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Kristin
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| Posted: Feb 18 2009 at 4:29pm | IP Logged
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Hi all.
When our daughter was just over three years old she showed a real interest in writing her name so I taught her (using HWT letter blocks) how to write the first letter in her name, "R". She would surprise us by often writing it perfectly, but backwards so that it would be correct when looking in a mirror. I took note of this, but decided it wasn't time to worry about it just yet.
Well, she just turned four and has returned to practicing her entire name. She still often reverses the "R", and will even write the entire name backwards, starting at the right side of the paper. Again, perfectly readable in a mirror. 
Today I had her placing magnetic letters of her name between the writing lines on a large dry erase board. I came in and she had placed them from right to left and showed no apparent awareness that anything was unusual about it. It gave me pause.
I'm wondering what your experiences have been with children her age who are making reversals like this? TIA for your advice!
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Bunch 'o Honey to my Honey Bunch and Mama to five - Noah 10y  , Rose 8y  , Dominic 2.5 y  , Oliver 16m 
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folklaur
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| Posted: Feb 18 2009 at 5:27pm | IP Logged
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My dd6 will still reverse letters in her name, be unsure about b's and d's, etc.
She has a y in her name. She always writes it backwards. She will also write many of her numbers backwards consistently.
If your mommy-instinct is firing, I do think you should listen to it.
However, I would not personally have any concerns about a child that young and letter reversals. It would be something I would maybe keep on eye on, but at just 4, I would expect it, I guess. At 8, I would be concerned...
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Sarah M
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| Posted: Feb 18 2009 at 6:49pm | IP Logged
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cactus mouse wrote:
but at just 4, I would expect it, I guess. At 8, I would be concerned...
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Yup, me too. I wouldn't worry about it at all, yet. My oldest daughter reversed a lot of her letters until she was about 6. Sometime that year, she self-corrected. I didn't have to do anything about it.
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Feb 18 2009 at 7:34pm | IP Logged
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The way I understand it.. is that they don't see the letter as incorrect.. just like you're mom whether they see you from the front, from the side, from the back or standing on your head  they do the same with letters.. it's the same letter whether it's forward or backward or upside down etc. and as was mentioned can reverse letters for a while.
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G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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ALmom
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| Posted: Feb 18 2009 at 8:39pm | IP Logged
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From our vision therapists - it is a developmental thing and very normal at 4. It is when they are still doing stuff like that at 9 and 10 that you really suspect there is something else going on. Between 5 and 9, these type things should be lessening bit by bit at least and might or might not indicate something - or could be a readiness thing, ie different folks develop at different ages.
There are lots of things you do in normal play that develop eye, brain and directionality skills. I wouldn't worry but would do lots of normal preschool things and not push a lot of bookwork.
Just my 2 cents from experience with most children having some vision issues - one that doesn't and at 4 and even now at 6 he does reverse some.
Janet
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Kristin
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| Posted: Feb 19 2009 at 8:17am | IP Logged
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So how do I manage this situation? Not say anything when she does it but continue to show her the correct way at other times?
Janet: "There are lots of things you do in normal play that develop eye, brain and directionality skills. I wouldn't worry but would do lots of normal preschool things and not push a lot of bookwork. "
What things do you recommend?
Thank you all!
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Bunch 'o Honey to my Honey Bunch and Mama to five - Noah 10y , Rose 8y , Dominic 2.5 y , Oliver 16m
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ALmom
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| Posted: Feb 19 2009 at 12:36pm | IP Logged
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Finger painting, walking a balance beam or across a curb, playing catch with a soft, rubber ball,, stringing beads, anything in Montessori practical life type stuff (most of this is stuff you do at home), cutting, stacking, when you go on a walk you play guessing games about which way to turn to get home, making patterns in a crafty sort of way (colored macaroni strung on a string). Swinging, balance board, tire swings, slides, follow the leader, simon says, twister. There is even a game that has all these shapes that you put in under a certain time (probably a bit much for 4, but might be fun at 5 or 6. Also, puzzles are great. Just about any arts and crafts type stuff. Drawing on a chalboard, playing sidewalk chalk or 4 square. Jumping rope is great (but probably need to be a bit older than 4 unless they have great coordination), skipping. Those are a few things I can think of. Songs with finger plays - put your right foot in, etc.
I can tell you some things we did for left right and other stuff but you probably wouldn't need it.
As far as correcting, make it light and fun, wow you see that the b is made from a straight line and curves, but it actually faces this way. ie give a big compliment for something deserving and then kind of play by ear but very, very casually show them how it is written. Don't labor over it, or make it a big deal but make sure the child does see it done correctly too. Or you might put the magnet spelling the word correctly right above what they did and see if they can find the other m and the other whichever letter and casually point out that this is the one that spells the word. You'll have to make a call based on temperment - you don't want them stressed, but you don't want them getting used to seeing it wrong either. You don't want to nitpick, and you'll know that you've struck on the right balance when their is a fun and cheerful atmosphere.
Hope this helps some.
Oh, edited to add that you can do some fun exercises tracing lines but have the start points left to right to get used to the way we read. You see a lot of this kind of stuff in pre-k workbooks. The idea is that you want them used to top down, left, right before reading or writing. Also you can play games, using direction words like under, over, between.
Janet
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Kristin
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| Posted: Feb 19 2009 at 2:06pm | IP Logged
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Thanks for all the info, Janet 
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Bunch 'o Honey to my Honey Bunch and Mama to five - Noah 10y , Rose 8y , Dominic 2.5 y , Oliver 16m
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4Real Forums : Special Blessings
Topic: Concerned about 4yo DD's letter reversal
