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Teaching resources to help left-handed children

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Despite assurances from the Teacher Training Agency over a decade ago and fine things said by government education ministers, it appears that teachers still receive no formal training in the basic essential differences in left-handed writing technique.   Many teachers are completely unaware that 1 in 10 of their students may be struggling unnecessarily with mastering this essential skill, simply because of the hand they write with. The feedback on a recent article on this issue by the Left Handers Club indicated that the majority of primary school teachers are:


  1. Unaware that the issues exist, often assuming the struggling child may have learning difficulties or co-ordination problems

  2. Have no knowledge of the required techniques to assist left-handed writing.


This page is an index to relevant training videos, books, equipment and aids that will help teachers understand the requirement of the left-handed children in their class and give them the skills and tools to actually help them.   We hope teachers will use this information and parents of left-handed children will bring it to their attention.

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General information and survey results



Writing left-handed





    • Our page of videos on writing left-handed





Scissors and cutting



We will shortly be producing a short questionnaire for parents to take to their schools to find out what is currently available as guidance to teachers on helping left-handed children.   Following that we are going to produce some dedtailed guidance notes for teachers and parents.   If you would like to be advised when these are available,

Register to receive our free Left handers Club Newsletters

If you have any comments or would like to assist us with this work in any way, please add a comment to the relevant information page or use this form to contact Keith at Anything Left Handed

 

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Around 1 in 10 pupils in any classroom is left-handed, yet most schools are still equipped…

Comments 6

  1. Janet Lodge
    Hi Keith

    I would be interested in giving info to my son's primary school.

    Oliver is 6 and his teacher was saying about him writing from right to left and letters backwards plus his ticks are backwards. I said to her it's probably as he is left handed. If you can give me any surveys or anything like that I will give to his headteacher.

    As his class teacher was saying about dyslexia but in my opinion he knows the letters etc. I feel his school could do with some help.


    Many thanks

    Janet
  2. alexandermcewan
    the first i read anything about left handed problems was a lady in a magazine called edinburgh live so i went in to stationary box and they showed me the left handed pencils everyone said i was having a laugh including the teachers in the nursery my granddaughter is going to in east kilbride they will soon know
  3. emily
    Unaware that the issues exist, often assuming the struggling child may have learning difficulties or co-ordination problems
    i read this statement and thought bingo!! i went to my sons school review yesterday, and although hes only 3 they picked up on his coordination with motor skills such as using scissors, pencils and paint brushes, when i said yes it is hard as hes left handed and both me and his father arnt its not easy to teach him. she then replyed that they didnt know he was left handed and that she will look into it. clearly they havent been watching him as he does EVERYTHING with his left hand and has been there almost 12 months.. i mean what have they been looking at?
  4. Amit Das
    Our daughter is somewhat ambidextrous but definitely has more strength in her left hand.

    She was taught, from the age of three to write with her right hand. At the age of five we realised that this was a problem and tried to find whether she could easily start writing left-handed. She could not, and as she felt uncomfortable, we let her continue right-handed.

    Now she is ~12 years old and pressure of studies is just building up. She can write well if she writes slow, but whenever she tries to write fast, her handwriting deteriorates.

    Should she try to go left-handed now, or should she just practice writing more regularly.

    LYS2
  5. susan wicks
    "We will shortly be producing a short questionnaire for parents to take to their schools to find out what is currently available as guidance to teachers on helping left-handed children".


    Can you advise when this document will be available? I have been requesting, parrot-fashion, for a while to various teaching staff that my son needs to sit on the left etc etc. Being able to produce material for them to read may reinforce my stance.

    Susan Wicks
    13/8/12
    1. Keith
      Hi Susan
      We will be producing the questionnaire on current guidance and resources before the end of August and our own guidance notes once we get the feedbackk on that, probably to be finished by end of October. Watch our newsletters for updates - if you do not already receive them, register here:
      http://blog.anythinglefthanded.co.uk/lhc/join

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