How can my children stop mixing up b and d?

Question

There are numerous ways to teach this. Try holding your left hand up and form a b. Then, next to it hold up your right hand and form a d. It looks like a bed. When ever they get confused, they can do this.

Answer 1

I avoid things like "bats and balls" and "bellies". These can still be reversed. A belly could face in either direction. A bat could be on either side of the ball. I do think the method of forming a 'b' with your left hand and forming a 'd' with your right hand to make a bed can be very helpful.

But let's go a little deeper into the matter. 'b' and 'd' have different starting points. Start by practicing on your hand. Hold up the pointer finger of your writing hand. Now, hold up the palm of your off-writing hand with the palm facing toward you. The line where your fingers meet your palm is called the X-height or X-line. Using "Chancery Script", there are three starting points for a letter - on the X-line just below the pinkie and on the X-line just below the pointer finger. The third starting point depends on which hand you write with. If you are left-handed the third staring point is on at the tip of the pinkie finger. If you are right-handed the third staring point is on at the tip of the pointer finger.

A 'b' should always start at the tip of the pointer/pinking finger. Draw a line straight down the finger, past the X-line and to the base of the palm, then bounce back up to the X-line. At this point there is nowhere on the hand to go but straight across the X-line to the right, then down and back around the bottom of the palm

If you are right handed, a 'd' should always start at the base of the pinkie with a "push" of your finger along the X-line. If you always start at the base of the pinkie, there is only one way to go - to the left. At the end of the X-line, go down to the bottom of the palm, along the bottom, then up all the way to the top of the pinkie, then back down to the base of the palm with an "exit" (like a little tail) ready to make the next letter.

If you are left-handed, 'd' should always start at the base of the pointer finger with a "pull" across the X-line. If you always start at the base of the pointer finger, there is only one way to go - to the left. At the end of the X-line, go down to the bottom of the palm, along the bottom, then up all the way to the top of the pointer finger, then back down to the base of the palm with an "exit" (like a little tail) off the thumb ready to make the next letter.

Directionality can be hard for some people, especially ones with dyslexia. That's why when making the 'd', words like "push" and "pull" tap into a sensation rather than knowing a direction like front, back, behind, left, right. When it comes to my students, once we practice on the hand a few times and on paper, they only need the first few directions to get them going in the correct direction. For a 'b', just by saying start in the "ascender" (the super-smart word my kids learn from me meaning "above the X-line"), they get it correct. For 'd', just saying "start at the X-line and push" (or "pull" for left-handed kids)" gets them going in the correct direction.

Remember, this won't be fixed overnight. Like all great things, it needs time and practice.

Answer 2

B's have BELLIES :) Draw the lower case letter b and make it look like a stick figure with eyes so your student/child "sees" the person. Then look at different fonts/sizes of the letter b and d and talk about which one has a belly!

D's have DIAPERS :) Similar idea to the above but reverse!

Answer 3

There are numerous ways to teach this. Try holding your left hand up and form a b. Then, right next to it hold up your right hand and form a d. It forms a bed. Whenever they get confused, they can do this.