Homeschool World Forum

T-rabbit · User Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 4

Ok my daughter is 7 now and having a hard time with her d's and b's. Is there any advise any of you might have to teacher her to remember the difference? thanks for your help.

Dolly-VA · User Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 97

A goofy saying I made up with my dd. First of all, teach her to write "bee" (or "be"). Show her how the "b faces the e" (maybe draw a face on the b?) This works better than any of the other tricks I've tried. Good luck!

ncmom · User Joined: 13 Jul 2007 Posts: 324 Location: Eastern NC

I wrote the word "bed" and showed her how it formed the bed. The headboard is the b and the footboard is the d with the mattress being the e. I put it on a notecard and taped it to the table and let her draw a little pillow on it. After about 3 months she remembered. You could also go ahead and start cursive. I started it in the 1st grade with my daughter and that helped a lot because they look so different.

Lily · User Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 427

What style of writing are you teaching - Zaner-Blosser or D'nealian/script? Forming the letters in one stroke may help her remember better. If she is right-handed, the ASL sign for "d" forms a 'd'.
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Theodore · Posted: Mon Sep 03, 2007 6:47 pm Post subject:

How about this - b comes before d in the alphabet, and if you hold up your hands and curl the thumb inwards, your left hand becomes a b and your right hand a d.
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T-rabbit · User Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 4

Thanks for the help!! I like the bed idea and the left and right hand. I will give these a try. I am not actually home schooling my kids. I see problems they are having and I thought I should ask the experts for help( I am not a good teacher) Wink

Thanks so much everyone.

T-rabbit · User Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 4

ncmom · User Joined: 13 Jul 2007 Posts: 324 Location: Eastern NC

Zaner-Blosser or D'nealian/script, they are both print. THe first one is probably what you learned in school and looks a lot like the type on this page. The second one puts more curves and tails on the letters.

Here is a site you can go to for the zaner-Bloser:
http://www.first-school.ws/theme/alphaletter_p/a.htm

Here is a site you can go to for the D'nealian:
http://www.kinderhelper.com/DNealianWorksheets.htm

I didn't teach either personally. I taught them my way.

Lily · User Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 427

T-rabbit · User Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 4

wow thanks for the information it will help a great deal I am sure. Very Happy

laurabeth · Posted: Thu Sep 06, 2007 11:34 pm Post subject:

I just thought I would add my 6 year old dd (7 in dec) still confuses d &b too. I read (cant remember where) that that and other backwards letters in writing shouldn't be a huge concern before 3rd grade. What I remember it saying is that when children are young, they learn that for example a banana is a banana no matter what way it is sitting or standing etc, so it takes time for them to adjust to the fact that letters must be formed "correctly" or they could mean something else. I don't say this to suggest not correcting the mistakes but just as food for thought. I always correct, and have my dd correct otherwise how will she learn that tid bit about forming them correctly but I thought that was an interesting insight.

momo3boys · User Joined: 14 Feb 2006 Posts: 574 Location: Western Mass

With my son, we have a hard time with numbers as well as and b,d p,q,g. He has a learning disability so things are harder for him anyway, but they said not to worry about it until 3rd grade. Most of the time they figure it out. Just don't make a big deal out of it, and gently correct it in the formal writing but if she is writing "freely" like journaling, don't correct it. It will just get her frustrated about writing.
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ann foster · User Joined: 07 Jan 2008 Posts: 7 Location: Australia

One of my children muddled b and d and I found that the best method was to liken the shape of capital B as a mother B with a baby in its pouch similar to a joey in the mother kangaroo's pouch. Then my child was able to go over baby b with a different coloured pencil.But, you ahve been given lots of ideas and too many may confuse. Good luck!
Ann Foster
Australia

mommyto2girls · User Joined: 29 Oct 2007 Posts: 47

laurabeth, that is so interesting. i've never heard that, but it makes perfect sense!

I also never knew that denealian (sp??) had different strokes for each letter. I have just made my decision about which writing program to use!

Thanks - very interesting information here!

bruisin · Posted: Wed Jan 09, 2008 11:47 am Post subject:

my dd is dyslexic (it 'runs' in our family) and that was one of the first signs that she was having this issue.

I suggest maybe getting her tested for dyslexia along with those other things, as well.
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