Pre-writing teaching aid and method to assist beginning writers in creating letters

A pre-writing teaching aid and method assists beginning writers in creating letters. The teaching aid includes a tray having a recessed area surrounded by a tray frame. A plurality of cards respectively depict alphanumeric characters, where each of the cards includes a start indicator designating a starting point for forming the depicted character. The students use dough having a consistency that is moldable into strips for forming the alphanumeric characters depicted on the cards in the tray. The teaching aid utilizes multi-sensory teaching methods to make it easy and fun for students to form letters and numbers correctly.

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a teaching apparatus and method and, more particularly, to a pre-writing teaching aid and method to assist beginning writers in creating letters and pre-writing strokes.

Helping children develop a strong foundation is an important goal for an educator. It is particularly rewarding to teach younger children since relative learning rates of young children are extraordinary, enabling teachers to watch the children blossom in the learning environment they create.

Children love to play, which is how they learn. By playing with one another, children not only learn valuable concepts, they learn how to socialize and get along with others. A play-based learning activity thus serves as an effective teaching tool. Children who feel safe and successful in their environment naturally enjoy participating and being involved with others. It is important to design an activity so that all children can participate even though they may be participating at different developmental levels. The activity should be designed to methodically and consistently teach the words children need to follow directions. When children know the meaning of words such as top/middle/bottom, big/little, line/curve, my turn/your turn, under/over, start/stop, etc., they can easily understand and follow directions. They can participate and complete tasks with confidence.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The teaching aid of the invention incorporates the use of dough to assist beginning writers in creating letters. Dough provides a multi-sensory learning experience for the students that is productive and fun. Start indicators along with a smiley face or other character starting cue and borders make it easy for the students to form letters and numbers correctly.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a pre-writing teaching aid assists beginning writers in creating letters. The pre-writing teaching aid includes a tray including a recessed area surrounded by a tray frame, a plurality of cards respectively depicting alphanumeric characters, and dough, preferably colored differently than the tray or the cards. Each of the cards includes a start indicator, such as an arrow, designating a starting point for forming the depicted character. The dough has a consistency that is moldable into strips for forming the alphanumeric characters depicted on the cards in the tray. The tray preferably includes a visual cue such as a happy face in an upper left-hand corner region of the tray frame. The cards may be sized to fit in the recessed area of the tray, and the alphanumeric characters may be depicted in strips of mock dough. Each of the cards may include an image relating to the depicted alphanumeric character to assist the beginning writers with phonological awareness. In this context, the images are positioned near a top of the card to assist the beginning writers in properly orienting the cards.

In another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a method of assisting beginning writers in creating letters and pre-writing strokes uses the pre-writing teaching aid of the invention. The method includes the steps of (a) a teacher demonstrating how to roll the dough into strips; (b) a student imitating the teacher to roll the dough into strips; (c) selecting a card; (d) the teacher shaping the dough into strips suitable for forming the character depicted on the card; (e) the teacher forming the character depicted on the card in the tray by starting at the starting point; and (f) the student imitating the teacher steps (d) and (e). Step (e) may be practiced for some letters by aligning one of the strips with the visual cue. The method may further include, after step (c) and before step (e), placing the card into the tray.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the FIGURES, the teaching aid of the invention includes a tray10having a recessed area12surrounded by a tray frame14. A visual cue16, such as a happy face, is provided in an upper left-hand corner region of the tray frame14. The positioning of the visual cue16is deliberate as it serves as a starting point to assist students in learning the “top to bottom, left to right” habit (i.e., correct directionality) in learning to form letters. Many of the letters are formed beginning in the upper left-hand region of the page or letter area, and the positioning of the visual cue16reinforces this important concept in learning proper letter formation. The tray10gives the students a frame of reference to assist them in forming characters in the correct location, forming letters without reversals, forming letters in the correct size and proportionality, etc. The depth of the tray facilitates use of the dough and may also be filled with sand or shaving cream or the like so students can write out letters in different mediums using their fingers.

The teaching aid also includes a plurality of cards18, an exemplary of one of which is illustrated inFIG. 2. The cards18are preferably sized to fit in the recessed area12of the tray10. Each card18illustrates an alphanumeric character (‘A’ inFIG. 2) depicted in strips22of mock dough. The card18models how the students should form the letters with the rolled out “snakes” of dough. Each character20is provided with a start indicator24such as an arrow as shown designating a starting point for forming the depicted character20. Each card18also depicts an image26that relates to the depicted alphanumeric character20to assist the students with phonological awareness.FIG. 2illustrates an apple. The numeric cards may show a corresponding number of images (e.g., the card depicting the number ‘3’ may illustrate three fish or other images to assist students). As shown, the image26is positioned near a top of the card18, which also serves to assist the students in properly orienting the cards18.

In a preferred embodiment, the cards18are formed from yellow laminated card stock with the characters being shown in mock red dough.

FIG. 3is a schematic illustration of dough28used with the teaching aid of the invention. Any suitable dough may be used having a consistency that is moldable into strips30for forming the alphanumeric characters20depicted on the cards18. Preferably, the dough28is colored differently than the tray10and the cards18.

In a teaching method using the teaching aid of the invention, a teacher may first demonstrate how to roll the dough28into strips30. The students then imitate the teacher. This activity helps children build strength in their fingers and hands. When the students are comfortable rolling the dough28into strips30, either the teacher or students selects one of the cards18. The teacher then shapes the dough28into strips30suitable for forming the character20depicted on the card18. Subsequently, the teacher forms the character20depicted on the card18in the tray10by starting at the starting point. The students then imitate the steps illustrated by the teacher. As noted, for many letters, the character20is formed at first by aligning one of the strips30with the visual cue16. Preferably, after selecting the card18, the card18is placed in the recessed area12of the tray10. The students can then place their strips30directly on the card18to ensure they are forming the letter properly. Of course, as the students learn to form the letters, the card18can be removed, and the students can form the letters from the strips30of dough28directly on the tray10.

With the teaching aid of the invention, beginning writers can learn to properly form characters using multi-sensory methods. The smiley face starting cue and tray borders make it easy for students to form letters and numbers correctly.