How I Tackle Name Recognition

Hello!

I know, I know. I can already here you saying "Geez Nichole...you've been gone for almost TWO MONTHS!" I know. I'm sorry. Life got really complicated, but I have made it a New Years resolution to be more diligent with this blog.

So here I am...with some fun ways that I practice name recognition with my kiddos! Every year I start with me writing the letters out and then as we progress they start writing the letters down themselves. (I promise it'll make more sense as I explain the activities.)

1. Glue and Tissue paper names!

I always start the year by making a set of "name tracers" and a set of "bubble name" plates for the kids. I keep them in my files and make copies as I need them through out the year. This is something I do for morning work at the beginning of the year and put up around the room for quick student work samples. The kids take their finger and fill in the bubble letters with a light layer (at least I always give directions for light layer...it doesn't always work out that way) of glue. Then they take pre-cut pieces of rainbow tissue paper and roll/push them into little balls and stick them on the glue. The pushing and pinching works the kiddos' fine motor, so it's a double whammy.

2. Construction paper names!

This activity is much like the tissue paper names, but instead I use construction paper. The tougher paper makes it even more of a fine motor activity. Again, they still spread a small layer of glue with their fingers and then they must rip small pieces of construction paper and make those into balls. They, again, stick those balls into the glue until their bubble name is full.

3. Rainbow writing names!

This is a different way I have them use their bubble name plates. My kiddos are very familiar with "rainbow writing." If anything is is written in bubble letters the kiddos automatically know that we will be rainbow writing whatever it is. This is a great activity to practice letter formation and proper penmanship/letter strokes.

4. Clip Chart names!

I'm all for fine motor practice (because that's something that is on my report card) so for our behavior chart every kiddo gets a clip with their name on it. Through out the year they learn which clip is theirs by recognizing their name on it and moving it up or down on the chart.

5. Cubby name!

Each kiddo also has a cubby that has name and a small picture of them on it. After Christmas break I go through and remove the pictures so that the kiddos are focusing solely on what their name looks like.

6. Monthly name activities!

Each month we work on a new activity to practice name recognition. Like I said in the beginning of this post, these activities start with me writing the letters of their name and they have to put them in order and glue them down. As the year progresses they write more and more of the letters. Once they have mastered their first name I also work on their last name the same way. I do these activities during small group instruction during our Universal Access time and they go up on our sequencing board once they have dried. Above are some pictures of our monthly activities.

7. Homework name practice!

Here is where the name tracers come in handy. I run these off weekly as part of their homework practice. At the top of the page their name is written with the stroke arrows, then there are two rows with dotted line letters, and then three rows of just empty "tracks" for the kiddos to practice their name on their own with out help. I will often prompt parents that if their kiddo is really struggling with writing their names to write it out in high lighter first and then let their kid trace over that. They need to gradually release and let their kiddo do it on their own, but for the first few weeks, this is a great way for kids to get the reinforcement at home too!


These are just a FEW of the ways I practice name recognition in my classroom. There are many more, but these are the ones that I felt were the most helpful and the most fun for my kiddos! I hope they are helpful to anyone reading!

Always remember: every moment and be a learning moment!