Experience: Tracing letters

Objective/Goals- Students will be able to identify and trace letters of the alphabet in the correct
format.

Rationale- I have observed over past couple of days, children have been able to verbalize alphabet in
correct order. This is also due to song that they have been hearing and singing along since early
years. I recognise how the focused children and many others couldn’t recognise the letter if placed in
different way. Georgia is only 3.5 year old and yet not able to recognise letters and scribble if asked
to do. Therefore, I have chosen the tracing activity as it will help with their literacy development and
letter recognition.

Space
I will set up the activity indoor on the literacy
table. As it will be steady place for children to sit
and concentrate on tracing letter. I will also
make sure the table have a place only for two at
a time so children are engaged in the activity.
Time
This activity will run for two weeks and more. As
this is new to children and requires a lot of
practice to achieve the end result.

People
All children will be informed about this new
activity on literacy table during mat time. I will
hold each printable laminated sheet in incorrect
order to see if children can recognise the letter. I
then first modelled on one of template by
drawing and following on the arrow. I asked
open ended question such as what is this letter.
What comes after this? What comes before this?
What is one word that starts with this alphabet?
Materials
 Printable laminated letter A and Z
 Colourful whiteboard markers
 ABC puzzle
 Pencils/coloured pencils
 Some white plain A4 sheets
 Dice that has letters on it.

Evaluation

Today, I set up an activity on literacy table where I placed laminated alphabets A4 size cue cards and
some erasable temporary markers for children to trace the letter. I saw just before the mat time,
children have already started to work on the activity. However, instead of tracing the letters properly
some of them have been using it just to colour in it. I realised how he activity needed to be explained
a little more so children how each letter needed to be traced by tracing on it and following the
arrows. I then let children head of for a free each letter free play. I noticed children have begun to
trace on each letter correctly. I found that Amelia was able to recognise the letter and was able to
trace her name as well as Noah but Georgia and Isaiah needed some help. I was amazed how Amelia
was able to write her name and then slowly everyone followed and asked me to show them how to
write their name. Activities like this develop a child’s control of the small muscles of the hands (fine
motor skills) allow children to make the precise movements necessary for forming letters and
improve hand/eye coordination.

Link to EYLF

Outcome 1: Children have strong sense of identity

1. Through this activity children will develop confidence and knowledge through discussion and
experience with letters and sounds.

Outcome 3: children have strong sense of well being

1. Become strong in their social and emotional wellbeing through growing knowledge of
language and literacy.

Outcome 4: children are confident and involved learners

1. Children will curiosity, enthusiasm and persistence.

2. A range of skills and processes such as investigating, observing, identifying, classifying,
cutting, pasting, painting and reading.

Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

1. Interact verbally and non-verbally with others when discussing letters, words and pictures.
Begin to understand how symbols work through knowledge that a letter symbolises a sound
or sounds.

What is next:

I will continue to extend children learning of literacy and letter recognition through teaching them
about upper and lower case letters. I will further extend it by running activity during book time and
asking them to find letters that begins with their name.