Homework Help: Use fingerspelling to improve your child’s spelling

According to Rae Pica of BAM Radio, “Children learn best through active involvement.” Some common strategies that actively involve children as they learn new spelling words include:

  • tracing letters in the air
  • tracing letters on sandpaper or in a sand tray
  • tracing letters in shaving cream on a desk

Another way to add meaningful movement to spelling is to use fingerspelling (manual alphabet). Here’s how:

  • Learn the manual alphabet with your child at the beginning of the school year.
  • Practice new spelling words by fingerspelling each letter as you say its name aloud.
  • If there are patterns in the words (the consonant blend “str”, for example), see how many times you can fingerspell the patterned letters in 10, 15 or 30 seconds.
  • Practice by fingerspelling a word to your child and letting her guess the word. Now give your child a turn while you guess the spelling word!

Get started today with the Practice Time ABCs video from Signing Time!

Already have it? Here are some more great resources for fingerspelling:

Handy links:

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