K and tracing letters?

[Tabrett]

I have started writing the words in dots for my dd to trace in ETC 1. She tells me what letters to write so I know she is "doing" the work on her own. I use to make her write the words on her own, but because she mixes lower case and capital letters and can't seem to place them correctly on the lines, I decided to write the words out for her to trace. I watch her tracing to make sure she is forming the letters correctly. Her tracing is so neat and nice and she is very happy that she is tracing instead of writing on her own.

Is it ok for me to do this? Will this help or hurt her handwriting? I have her do her HWT's book on her own (I don't dot the letters).

I think this is going to help her writing, but I'm not sure.

What do you think? Anyone ever had their K'er trace for a long time? Did it help with handwriting?

Or should I stop and make her write the words on her own?

[JudoMom]

I've had mine trace, and I think it's fine and keeps them from forming bad habits. I didn't dot thought--I used a highlighter.

[Carrie1234]

I constantly struggle with doing the "right" thing for my 5yo's handwriting, even though my gut tells me there is no "right" answer!

My 10yo taught himself to write before he started ps, and he had a few... peculiarities in forming the letters. His K teacher was wonderful in telling me to ignore them. Today, he has beautiful handwriting (when he wants to, lol).

My 6yo picked up a few "bad habits" that I've gently discouraged, but I've never done any dotting. I've just given reminders. In the past few weeks, she's shown enormous improvements, mostly on her own.

You would think that this has taught me to relax with my 5yo, but it hasn't. Maybe I worry about her more b/c she's my only lefty. I honestly do believe that she'll be fine with a few of the tracing exercises in her workbooks, even if she has errors in the rest of her work, but I think I'm going to try out that highlighter method today! :)

I don't see how tracing can *hurt* a child's handwriting. It's such a developmental issue that I'm not sure how much it might actually help, but I don't see any danger in it.

[one l michele]

My ds will say the letter, I'll write it with a highlighter, and he'll trace that. He thinks that is pretty cool.

[AudreyTN]

I've used a hilighter also. My kids always enjoyed it.

[Amber in AUS]

I don't dot here. I think it is important for the child to develop spacial awareness and improve motor skills by making a best effort at getting the letters on the line with tails below the line. I do observe and make sure formation is correct.

We use blank paper with no lines at all when practicing the formation of the letters then progress to trying to get them onto a line and about the same size.

I remember in ps we didn't use lined paper until i was almost in 2nd grade. The focus was on formation, neatness and size to follow.

But i do think you need to do what works for you. Some people do the ETC lessons orally avoiding the handwriting aspect altogether so i don't think you are doing it 'wrong'.