Letter Formation

Learning to form letters correctly is a huge part of handwriting efficiency. Before teaching letter formation, children need to master the ability to trace, copy, draw lines and shapes, and patterns. This is part of the prewriting stage. When teaching letter formation, letters should always begin from a top-to-bottom approach. For right-handed children, letter formation begins from a top-to-bottom, left-to-right approach. Left-handed children also begin from the top-to-bottom but, can begin from a right-to-left approach because of the way their hand is positioned during handwriting. The common factor here is that letters ALWAYS begin from a top-to-bottom approach.