my son is six years old and in kindergarten but writing backwards?!?

Question

my son writes some numbers like the 2, 5, 7 and some letters like S, J, B backwards, it is not just the same letters and numbers all the time though, and we practice at home and he will write it backwards so i have him write it the correct way about twenty times, but at school he says that he forgets and all his work that he brings home has backwards stuff on it, is this normal or should i be concerned and what else can i do to help him?

Answer 1

Writing numbers and letters backwards is extremely common and very normal in kindergarten and first grade and even happens sometimes in 2nd grade as well. A large part of the kindergarten curriculum and first grade curriculum will address learning proper formation of letters and numbers. It is OK to have him practice at home, but only make it fun and don't spend an excessive amount of time on it. As he learns and practices and his small motor skills become more developed then he will begin to form the letters correctly more often. At his age, be careful not to make perfection his goal since it will be difficult for him to attain and will likely lead to frustation. Encourage him by noticing and pointing out the letters and numbers he forms correctly on the work he brings home from school. Assure him that he will get better with practice. Put his work up on the refrigerator or a bulletin board even if it is not all correct. He needs to know you are proud of what he can do. Let him use different media to practice writing in. Finger paint, sand, shaving cream, and bathtub paints are all fun things to write in. Use different writing utensils such as paint brush, sticks, plastic knife, Q-tip (dipped in water and write on black paper is fun) etc. You can also use a paint brush and a bucket of water and "paint" on the side of the house or on the sidewalk. Some children and often boys learn well using tactile (sense of touch) methods. You can cut letters out of sandpaper and have him trace them with his fingers. It is unneccessary for him to practice writing a number or letter 20 times. This is terribly boring for anyone and it is questionable from an educational stand point as to the value of it. It is a good idea to discuss your concern with your son's teacher. He/she will be able to let you know if he is on track and if there are other suggestions of things to do at home. Good teachers love parents who are concerned about their child's education and want to help out. ADDED: Your son is NOT dyslexic simply because he writes letters backwards. This is not a reliable sign at his age. More common things to watch for are inablilty to recognize letters on a printed page, difficulty rhyming, late talker, and difficulty following directions.

Answer 2

This is totally normal - in fact, my twins are in 1st grade and 1/2 way through the school year the teacher sent a letter home with all the kids letting the parents know that spelling words would now start getting marked wrong on the test if any letters are backward. I guess by this that it is expected until about the middle of 1st grade that kids don't always write their letters the right way. It's the same with numbers - don't worry, just be patient and keep working with him..

Answer 3

I've been teaching 1st grade for 8 years and I have to say that this is one of the main topics I discuss at my Back to School Nights! Not only is it because parents always ask me about this but also because it's very common amongst children in kindergarten and 1st grade. At this point in time, more than likely it's not a sign of dyslexia. It's just the beginning of school. Usually, it's completely developmental! From continued practice and instruction with handwriting and writing in general, your son should begin to print letters and numbers without reversals by the end of 1st grade. What you can do is point out to your son that a letter(s) or number(s) don't look right and have him find his reversal mistakes and have him correct them. Extra practice wouldn't hurt. Be consistent. If you're noticing that the reversals are increasing overtime and/or it's just not getting better midway through 1st grade, and/or when identifying letters and numbers are difficult for him, then I'd look into talking with a learning specialist. Don't be worried quite yet! Just work with him a little. He should be fine!

Answer 4

Definition of Dyslexia
Dyslexia is an impairment of the ability to read, as a result of a variety of pathologic conditions, some of which are associated with the central nervous system.


Description of Dyslexia
Dyslexic persons often reverse letters and words, cannot adequately distinguish the letter sequences in written words, and have difficulty in understanding left from right.

Some reading experts doubt that dyslexia is a pathologic disorder and believe the condition represents a combination of reading problems, each of which should be isolated by specific tests. The problems cited by these authorities are poor vision, impaired hearing, emotional immaturity, lack of physical development, psychic stress, and inadequate reading instruction.


Over the years, the term dyslexia has been given a variety of definitions, and for this reason, some teachers have resisted using the term at all. Instead, they have used such terms as "reading disability" or "learning disability" to describe conditions more correctly designated as dyslexia.


Although there is no universally recognized definition of dyslexia, the one presented by the World Federation of Neurology has won broad respect: "A disorder manifested by difficulty in learning to read despite conventional instruction, adequate intelligence, and sociocultural opportunity."



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Answer 5

I would first talk with your son's teacher and try to get the best understanding of the situation that you could. (How often does it happen, more in the morning or afternoon, certain letters and numbers more than others etc...) After that, talking with a specialist (which I am not) about the possibility of Dyslexia would be a good start.
For the meantime, when your going over the lessons at home try to be patient and understanding. Having him write the individual letters or numbers over and over may not be the best way to go, especially if it doesn't seem to be working. It may also make him feel pressured (stress could increase this happening) and/or guilty that he can't seem to get it 'right.'
Try making him very comfortable and in a relaxed and non pressured way have him write them numbers or letters in a sequence ( 1234etc..or ABCDetc...) and emphasize to him that he should take his time and do them slowly. This may help.

Answer 6

When I was around that age (kindergarten), I used to write letters like N backwards a lot. Now I have good handwriting and get As in all my English classes. It will probably go away by itself. However, it could be a sign of a problem if it continues into about second grade or if you notice other signs of dyslexia.

Answer 7

My daughter is like this as well. I thought it was dyslexia but its not. They just forget which is very easy when you think about ALL the letters and numbers they learning to write.
I spoke to my daughters teacher and she said to just remind her to do it the right way around when she did it backwards at home. So that way both her teacher and I were using the same technique and same words to correct her. Dont make him write it out 20 times, thats to much.
Just say " oops, thats backwards lets try again" and if you have to remind him how to do it the right way around then do so. But dont make a big deal out of it as you will just make him feel bad. Which wont help his learning.
With my daughter I also printed out the alphabet and numerals so she can see the right way to do it. So when she gets confused she looks at it and can see the correct way.

Answer 8

It could be that he's just 6 and hes young so hes still learning or else he has dyslexia. I had that problem a lot when i was really little and always mixed my b's and d's up.

I wasn't properly diagnosed with dyslexia till I was like 11 because some teacher convinced my parents when I was 7 that she was a dyslexia specialist and that I did not have it I would grow out of what I was doing etc.

Its worth going and getting him tested because my un-diagnosed dyslexia made school work a lot harder for me and what harm is there if it turns ot he isn't dyslexic?? At least talk with his teacher about it and see what she says(hopefully she will be more helpfull then mine was...)

It will make his life a LOT easier

hope that halps you ;)

Answer 9

This is completely normal. If he keeps doing this past the 3rd grade, then you need to see what is wrong. My oldest son is in 4th grade and my middle son is in 2nd grade. They both did this alot. My son in the 2nd grade still has trouble with his b and d sometimes. But he is beginning to correct it. No need to sit there and make your son write the letters the right way 20 times. It will correct itself. The teacher should know this too. My sons school would tell me, that is normal, not to worry.

Answer 10

This is completely normal. Most children write backwards in their younger years. Just continue to practice with him and show him how you write your letters (the correct way)! It'll come to him soon.