FRENCH Letter Formation Mats – Tapis de formation des lettres d’alphabet

Looking for a way to help your French primary students master correct letter formation? Young students needs LOTS of practice correctly forming the letters of the alphabet!

These letter formation mats are easy to prepare and are a fun way to introduce your students to new letters while providing important practice for how to correctly make each letter! Just print and laminate, and you are ready to go.

This resource contains:

• One full-page letter mat for each letter of the alphabet (Aa-Zz)
• Teacher instructions

Each letter mat includes:

• An outline of the target letter for students to fill using any manipulate you like
• A dot on each letter so that students know where to begin (reinforcing that we always move top-to-bottom)
• Two coloured images to help you reinforce the sound(s) that each letter makes – one that matches all of my other alphabet products, and one other (except w, x, u, which each have one image)
• The target letter written in a dotted font, for students to trace with a dry erase marker (each letter has a dot showing where to begin, and arrows to follow for correct path of motion)

I use these cards when I am introducing a new letter to one of my small groups. We go over the sound and name of the letter, and then practice how to make the letter. It can be such a challenge for some students to remember which symbol goes with which letter name, so I like to give them lots of opportunity to build our new letters!

Ideas for manipulates to use with these mats:

• mini erasers
• buttons
• seashells
• snap cubes
• counters
• pebbles
• modelling dough
• etc., etc.!

I usually put out a couple of choices on the table and let my students pick which they would like to use. Then, they use the objects to fill in the outline of the upper- and lowercase letter, making sure to follow the correct path of motion. Finally, we practice writing each letter using a white board marker and the dotted letters provided on the bottom of the mat.

You could also use these cards as an independent literacy centre, especially after students have tried them a few times with your support!