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how to teach left and right


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I have a very intelligent 12 year old with dyslexia who STILL gets left and right wrong.  (Her father, who also has dyslexia, does too, but not as often.)  I have recently realized that she's getting it right about 50% of the time, which makes me think she's STILL GUESSING. She wants to react immediately, which leads to the guessing, and she doesn't want anyone to know that she doesn't know her right from her left.  (She denies any confusion at home when I call her on it.)  

 

I've taught her the "you write with your right hand" mnemonic device.  I've showed her how the left hand makes a letter L, but that one is too confusing for her.  (I'm not convinced she sees the directionality of the letter L on her hand as clearly as I do, anyway.)  She is a serious musician, so I've also told her that her right hand is her bow hand (thought that would be an easy one b/c she is so natural with knowing which hand is her bow hand).  

 

I thought repetition would work.  Over the years I have taught her chant the mnemonic devices about her right hand and as a result her 8 y.o. brother and her 4 year old sister are secure with right vs. left.  But she is still not.

 

What else can I do?

 

Thanks in advance!

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There isn't much else to do, unfortunately. I did not figure out left from right consistently until I was driving and that wasn't until I was 18. And I won't mention how many times I turned the wrong way first.

 

On my equation sheet for math/science tests in college wrote in left and right on the corners. And I wore a watch with hands so I could figure out clockwise and counterclockwise too.

 

At this point I usually get left or right correct if I think about it, but still no guarantees. I don't think it is going to get any better though so I give myself time to figure it out and try not to stress about it.

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I'm not sure your DD will go along with this, but we were pretty successful in remediating this issue with my DS. He spent MONTHS on this in vision therapy. He's 8, and was profoundly unable to figure out left and right. This was roughly is progression through VT (on this issue):

 

1. Use Kirschner Arrow chart, student stands 6 ft from chart, which is mounted on the wall. With, both arms, point in the direction the arrow is pointing and shout out the directions -- big, big movements. I did the first row with DS8 to get him started (like this: http://www.totaleyecare.co.nz/uploads/pdfs/KirshnerArrows.pdf). Twice daily, for 5 minutes each time, for months.

2. We next got a lowercase P/D/Q/B chart -- I can't find a copy of it. You sit with the the chart in front of you. You stomp your left foot if there is a "p", stomp your right foot if the letter  is a "q", raise your left arm if the letter is a "b" and raise your right arm if the letter is a "d" --> lift your arm/leg based on where the letter on the chart's ascender or descender is. Twice daily, for 5 minutes each time, for months. 

3. Start asking your student to raise their left hand/right hand. My son became "too cool" for this, so he just used his thumbs.  :coolgleamA:

 

 

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I believe the author of HWT recommends adding a kinesthetic element to learning left and right. The suggestion was having your child warm her right hand up by running her hand across her jean wearing pant leg. Follow the hand warming by repeatedly shaking hands with the right hand. Basically, associate the right hand shaking with being silly and having a fun time. I need to look that up because a verse may have gone with that.

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While you titled this as 'how to teach left and right'?

What really needs to be looked at, is the ability to 'concieve of left and right'?

 

Where left and right are just words that represent something.

What is a 'left' ?

Left cannot exist by itself.

It only comes into existence, as an opposing point.

These opposing points are created in the mind, as we develop control of our body and limbs.

Where importantly, each side is controlled by their own side of the brain.

As the connection between both sides of the brain develop.

The crucial factor with the development of the connection between both sides?

Is that it provides us with the ability to 'concieve of opposing points'.

 

So that once we are able to concieve of these opposing points?

We can then learn words to represent each of them.

But if we haven't developed the ability to concieve of these opposing points?

 

That hand is called John, and your other hand is called George ?

Has as much meaning as Left and Right?

Where is George?

We can only locate George, in relation to where John is.

As John is our terms of reference.

In the same way that sensing where Left is, enables us to locate Right.

 

But I might also add that the brain makes other major uses of this conception of opposing points, called Left and Right ?

This side that we call Left, is also where we concieve of, beginning, past, yesterday, smaller, less than, before, was, subtraction.

With the Right used to locate end, future, tomorrow, larger, greater than, next, will, addition.

 

So that coming back to 'teaching left and right'?

What first needs to be looked at, is firstly concieving of left and right as opposing points?

 

Which gives the words left and right, real meaning.

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mommymonster,

 

I have started asking dd to raise her right hand (figured I'd stick to just one and perhaps the repetition would crystallize "right" in her mind, leaving her to get "left" just by process of eliminiation).  She is annoyed by it, but laughs at me.  It has been okay.  

 

When she gets right/left wrong is usually when I ask her to *turn to the ___" (like when we're out and about shopping, walking, or whatever and I'm giving her directions b/c she's up in front of our little entourage).  And when she *does* get it wrong, she tells me that it's because she was just guessing.  When I ask her WHY she would GUESS she tells me that it's faster than thinking about it.  But... ummm... isn't right and left important enough to think about?  This is DIRECTIONS we're talking about. Heh.

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One exercise for bilateral issues?

Is learning to Juggle.

Which begins with just 1 object, tossing from hand to hand.

Then introducing a second object, and when that is mastered. Adding a third.

 

For the objects, making small bags of beans are useful.

As they wont roll away, like a ball.

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OhElizabeth and geodob,

 

Okay, so I looked it up.  I don't think bilateral coordination is the problem.  This child has dyslexia, but she developed her fine and gross motor skills early.  (She was climbing to the top of the jungle gym and sitting above the monkeybars -and giving me a heart attack- at 3, pumping herself independently on a swing at 2, riding a two-wheeler at 4, swimming at 5, and playing a violin at 3.)  I think her bilateral coordination is very good.  I think this is just related to the dyslexia.

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The examples you give where she messes up, it sounds like it doesn't bother *her,* it bothers *you.*  I would try to think of ways it might bother *her.*  

 

Maybe if you asked her to write directions for another person. Maybe if you played a treasure hunt game.  

 

It may be that she can know it if she does stop to think, but in the situations you describe, it is more functional to guess wrong and easily be corrected, than actually stop and think about it.

 

I am also one who had to stop and think about it for a very long time.  I can say first-hand -- a lot of times, you will look better to be wrong, than to look confused or take a long pause.  That is less socially acceptable.  It feels worse.  

 

I think maybe more practice when she will take a second to figure it out, no pressure, might give her practice.  I think if she *has* a good mnemonic, she needs opportunities to practice using it.  Knowing a mnemonic is a very important first step, and if she knows it and can go from there to thinking of it and applying it, then she has the tools she needs to practice.  But if she needs to be in a situation where she wants to practice, and she needs to practice a thousand times, to have it become automatic, then I think ----- that might just be how it is.  

 

I see a theme of people needing to know when they started driving, though.  

 

Personally, I think of it more as a rote memorization/automaticity thing.  Especially if she is capable when she thinks about it, but it is not  yet automatic.  

 

I do also think -- it is stressful.  B/c, right now, in that situation, if she makes a mistake, she didn't try.  Let's say she did try, and it showed by her making a pause, and then she was wrong.  That would be very hard.  Also, I get a panicky feeling and can't think of things sometimes when I need to.  If I am supposed to be navigating in a car, and I don't have time, I get like that.  Like -- I have got the turns figured out, and then a turn is missed, so I am supposed to look at the map and instantly come up with "okay turn left up here and we will circle back around."  That is extremely hard for me, it is too fast and I get a panicky feeling and I can't do it so fast.  I am better off to drive and let my husband give me directions.  If I am by myself, I would just find a place to pull over and regroup, I would not panic.  

 

I think what helped me, was looking at a map, and then in my head, converting the map to "go straight, then turn left" kinds of things.  It was hard for me to use a map, too.  So I was using a map, thinking about it, thinking about "turn left," and then actually turning left.  Part of me wonders if I would know now, if I had a GPS that showed a big arrow for turns.  But on the other hand, the voice saying "turn left" might have helped me a lot over time.  But ---- when I was not driving, I never paid attention to directions, so hearing someone talk about "turn left, turn right" while I was a passenger meant nothing to me.  

 

I liked to ride my bike, I think maybe some pretense of making different bike routes and then telling someone the directions for the bike route I made might have been fun and helpful for me.  Or, letting me plan the bike route, but I had to tell people the directions we would take.  But in real life, I lived in a new city where I needed to use a map to walk places or ride my bike, and I think I lived there 6 months before I was doing it pretty well.  Then those skills have transferred as I have moved again or used maps again, but I still need to take a little more time compared to my husband.  

 

I live in a town now where there are often references to East and West when directions are given or things are talked about.  I think I lived here 2 years before I just knew.  Before, first I would have to think "we" and then (I was usually in my car) look at the little compass in my car and figure out the compass points.  Then, yay, I realized a shopping center had "West" in the name, and was very near me.  Then I could start to think "we" and then I would not have to think of the compass points.  I could think "we" and then think of the shopping center with "West" in the name.  But now -- it is instinctive to me.  I know what is the West side of town and what is the East, when I get directions I know which direction is East and West.  I have got some landmarks identified with the East side of town and can orient myself towards them.  

 

It just seems to take a while, and I would not figure it out "just because," I figure it out b/c I want to go somewhere or I want to know what someone is talking about.  

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Ummm...there is no way. The left hand makes an L, unless you turn it the other way with your palm facing you. I have trouble with this myself. To this day, I have to stop and think about it. I can get it if I think. My dd21, on the other hand, cannot seem to get it. She didn't have a handedness for a long time. She still reverses letters if she isn't tremendously careful. She has 3D imaginative capabilities. She can rotate objects in her mind and know what they would look like from various angles. She thinks that ability is just normal. But, she cannot keep her right and left straight. She has to be extremely careful driving. She once turned "right on red after stopping" and made a left hand turn at a red light...I was in the car behind her. It scared the carp out of me! Now, instead of "right on red"; it is "turn on red if you aren't crossing the road after a stop". I have learned to never say "turn right or left". It was fairly easy since I can't keep it straight myself.

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We assigned them personalities. (I know it sounds weird, stick with me for a moment)

 

Lefty is a boy who is often in trouble. He wears a watch to remind him not to be late for curfew. His job is walking dogs (we only walk our dogs on the left). He enjoys being in the driver's seat on the ride to and from work, but he tends to go a bit too fast.

 

Righty is delicate girl. She wears a bracelet (we gave dd a monogramed bracelet with the letter R), enjoys writing and drinking tea. She is a bit of a know it all who thinks she is always right, and tends to be the first to jump in to do any task.

 

 

Assigning personalities has helped my dyslexic girl to subconsciously assess whether a task is a lefty or righty role quickly and to use the correct direction. She does still have difficulty in the show ring or other areas with lots of fast paced direction related instructions, but she knows to wear her watch and bracelet to remind her on those days.

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Plink, that bracelet watch idea is ingenious!

I'm glad you like it!

 

I think I forgot to include an important step though.  When I introduced Lefty and Righty I had my daughter draw intricate pictures of each character.  We then revisited those pictures regularly and made copies to put in multiple locations.  She got used to seeing them only in that particular order which made the concept more concrete.

 

For example, we put copies in the backseat of the car.  Lefty on the back of the driver's seat, and Righty on the passenger.  When traveling a familiar route we would ask her which direction to turn, and she used the pictures to help her say the right direction.  

 

The watch/bracelet trick probably wouldn't have worked for her without the drawings and regular exposure to her own visual cues.

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I didn't learn it until I started driving either. I actually made myself a big "R" to hang off of my rear view mirror to help remember that was the right side. I'm not dyslexic, but I do have issues with directions. It confused me because right and left mean different things depending on who is talking and what they want (your left, mine/someone else's- what's the reference point!). I still have times when I hold up my hands to see the L or think about where the rearview mirror would be if I were in the car. My children mastered left and right at an early age through martial arts.

 

For your daughter, perhaps you could have her wear a little bracelet or ring on one hand. She could wear red or blue and remember with something like "ruby red on the right" or "lapiz lazuli left."

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Though behind left and right, is the ability to concieve of these opposing points.

Their is no such thing as 'left' in isolation.

It only comes into existence as an opposing point.

Where a relationship between the opposing points needs to created.

Which comes down 'lateralization' and the connection between both sides of the brain.

With left and right concieved of in different sides of the brain.

 

While the focus is on the names: left and right.

What needs to be looked at?

Is whether each side is concieved of as opposing points?

 

Where these sides are also used to concieve of smaller/ larger, lesser/greater, and past/future.

So that difficulties with left/right, need to be looked at more broadly?

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