When preschool children first begin to form letters, they need a variety of practice techniques. Get a child to point with his index finger and air-write letters. Students will be able to visualize the letters as they write them. As the students air-write the letters, they should also say the letters to reinforce the letter name and letter shape connection.
As a next step, students can begin to write the letters of their names in fun substances. Spray shaving cream into a paper plate and allow the child to write her name in the foam. You can also cover a paper plate with sand, and the student can use her index finger to write her name in the sand. By using different materials, students learn to internalize the letter shapes and names. Preschool children can also practice writing their names on large pieces of white paper with finger paint.
When children move to writing on paper, give them thick crayons to grip in their small hands. Teachers should first show the students the proper techniques for creating the letters on paper. If necessary, you can guide the student's hand as she writes with the crayons. Students can focus on learning one letter at a time (this is particularly useful for students who have longer names), so the process does not need to be rushed.
On a piece of wide-lined paper, print the student's name. Make copies of this page so that the preschool student will be able to practice more as the year progresses. The copied sheet will become your trace page. The preschool student can spend a few minutes each day tracing his name. The repetition process will help the child to learn the letter shapes and quickly recognize his name.