If you'd rather place an order by talking to one of our cheerful order desk clerks, please call 1-888-232-4444 (USA and Canada only) or 250-383-6864. From Europe, ring our UK order desk clerk at local rate number 0845 230 9601 (UK only) or 44 (0)1865 722 113.

How Do I Make Letters?

by Debbie Todd Mitchell

16 pages; Saddle stitched; illustrated; catalogue #04-1892; ISBN 1-4120-4085-X; US$9.00, C$10.00, EUR7.50, £5.00

Teach your child how to write by breaking each letter down to its basic shape. Encourage your child to 'see' rather than just look at letters.

Read more!

About the Book      About the Author      Excerpts      Catalogue Information

About the Book

I designed this book with your child and you in mind. How frequently have you heard or asked one of the following comments or questions?

I can barely read my child's handwriting.

Why don't you form your letters better?

How can I help my son to stop writing some letters backwards?

My daughter writes letters upside down.

Sloppy handwriting again!!

This book uses the sense of sight to help address the comments and questions mentioned above. Some children have "to see" how a letter is shaped in order to clearly and properly form the letter. I have developed a system using basic geometric symbols to form or shape letters. My system may be used to help develop handwriting skills or to help improve poor handwriting habits. Dyslexic children may be able to reduce or greatly improve some of their confusions in forming the most difficult letters: p, q, b, and d. Frustrations between parent and child, or teacher and student, caused by poor handwriting, may be markedly reduced.

When a child does a drawing of a person, they will frequently use basic shapes like a circle, triangle, and sticks or lines. I felt if a child could see what forms or shapes letters, then there is a frame for them to work with. This book helps a child "to see" how geometric shapes--prominent in every aspect of our lives--are used to form clearly written letters.

Applying these basic properties, I incorporated these geometric properties for children to use in “making” their letters. Children no longer just trace the letters, but understand the shapes that make the letters up.

The entire book is based on helping your child see how letters are formed using geometric symbols.

Barbara Todd, 2004

---

About the Author

Barbara Todd studied in North Carolina, New York and Virginia. Professionally, she has worked as an educator internationally—teaching in New York, Virginia and Portugal. Not limiting herself to merely one discipline, she has developed innovative teaching techniques for both science and art and has created special techniques for educating dyslexic children. Barbara volunteers for environmental causes and at the International School in Carcavelos, Portugal. Barbara shares her life with Frank, a historian, and their abandoned dog, “Bobby,” in Portugal. They enjoy swimming, mountain biking, and listening to jazz. Both are writers and world travellers.

---

Excerpts

Some children have "to see" how a letter is shaped in order to clearly and properly form the letter. I have developed a system using basic geometric symbols to form or shape letters. My system may be used to help develop handwriting skills or to help improve poor handwriting habits. . . . This book helps a child "to see" how geometric shapes--prominent in every aspect of our lives--are used to form clearly written letters.

---

Catalogue Information

---