¡Yo puedo escribir!

On March 16, 2015 we have started with writing lessons in a real writing notebook. The notebook is created by Ryan Olson.  Ryan is a regular volunteer with us, he returns each year for several weeks, and makes fantastic contributions to the work of the organization.

Using this notebook, children can learn writing with a real method. Each page contains three or four different letters of the alphabet. Learning comes in several steps. The first step is the trace of the letter. This helps by practicing the hand movement you have to make for writing the letter. The next step is a bit more difficult, because the tracing of a letter has changed in tracing dots. Then comes the third and most difficult step: writing the letter without help lines. The last practice of each page contains all three letters of that page in one line, so they can carry out the different movements of the hand behind each other. At the end of the notebook, all the letters of the alphabet have been practiced. A system already has been used in many Western countries. By learning to write, all other school performances will be improved as learning to write also helps by learning to read. It aids in the recognition of letters. And if children can read, they are able to do other school assignments much easier.

The notebook has enough space for practicing writing. Previously, the children had to write in their normal notebooks. Something the children prefer doing as little as possible. It occupies a lot of space in the notebooks, so parents have to buy a new notebook, while they actually do not have the money. Therefore we are very pleased with this opportunity.

Writing also provides many benefits to the entire development of the child. Writing is one of the hardest skills that we can teach a child. It requires good body coordination. It is a complex situation between the eyes, brains and neck up to the finger muscles, which requires a lot of exercise. Writing has a positive effect on the development of large and small motor skills. Cooperation is encouraged between left and right part of the brain, therefore brain development, brain activity and brain functions are promoted. Even higher cognitive levels as thinking, language and memory, can be improved by learning to write. During writing a child exerts discipline from the inside. He or she will learn that if you want to achieve something you really have to work for it, something that can contribute much to the future of the children of La Esperanza Granada. The concentration is enhanced as well, which stimulates thinking and the level of intelligence. And the last important thing is that writing helps with communicating, which makes it much easier to function in society.