Submitted by buds

Do It Yourself : Alphabet Cards (1) – Montessori Sandpaper Letters

Materials

1.Vanguard Paper / Manila Card
> Pink for consonant cards
> Blue for vowel cards

2.Sandpaper (Bought mine from Daiso)
> 120 range for coarser feel to the touch
> 240 range for a less coars-y feel to the touch

If you aren’t sure which range of coarse-ness you’d prefer to use
for your cards, you can always get this small pack first to have a
feel since most of the sandpaper packs in Daiso cannot be opened
for touch test.

It contains rectangular strips of sandpaper of varying coarse range.
> 2 pcs of the 60 range
> 1 pc of the 100 range
> 2 pcs of the 150 range
> 1 pc of the 180 range
> 2 pcs of the 240 range

Once you’ve decided, then you can get the pack of the exact
range in a bigger sized pack consisting of 5 pieces of sandpaper.

3.Sharp scissors

4.White craft glue / UHU glue

5.Ruler

6.Alphabet Templates
> like these…

Note : These are the closest alphabet impressions i could get.
You may need to tailor it a bit to make the letter "f" tip slightly
more curved down…. or the letter "p" a little longer…. (etc).

You know what i mean… Make the letter shape as how
you would want your child to see it, trace it and write it, yuup!
Don’t have to die-die follow my templates.

7.Old newspapers or magazines as base for work space

Procedure

1. Cut square vanguard paper / manila cards measuring
approximately (plus-minus) 6.4 inches or 15.4 centimetres.

2. If you wanna prepare all 26 cards one shot, cut 21 pink
squares (consonant cards) and cut 5 blue squares (vowel cards).

3. Cut out alphabet templates and trace them out behind the
sandpaper letters in reverse shape. It is easier to trace the letters
on the smooth side of the sandpaper. Cutting out the alphabet templates
can help you save sandpaper material as you can trace them closely next
to each other with the space you have.

4. A sharp scissors is required to cut through the sandpaper to avoid
those ugly torn marks at the corners. Sorry, i a bit perfectionist especially
when it comes to cutting stuff.

5. Cut out all the alphabet letters that have been traced on the back of
the sandpaper and put them aside.

6. Use good quality white / craft glue or UHU glue to paste at the back of
the cut-out sandpaper alphabets and stick each of them in the centre of
each coloured square card. Remember : pink for consonants and blue for
vowels, okie?

7. When doing stuff for DIY, i prefer to do at the very least; two sets.
Cause in case one gets torn, missing, spilled on by something, vandalized..
(the list goes on)….. then there is a spare for immediate use.

8. Leave all the finished sandpaper letter cards to dry completely.

9. Voila! And soon, it’s ready for use.

I have many different variations to alphabet cards to share with you too.
In the next episode. Hope this provides a clear start for parents who are
keen to start their children with Montessori Phonics in the comfort of home.

Before i end off this post, here are the objectives of having a child work on
the Montessori Sandpaper Letters. As always, all feedback are welcome!

1. Provides tactile experience for both left and right handed children.
2. Provides awareness to the different letter shapes.
3. Guides children with the proper way letters are written.
4. Early introduction to sounds in letters.
5. Combines muscular impressions and visual memory to each letter shape.
6. Material is self-correctional. ie. Tracing should be done only on the
sandpaper part of the material. The control of error is when the child’s
fingers moves away from the sandpaper shape… touching the smooth
material of the vanguard paper / manila card.
7. Lightness of touch for the preparation of future writing.
8. Preparation for reading.