David Matthew Baker Report post Posted April 29, 2008 Hi all. My mum is currently doing a teaching assistant course. One of the students she is working with in the special school (1st year secondary age) has problem distinguishing between a b and a d when writing. As most of my experience has been of secondary I couldn't suggest anything to her but I said I'd ask you lot for her. Thanks. All the best, David. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rach04 Report post Posted April 29, 2008 (edited) right ill tell you what js ot tried to teach him but it hasnt worked for him b has a tail at the front like an elephants trunk and d has one like a dogs tail like i said it hasnt worked for him but they say it has worked for other kids. Edited April 29, 2008 by rach04 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
smiley Report post Posted April 29, 2008 For my son we made up 'b for best' as he writes with his right hand, and the curve of the b faces that hand. And 'd for dippy' because he's doesn't use that hand for writing - therefore it is dippy! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justamum Report post Posted April 29, 2008 b has a tail at the front like an elephants trunk and d has one like a dogs tail like i said it hasnt worked for him but they say it has worked for other kids. Has me confused! I used to says to my son who muddle them up b's bump the other letters and all the other letters bump d. Or b's big fat belly gets in the way and d's big fat bum stick out too far. Anything that makes then giggle makes the rules stick....I had other silly saying too, but can't remember them mostly on the letter being soldiers standing to attention and must face the right and and not upside down and the correct distance apart. My son was the Sargent Major and would shout at the letters to behave! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stressedmumto2 Report post Posted April 29, 2008 One way I would say is if you go to scruntch your fist but keep your index finger out straight the left hand will show a letter "b" and the right will show a letter "d". This could also be coloured in differnt colours across the finger if the parent doesn't mind with one hand blue for the "b" and the other maybe a yellow as that's a colour of a daisy or a dark green or similar colour and emphasis it as "DARK" (whatever colour you chose), sorry can't think of a colour that begins with D!! Or you could juts colour the "b" hand and leave it at that. This worked for my daughter, hope it helps <'> Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ScienceGeek Report post Posted April 29, 2008 right ill tell you what js ot tried to teach him but it hasnt worked for him b has a tail at the front like an elephants trunk and d has one like a dogs tail like i said it hasnt worked for him but they say it has worked for other kids. Ok, I know which way round they go and that confused me! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mumble Report post Posted April 29, 2008 I'm trying to remember for the life of me where it came from and how we did it, but I worked with a TA on this with a child using a card always in front of her folded so it stood up (this was year 3 - 7/8 year olds) with the word bed (in lower case) on it - even made it look like a bed with a person sleeping in it. But I can't remember how we used it from there or whether it was that or something else that helped or a mixture - visual clues and others. Is the difficulty in recognising them - it might even be worth investigating whether its a visual problem - I mix up p and b a lot because the round bit moves up and down the line and found the blue glasses (till I squashed them ) helped in part with that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kazzen161 Report post Posted April 29, 2008 (edited) I have seen the "bed" one. As long as the child knows how to spell bed, it works fine. bed the b is the headboard and mattress, the e is the mattress, the d is the mattress and baseboard. (If you make the ll bits longer it looks more like a bed) Edited April 29, 2008 by Kazzen161 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
David Matthew Baker Report post Posted May 1, 2008 Thanks all. I knew you lot would have some ideas/methods. Will pass suggestions on to my mum. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Shnoing Report post Posted May 2, 2008 Perhaps not to the point, but maybe the student you're writing about is an unrecognized left hander? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lynne Report post Posted May 2, 2008 My son was taught the letter B at first you put the stick (i) to draw a bat and than you add the ball to make the b and than a d is the opposite. lyn Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jools Report post Posted May 2, 2008 i'm a teaching assistant and use bed make the shape of b with your left hand by making the circle with your finger and thumb and keeping the rest of your fingers up for the stick. do the same with your right hand for d Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites