1. A method of assisting beginning writers in creating letters and pre-writing strokes using a pre-writing teaching aid, said method comprising: (a) providing a tray including a recessed area surrounded by a tray frame, and a plurality of cards respectively depicting alphanumeric characters and each card sized corresponding to the recessed area within the tray frame, (b) selecting a particular card from the plurality of cards having a particular alphanumeric character depicted thereon; (c) placing the particular card within recessed area of the tray; (c) placing a shaping material within the tray on top of said particular card; and (d) shaping the shaping material so that it depicts a trace of the particular alphanumeric character.
1. A method of assisting beginning writers in creating letters and pre-writing strokes using a pre-writing teaching aid, said method comprising: (a) providing a tray including a recessed area surrounded by a tray frame, and a plurality of cards respectively depicting alphanumeric characters and each card sized corresponding to the recessed area within the tray frame, (b) selecting a particular card from the plurality of cards having a particular alphanumeric character depicted thereon; (c) placing the particular card within recessed area of the tray; (c) placing a shaping material within the tray on top of said particular card; and (d) shaping the shaping material so that it depicts a trace of the particular alphanumeric character. 3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said shaping material is a substance that covers said particular card, and said shaping material is shaped within the tray by tracing the particular alphanumeric character in the shaping material.