Teaching Left-Handers

A classic mistake for any teacher to make is to give a left-handed child a right-handed pair of scissors.

Left-handed children can find life difficult when their needs aren’t taken into account and wrongly, they can become labelled as clumsy, awkward, or difficult.

Giving left-handers left-handed scissors might seem obvious but they aren’t always available and classrooms that have lost theirs put children at a severe disadvantage.

The blades on left-handed scissors are set so that, whichever way up you hold them, the left blade is always on top. When a left-hander uses right-handed scissors, things aren’t easy because they have to push the thumb and index finger together in an unnatural way to make the scissors cut. So, with the new term starting soon, make sure you have plenty of left-handed scissors at the ready and clearly identifiable.

Watch this great video from www.anythinglefthanded.co.uk

The same applies for other resources such as left-handed pencils, pencil sharpeners, and pens.

One cracking pencil I would whole-heartedly recommend is the Stabilo Easygraph which is the first ergonomically designed wooden graphite pencil and has been especially designed for children and happily there are colour-coded versions for left and right handed users.

What makes this pencil special is its triangular design with non slip mouldings down the barrel which allow users to grip without having to grip forcefully and so make writing a white-knuckle ride. The Easygraph’s ergonomic cramp-resisting design and low weight means children can grip with a  relaxed hand posture and so minimise pressure. This makes writing easier, more comfortable and children can focus for longer periods because the design helps to properly position the hand and fingers and reduces stress on bones, muscles, nerves and soft-tissue.

Another design masterpiece is the EASYoriginal rollerball, a no-smudge and no-scratch pen with erasable ink that is a real looker. They aren’t shaped like traditional pens but have a curved tail that can rest on the side of the hand which allows children to write more comfortably and confidently. It’s quirky and fun design invites you to use it and so will naturally encourage children to start writing. Designed for left- or right handers, these brilliant pens have a non-slip grip zone with indentations for correct finger placement, a space for a name tag and are really easy to refill.  They are works of genius that come out on top for shape, weight, grip and ink flow.

The resources for left-handers are out there so there should be no excuses for getting things right…and left.