First, I have the students follow the numbers and trace the letters with their fingers. As students trace the letters, we say aloud the letter and sound: “A says /a/”. We say it over and over again as we trace the letters multiple times so they are associating that motion and letter sound together.
After tracing the letters with their fingers a minimum of 3 times, its time for some tactile bumps! I use these Mesh Plastic Craft Sheets from Amazon. They come in a pack of 12, so you can cut them in half and have a class set of 24!
With the mesh underneath, have the students trace the letters with a crayon. Do NOT use a pencil, it will break the tip. Have them trace it multiple times with the correct motion and pressing down hard to feel the bumps, while saying “A says /a/”.
After they have traced it with the crayon, have them trace the crayon writing with their finger. It will feel raised for a tactile sensation. Continue saying aloud “A says /a/” as they trace.
After they have completed the front of the sheet, flip to the back and use crayon or pencil to practice writing the letters.
I use these sheets to initially introduce each letter, and then I use them as needed for extra handwriting practice! OR if you have RTI students, they are great for reinforcement.
