Writing
Trace It
Pre-writing and handwriting: tracing lines, shapes, letters, and numbers
A recorded instruction, for example “Trace the big B.” The learner traces the guide with a finger or an Apple Pencil. The learner starts at dot 1, follows the arrows, and then taps Done. A good trace also finishes after a short stop. Each trace gets an accuracy score.
When
- Teach pre-writing strokes in the usual sequence: down, across, slants, cross, X, then curves.
- Teach shapes, then capital letters, small letters, and numbers 0–9.
- Use when you want a picture of each trace next to its score, to examine later.
Why
- The app measures accuracy the same way for each trace. Accuracy is the lower of two values. One value is the part of the guide that the learner traced (Covered). The other value is the part of the ink in the lane (On the lane). A trace passes at 80% or more.
- The lane on the board is the exact scoring area. The learner sees the same area that the app scores.
- The learner never sees a score or red ink. If a trace does not pass, the app shows a model. Then the learner traces one more time for practice. The app does not score this trace.
- The saved picture keeps the stroke sequence. You can replay how the learner traced it.
How
- On the setup screen, select what to trace:
- Lines — Down, across, slants, cross, X, curve, wave, and zigzag.
- Shapes — Circle, square, triangle, rectangle, diamond, oval, star, and heart.
- Capital letters — A to Z on writing lines.
- Small letters — a to z on writing lines.
- Numbers — 0 to 9 on writing lines.
- In More settings, under Guide, select:
- Wide lane — A wide gray lane shows the area where the app scores the trace.
- Thin line — Only a dotted line shows. The trace must stay nearer to the line.
- Under Practice these, all items are off at the start. Each round selects 5 items randomly from the full level. To practice only some items, set these items to on.
- Save trace pictures is Off for a new learner. To save the pictures, set it to On.
- In More settings, under Praise, select:
- On — After a correct answer, the app also plays a short praise phrase, for example “Great job!”
- Off — After a correct answer, the app shows the star and goes to the next turn. The app plays no praise.
- Tap Play. The app plays the instruction immediately. To hear the instruction again, tap the speaker button.
- Before Done, Clear erases the board. Clear saves nothing.
- A trace that passes and has all strokes of the guide also finishes automatically. This occurs when the learner lifts the finger or Pencil and stops for 1.5 seconds. If the learner makes a new stroke, or you tap Clear, Skip, or Back before this time, the trace stays open. A trace that does not pass waits for Done.
- After Done, a trace that passes gets a star. If a trace does not pass, a moving dot draws the guide. Then the learner traces it one more time. Your score for each trace shows in small text in the top bar.
- Use Skip, Log, Reset count, and End the same way as in Find It. Each round has 5 traces. Next time in the Log brings that target back in the next round.
Saved to the dashboard: The first trace of each target, and skips. Each target has its own row (for example “Capital B”), with its accuracy, Covered, and On the lane. A trace of 80% or more counts as correct on the graph. When pictures are on, the session page shows each trace on its guide, and the parts outside the lane have a different color. The page can replay the strokes. The app deletes pictures after 180 days, and keeps the scores. The CSV never includes pictures. A change of what to trace or of the guide starts a new phase on the graph.
