Handwriting

Left-handers may have particular difficulties with handwriting. The following practical considerations all help:
1- Light: Ideally a left-hander needs the light to come over her right shoulder so that she is not writing in the shadow of her one hand.
2- Paper: A left-hander needs to have paper on the left side of the centre of the body. The paper needs to be titled to the right side so that the writer can see what she is writing.
3- Pencil hold: Encourage a left-handed writer to hold the pencil or pen a little further from the point than a right-hander so that the writing is not obscured. It may be helpful to introduce children to a pencil grip to find the right place for their fingers.
4- Position: make sure that a left-hander is not sitting too close to the right-hander when writing. This will avoid their arms colliding. Seat a left-hander on the left, a right-hander on the right.
5- Speed: Allow for slower writing until competence increases.
6- Teaching: Demonstrate to left-handers with your left hand whenever possible.