B. Foundations of Language · Spelling, Printing and Sentences

Printing Letters the Right Way

B2.2About 35 minutes

Learning goals

I can hold my pencil with a comfortable grip.
I can print uppercase and lowercase letters, starting at the top.
I can make tall letters, small letters and tail letters the right size.
I can leave a finger space between words.

Words to know

print
To write letters that are not joined together.

top line
The line where tall letters and capital letters start.

middle line
The dotted line in the middle. Small letters start here.

baseline
The bottom line. Letters sit on it, like feet on the floor.

finger space
The space between two words, about as wide as your finger.

Why neat printing matters

When you print neatly, people can read your ideas. You can read them later too!

Today you will learn the secrets of good printing: how to hold your pencil, where each letter starts, and how big each letter should be.

Get ready to print

Sit with your back against the chair and your feet flat on the floor.
Hold the pencil between your thumb and pointer finger. Let it rest on your middle finger. Don't squeeze too hard!
Your other hand holds the paper still.
Most letters start at the top and go down.

Writing lines: tall letters touch the top line, small letters fit between the middle line and the baseline, and tail letters drop below the baseline.

Kind of letter	Letters	Where they go
Tall letters	b d f h k l t	Start at the top line.
Small letters	a c e i m n o r s u v w x z	Start at the middle line. (The dot on i sits above.)
Tail letters	g j p q y	The tail drops below the baseline.
All capital letters	A to Z	Start at the top line. None have tails below the line.

Three sizes of lowercase letters

Keep b and d straight

Lots of Grade 1 kids mix up b and d. Here's a trick:

b: make the line first (start at the top, pull down), then add the bump.
d: make a c first, then add the tall line. (c comes before d in the alphabet!)

b starts with a tall line. d starts with a c.

Worked example

Let's print the word "dog"

Print dog on lined paper.

d: Start at the middle line. Make a c shape that sits on the baseline. Then go up to the top line and pull a straight line down to the baseline.
o: Start at the middle line. Go around like a c and close the circle on the baseline.
g: Make a c shape. Then pull a line down below the baseline and curve a little hook to the left.
The letters in one word sit close together. If you write more words, put a finger space after dog.

dog: d is tall, o is small, g has a tail.

Riddle time

What has a tail but is not an animal?

The letter g! (And j, p, q and y have tails too.) 🐒

Spaces between words

Words need space around them. Put your finger down after each word, then start the next word on the other side.

Hard to read: Ilikesnow.
Easy to read: I like snow.

Uppercase and lowercase

Every letter has two forms. Use a capital at the start of a sentence, for the word I, and for names. Use lowercase for most other letters.

Some capitals and lowercase letters look almost the same, just bigger: C c, O o, S s, V v, W w, X x, Z z. Others look very different: A a, B b, D d, E e, G g, Q q, R r.

Hands-on activity

Rainbow letters in salt

You need: a baking tray, a thin layer of salt, flour or sugar, and lined paper with a pencil.

Shake the tray to make it smooth.
With your pointer finger, print a letter in the salt. Start at the top! Say its name and sound as you go.
Shake to erase. Try another one. Practise b, d, p and g, plus the letters in your name.
Then print the same letters on lined paper.
Finally, print your first name with a capital at the start and lowercase after.

Look for: letters start at the top, tall letters touch the top line, tails go below.

Your turn

Is h a tall letter, a small letter or a tail letter?

Is y a tall letter, a small letter or a tail letter?

Where do most letters start: at the top or at the bottom?

Print b and d. How do you start each one?

Which is easier to read: mymomisnice or my mom is nice?

Print the uppercase partner of g.

Print your first name. Which letter should be a capital?

More practice: warm-up

Is o a tall letter, a small letter or a tail letter?

What do you put between two words?

Print the lowercase partner of T.

Which line do letters sit on?

Name one tail letter.

More practice: on your own

Sort these letters: k, m, p, l, s, j. Which are tall, which are small, which have tails?

Print the word pig. Which letters drop below the line?

Kai printed dad as bab. What happened? How can he fix it?

Write the alphabet letters from k to p in lowercase.

Why should you start a letter at the top?

Challenge

Print this sentence with finger spaces: We like to skate. Count the finger spaces you used.

Which capital letters look like bigger versions of their lowercase letter? Find 3.

Print A a, E e, G g and say how each capital is different from its lowercase.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which letter has a tail that goes below the baseline?

Where do most letters start?

What goes between two words?

Which letter is a tall letter?

Which one is printed with good spaces?

Which letter starts with a c shape?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Grade 1 students learn to form upper- and lowercase letters correctly and automatically (B2.2). Correct formation (starting at the top, using the right strokes) makes printing faster and frees up the brain for spelling and ideas.

How to help at home:

Check the pencil grip: a relaxed tripod grip (thumb, pointer, resting on the middle finger). Short pencils or crayons encourage a good grip.
Use paper with a top line, dotted middle line and baseline. Many dollar stores sell it.
Practise a few letters at a time, especially those in your child's name and frequent mix-ups (b/d, p/q).
Make it multisensory: salt trays, sidewalk chalk, writing in snow with a stick, or with a finger on your child's back.

Common difficulties:

Starting letters at the bottom. Gently stop and say "Start at the top." Early habits are easier to change now than later.
Reversals (b/d, p/q, s, z, numbers). Very common until about age 7. Use the "d starts with c" trick.
Mixing capitals into words (lIKe). Practise lowercase most, since most letters in writing are lowercase.
Tiredness. Hand muscles are still developing. Play-dough, Lego and scissors build strength.