Left Handed Children

• Your Left Handed Child
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6 Responses to “Left handed children”

1. Toni says:

   September 16, 2009 at 1:45 pm

   Hello Michelle,
   Many teachers want left-handed children to slant their papers to the left instead of the right because they think that helps left-handed children. It does not. Start out with basic lessons, as Jan says, with wide sweeps, but encourage him not to curl his hand (this causes problems later). Circles and lines in smooth strokes is the start. Lefties tend to curl their hands inward awkwardly. Slant the paper to the right, just like a right-handed person would and see if that helps with the penmanship.

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   • Sandra Davis says:

     November 29, 2009 at 7:47 pm

     Toni, my second grade teacher always turned my paper to the right, but when she left my desk, I turned it to the left. This was my comfortable way. It has not caused me problems, and I still do it that way. I also curve my hand, and when people see me write, they comment on it. It is not uncomfortable for me and I have beautiful penmanship. I say let a child determine his/her own way. Each child will be better off if left alone.

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2. Jan says:

   August 21, 2009 at 9:10 pm

   Get him to write ver large on the backside of wall paper really big letters until he is making smooth movements then he will be able to make it smaller and smaller until he can write well small. Us lefties need to make sense of our slightly different wireing

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3. Michelle says:

   August 17, 2009 at 4:11 am

   Hello

   I am the right-handed Mom of a left-hander. I have had diffculty teaching him penmanship. He is currently in the fourth grade and his handwriting is horrific.How can I help him in this area?

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   • Sandra Davis says:

     November 29, 2009 at 7:50 pm

     Boys do not worry about their penmanship. Make it a challenge for him. Tell him that he needs to show that being a leftie doesn’t mean that he can’t write with pretty letters. But let him develop his style without criticism. He needs to feel confident in his leftieness. He will do better when he is older and is consciencous of the need for better handwriting. Or, he may become a doctor.

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     • Sandra Davis says:

       November 29, 2009 at 7:52 pm

       By the way, Michelle. By trying to teach your son yourself, you are obsessing on his lefty ways. Don’t try to make him do what he cannot do at this age. As a former teacher, I have had experience with this. He needs confidence in himself more than he needs pretty penmanship.

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