Back-to-school season is the ideal time to assess student needs and reignite learning with purposeful refreshers. By focusing on four essential areas of academic growth, you can jumpstart engagement and set the stage for success. With the right tools and strategies, students can make the most of the first weeks and start the year with confidence.
Teaching Proper Grip
One often overlooked but crucial aspect of a student's learning journey is proper grip development. How a student holds a pencil can greatly affect their handwriting, speed, and overall writing proficiency. Not only does a proper grip lay the foundation for lifelong handwriting success, but it also leads to increased writing endurance and improved fine motor skills, all of which are necessary for long-term academic growth.
When it comes to teaching proper grip, it's essential to provide students with engaging and interactive tools that make learning enjoyable. The Roll-A-Dough® Letters set adds fun to letter formation with a hands-on, dough-based rolling activity. It provides a unique and multisensory approach to learning letter shapes and promotes proper grip. Each set includes 18 double-sided capital letter and number cards, a rolling tray, and dough, allowing students to explore letter formation while having a blast.
Developing Positive Handwriting Habits
In an increasingly digital world, the importance of good handwriting skills should not be underestimated. While typing and digital communication are essential, the ability to write legibly and fluently remains an asset for all students. Engaging in activities such as copying texts, practicing cursive writing, or even journaling can significantly enhance a student's writing capabilities.
To develop handwriting skills, the Individual Student Manipulative Pack provides a comprehensive writing solution designed to enhance early learning and features multisensory activities to keep students engaged and entertained. The pack is specifically tailored to support young students in areas such as printing and numbers, and it’s also available in Spanish.
Reinforcing Reading Knowledge Knowledge
Reading is the cornerstone of education, and the beginning of the academic year offers opportunities to reinforce and enhance reading skills across the board. Encouraging students to engage in independent reading during classroom breaks not only fosters a love for literature but also helps maintain and strengthen their reading comprehension abilities. Suggesting age-appropriate books or establishing a reading challenge can keep students engaged and motivated throughout the academic year.
To make reading even more enjoyable and interactive, incorporate the Build Mat Man® Kit into your back to school learning activities.
The Build Mat Man Kit includes all the materials you need to introduce the beloved literacy hero, Mat Man, to your young learners. This engaging kit is designed to make reading and learning a multisensory experience by captivating students and promoting active reading engagement.
Building Keyboarding and Typing Confidence
Now more than ever, keyboarding and typing are crucial for achieving positive academic outcomes. Online typing programs, interactive games, and timed exercises can help students improve their accuracy and speed. By dedicating time to this skill at the beginning of the year, students rapidly demonstrate increased efficiency in digital tasks and better preparedness for online test-taking and the demands of the modern world.
To support students in developing this essential skill, introduce your learners to Keyboarding Without Tears. Keyboarding Without Tears not only builds essential typing skills but also reinforces foundational literacy through fun, interactive games that fit easily into your literacy block.
Embracing these essentials not only contributes to a well-rounded educational experience but also equips students with the tools they need to succeed in the upcoming academic year. By dedicating focused time and effort to these crucial areas, students make significant strides in their educational growth and bridge any gaps that may exist.
Eager to find more ways you can engage your readers and writers throughout the year? Take a peek inside our learning backpack for free learning resources.