Backward letters will hurt your child's reading success



Help your child get
control of
the tricky letters.

Only between 1%  and  3% of the population are true dyslexics. Dyslexia is real and tons of work for a child to overcome. Luckily, very few children are dyslexic.

A child can look dyslexic because it is natural for a child to start out printing the ABCs backward. Only b, d, g, p, q require your attention. Ignore all other backward letters. They will not slow your child and will self-correct by mid-2nd Grade. Control of b, d, g, p, q is crucial. Spend your child's limited energy being sure your child can correctly identify letter shape and sound for b, d, g, p, q when these letters are used in words - at the start of 1st Grade. 

Parents depend on preschool and kindergarten to have their child ready but there are 52 letter shapes and a huge variety of sounds. Please realize that slow recognizing b, d, g, p, q within words will stop your child's advance.

 This is only five letters; you can do it. Teach my letter rules:

1) Bb rule: Bb is the 2nd letter in my ABCs and b's round face always looks the way words go in a story >>>. Help your child draw tons of giant b's with eyes looking the way words go > and a smile. Repeat the Bb rule together. Find b at the start, middle, and end of words.

2) Dd rule: d's straight line blocks d's eyes from seeing the way words go in a story; d is sad. Help your child draw tons of giant d's with sad eyes and a sad mouth. Make a big point of blocking d's round face with d's straight line. Watch for d at the start, middle, and end of words.

3) Gg rule: g has a fancy tail which tries to reach up to tickle g's round face. Draw giant g's with eyes looking down at g's fancy tail. (Beware: handwritten lower-case q is the opposite of g; the tail of q has a small hook curving up and away from q's round face.)

4) Pp rule: Pp looks the way words go in a story, just like letter b >>>; b and p can see. Draw giant p's with eyes looking the way words go and a smile. Find p at the start, middle, and end of words.  

5) Qq rule: q's straight line blocks q's face from seeing the way words go in a story. Help your child make lots of giant q's with sad eyes and a sad mouth. Qq says kw, take turns saying q words: quick, quiet, quest, squirrel. Watch for q at the start and middle of words. In English words, letter u is next. Be aware, your child needs to know q within printed words, but handwritten q at school has a hook curving away from q's face. This is the opposite of letter g.

You may like to buy my book for your child. I use eBay as my website. Search Instant Reading Help all my books will pop up. All are brand new, no grade level printed on them, all of the basics plus tons of special lessons. My contact info is included; email or call for help.

Have a great day, Mary Maisner