon to trace the letters. Then, you can use your pencil to practice writing words on the Medicine Wheel. You can even practice writing your name.”

LITERACY Activities and Interactions: Letter Tracing

Here are the steps for completing the activity. Keep in mind that each lesson will begin with the home visitor role-modeling the activity with the child then transitioning to the parent leading the activity with their child.

  1. Show the parent and child the medicine wheel worksheets, “Show Me My Name” materials, and sentence strips. The medicine wheel worksheet has words associated with medicine wheel teachings that can be used for tracing and copying. Let the child choose which tool to work on first, depending on where they are in their writing skills.
  2. Help the child set up their writing station and position their paper and body properly.
  3. Help the child hold their pencil correctly, using the tip-sheet “How to hold a pencil or crayon.”
  4. The child will now begin tracing the letters or copying words on their worksheet. At this time, do not worry if they go outside the line while tracing, especially if the child is new to writing and learning the alphabet in print. Remember that all writing is positive progress, and it takes time for children to develop their fine-motor skills. Focus on allowing the child to practice tracing while you consistently identify and read the letters and words they are working on. The progression for writing could be:
  5. Controlled linear scribbles
  6. Mock letter
  7. Makes some letter strings
  8. Writing name correctly
  9. Transition the parents to lead the activity with their child after one worksheet or a few practice letters, while the home visitor provides guidance, encouragement, and acknowledgement of a job well done. Remind the parents to always encourage, never scold, their child as they participate in this important first step to early writing.
  10. Before you go, talk with the family about other ways to help their child learn the alphabet. For example, they can read road signs, groceries, and other texts aloud to their child. It is also important that they read to their child every day. Reading and writing are connected. Provide positive feedback when parents encourages the child to handle toys and writing implements, supports the child in doing things on their own, verbally encourages the child’s efforts, show’s emotional warmth, and/or responds to the child’s emotions.

Lesson Wrap-Up

Ask the parents:

  1. What was your favorite part of today’s lesson?
  2. How could you continue practicing these activities after I leave today?

This may also be a good time to discuss any upcoming community events such as Baby Celebrations, Powwows, or health education classes.

Leave-behind Materials

Provide the parents with the following resources and any other hand-outs they may need to support their family’s learning after today’s lesson:

  • Tip-Sheet “How to Hold a Pencil/crayon”
  • “Show Me My Name” and “Capital Formation Chart”
  • Sentence Writing Strips
  • Parent/Child Activity Folder: Encourage parent to continue recording activities between home visits on the Activity Log

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