Have you ever watched a left handed child struggling to write? A child sitting hunched over the paper, using the hook position and writing .......ever ......so...... slowly.  And, what are the results you may ask?  Smudged writing, badly formed letters, erratic calligraphy and a great deal of tension in the shoulders and wrist.  

Many children develop a poor handwriting style and posture due to lack of guidance when first learning to write. If parents and teachers are right-handed, they often do not realise the difficulties a left-handed child faces and the child may become labelled as clumsy, awkward or difficult.

Identifying the problems
Teachers and parents need to identify the common problems associated with a child who writes left-handed and try to help them to correctly write, thus making their handwriting clear, efficient and comfortable. There is no reason why a left-handed child should be at a disadvantage at school, or at home. Left-handed pupils excel in the same way that right-handed pupils excel. All that is required is guidance, relevant to left-handers, when learning to write.

Hook position
The most common handwriting problem is the hook position. The hand is hooked around the pen and the pen runs above the writing line in an attempt to angle the pen. Handwriting is uncomfortable and slow. There is the smudged work, which is caused by the hand pushing the pen across the page. The hand follows the writing line and it automatically smudges the writing as it follows over it. Grip needs to be looked at because this eventually leads to cramped, badly formed letters and an erratic writing style which is extremely tiring.

Teachers need to look at bad desk positioning. This leads to frustration because a left-hander seated with a right-hander on his left, will knock hands and the space restrictions lead to tension. Lastly the wrong pen. A slippery or shiny pen barrel is hard to hold. Some ball point pens don’t flow easily for left handed people as they have to push it across paper instead of pulling it. A soft pencil is easier to use than a hard one. Better still, you can buy a left-handed pen or nib.

When writing, the position of the paper is vital for left-handed children. It should be placed left of the child’s midline. The top right corner of the paper needs to be closer to the children than the top left corner. The paper needs to be placed so that the child’s hand is to the left of, and away from the body, at the start of the writing line and ends the line with the hand closer and in front of the body or slightly to the left of the midline. The degree of tilt will vary according to the individual child. The most important thing for the child is to remember to keep the arm perpendicular to the bottom of the page. The wrist should be straight, not bent. The writing hand should be below the writing line.

The three golden rules which left-handed children need to keep in mind, as they learn to write are:

*Hold the pencil 2.5cm – 3.8cm from the point.
*Tilt the paper so that the arm is at right-angles to the bottom edge of the paper. The top right hand corner of the page is towards the writer.
*Write with the hand below the writing line and the wrist straight.

Some guidelines for teachers and parents:

*Remember that the child should not obscure its own writing.
*Younger children need to use a soft pencil, which will not tear the paper. 
*Older children should be encouraged to experiment with different writing tools, pencils etc. to find one that flows smoothly across the page.
*Make sure that the child is not holding the pen /pencil too near the tip.
*Make a mark on the pen/pencil with white-out so that the child is aware of the line.
*Check for position when the child is writing – tilt the top of the paper to a maximum of 45 degrees. This brings the hand into the correct position, underneath the writing line. 
*Smaller children tend to want to write from right to left (mirror script) – use a star or arrow on the left margin to remind them where to start. 
*Seat children on the left side of a double desk, or next to another left handed child to avoid clashes. The same needs to apply at the dining table. 
*Make allowances for the child – untidiness and smudging. 
*Recognise achievements and praise frequently.
*Purchase pencil grips moulded to fit the hand.
*Occasionally use carbon paper underneath the ordinary paper and tell the child to write lightly so that the carbon is not marked through. This allows the child to judge the degree of pressure required for writing and brings awareness of lack of tension in the hand when writing lightly compared to pressing too hard with the writing tool.

How to re-educate the left-hander

If the child has already learnt how to write the wrong way, how does a parent or teacher re-educate the left-hander?  Research has shown that good results are obtained over a period of six weeks – though to be successful parents and teachers need to work closely with the child. The child should be excused from all curriculum written work because they might revert back to their old style. Explain that you are going to teach a new style of writing which will enable easier writing – but it will take some time to master. Sit with the child for about ten minutes to start with – this needs to be on a frequent basis. Arrange for a ten minute slot each day, increasing as the action becomes easier.  Encourage and support the child during the difficult transition period. The new style should become comfortable and spontaneous.

There is no reason why a left-handed child should be at a disadvantage is school. The techniques for teaching left-handers to write correctly are very simple and easy to apply.  Those few minutes of specific guidance mean left-handed children can be shown a writing method that will enable them to develop a comfortable, neat and efficient writing style that will benefit them their whole life.