After a long lapse in playing the Leapster with Brycen, we recently rekindled the love Brycen has for the Clifford the Big Red Dog game. It has been many moons ago since I have blogged about the Leapster (or blogging at all as Melissa usually does it) so I will refresh everyone on where Brycen was.
The main focus of this post will be on the game that involves tracing letters (there are other games that involve some other skills which Brycen is getting quite good at as well). Brycen's first major obstacle was to even hold on to the pen. Brycen at first was comfortable with having me hold the pen and he would put his hand on top of mine while I traced the letters. Then he progressed to the point where he would hold the pen and attempt (just one attempt) to trace but couldn't do it correctly, so then I would do hand over hand with him.
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| Brycen tracing letters on the Leapster! |
Recently when we started playing the game again Brycen was extremely excited about the letters, trying to say each one, and he would try to trace them a couple times before he would want me to help him. Each day that we played he would try a few more times before he would ask for help, and each time he was getting a little closer to actually tracing the letters correctly.
My new favorite letter in the alphabet is the capital "Y", it took probably 10 tries but he did it!!! The joy in his face (not to mention my own) was simply priceless. Brycen then did the lower case "y", both sizes of "h", "w", and "f" and each time we would have a little celebration of accomplishment.
The fact that we now know that he can recognize letters, attempt a sound of each letter, and maybe this simple game can lead to Brycen tracing letters. WOW!!!!
-----Mike
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| The pages Brycen traced of the letters in his name. |
Fast forward a day after he first did this accomplishment: I broke out a new book I bought at the dollar store recently that has pages dedicated to each letter and tracing. I copied the pages of letters in his name and sat down with him during rest-time to try this out. The only one he needed hand over hand assistance with to start was the "R". The rest of the letters and the last two on the "R" page, he was able to do on his own with just a few verbal prompts and pointing to where to start from me. How amazing is that?! I really credit the teacher/associates from last year and the Handwriting Without Tears program for this accomplishment. Over the last 9 months, he was able to learn to recognize each of the letters in the alphabet (he can now do lower case too!), verbalize all of the letters (in his own way!), and now is showing he can trace quite a few of them! The excitement he has to do this and how proud he is of himself when he knows he has accomplished something is what pushes us forward each day to conquer the next battle. I distinctly remember telling the team members at his IEP in April that one of my goals is to get him to learn how to write his name. I know this is a skill that is absolutely needed in life, whether it is putting his name on his homework, or signing a check someday at the store. Two years ago, I never would have thought he would have come this far in these areas...so it definitely makes me look forward to where he will be 2 years from now!
------Melissa
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