s/o more left-handed writing questions

[Halcyon]

I have been doing a lot of research on this for my lefty son, and most official websites say that the left-handed child should be taught to tilt his paper to the right (clockwise) and keep his elbow in line with the left edge of the paper so as to avoid a hook. The theory is that this mirrors what righties do (they generally tilt their paper counterclockwise).

 

Then I read this blog comment:

 

 

Dear elementaryteacher,

 

I am left-handed and I have to turn my paper to the left (counter-clockwise, or anti-clockwise as the British would say it) when I write in cursive so that my letters slant to the right.

 

If I were to turn my paper to the right (clockwise), I would have to awkwardly bend my wrist or strain my fingers to get my hand to easily slant my writing to the right.

 

Whoever came up with the idea that left-handers should turn their paper clockwise (to the right) and still slant their writing to the right obviously wasn’t left-handed and didn’t have a clue. The whole purpose of turning the paper to the left is so that your writing would slant to the right without having to make your hand write to the right. That’s the same regardless of handedness. Imagine turning the paper to the right instead of the left. If you were to write normally, your letters would naturally slant to the left because the paper was turned right. If you wanted to make your writing slantless (or vertical slant), you would have to make your fingers slant your writing to the right to compensate for the paper being turned to the right. And then, if you wanted to slant your writing to the right on the paper, you would have to really strain your fingers to further slant your writing to the right because your paper would already be turned to the right. Ridiculous!

And I gave it some more thought...my son finds it really weird and uncomfortable when his paper is tilted clockwise, but I attributed this to the fact that it is new to him. I think this commenter, however, must be writing "across" the line rather than coming from "under the line of writing". Indeed, when I, as a righty, try and tilt my paper to the left (ie counterclockwise) my handwriting tilts to the left, so naturally, a lefty who tilts his paper CLOCKWISE would naturally tilt his cursive to the LEFT (which is actually recommended in some texts). But my son does not want "left-tilting" cursive, so I am feeling like I am back to square one in terms of how to position him.

 

Gosh, I think I'm overthinking this. Ya think?

[Dinsfamily]

I have been doing a lot of research on this for my lefty son, and most official websites say that the left-handed child should be taught to tilt his paper to the right (clockwise) and keep his elbow in line with the left edge of the paper so as to avoid a hook. The theory is that this mirrors what righties do (they generally tilt their paper counterclockwise).

 

Then I read this blog comment:

 

 

Dear elementaryteacher,

 

I am left-handed and I have to turn my paper to the left (counter-clockwise, or anti-clockwise as the British would say it) when I write in cursive so that my letters slant to the right.

 

If I were to turn my paper to the right (clockwise), I would have to awkwardly bend my wrist or strain my fingers to get my hand to easily slant my writing to the right.

 

Whoever came up with the idea that left-handers should turn their paper clockwise (to the right) and still slant their writing to the right obviously wasn’t left-handed and didn’t have a clue. The whole purpose of turning the paper to the left is so that your writing would slant to the right without having to make your hand write to the right. That’s the same regardless of handedness. Imagine turning the paper to the right instead of the left. If you were to write normally, your letters would naturally slant to the left because the paper was turned right. If you wanted to make your writing slantless (or vertical slant), you would have to make your fingers slant your writing to the right to compensate for the paper being turned to the right. And then, if you wanted to slant your writing to the right on the paper, you would have to really strain your fingers to further slant your writing to the right because your paper would already be turned to the right. Ridiculous!

And I gave it some more thought...my son finds it really weird and uncomfortable when his paper is tilted clockwise, but I attributed this to the fact that it is new to him. I think this commenter, however, must be writing "across" the line rather than coming from "under the line of writing". Indeed, when I, as a righty, try and tilt my paper to the left (ie counterclockwise) my handwriting tilts to the left, so naturally, a lefty who tilts his paper CLOCKWISE would naturally tilt his cursive to the LEFT (which is actually recommended in some texts). But my son does not want "left-tilting" cursive, so I am feeling like I am back to square one in terms of how to position him.

 

Gosh, I think I'm overthinking this. Ya think?

 

I tilt my paper to the right and still manage to slant my cursive properly. It will take some time and work before it will feel comfortable for your ds since he's remediating as it would anyone who is making changes to their writing posture whether left or right-handed.

[Hedgehog]

But my son does not want "left-tilting" cursive, so I am feeling like I am back to square one in terms of how to position him.

 

Gosh, I think I'm overthinking this. Ya think?

 

FWIW.. my DD11 is left-handed, and I bought her Diana Hanbury King's Cursive Writing Skills for Left Handed Students. To begin with, she hated it; hated that she had to learn to write her letters differently, that she had to slant them the "wrong" way, it was too much like hard work. I'm afraid I just said that that was how she was going to learn to write, because good handwriting was a courtesy to your reader, so she got on with it. Two thirds the way through the book, and she has completely changed her mind; she loves that her handwriting is unique - she has never met any other left-handed writer who has learned her style of cursive; she finds that the writing flows easily and is therefore not difficult to produce.

 

I'm just wondering whether your son might get to like this way of writing if he tried it. It's a bit like eating, isn't it - better to give something a good go than to dismiss it too soon?

[Halcyon]

Thanks :) We might have to try this book again.

[emilia]

I am a lefty and I tilt my paper clockwise. I had a friend in high school who turned his paper horizontal and wrote down the line... Japanese style. I believe he was educated at home up until middle school or high school (not that it matters).

My sister was left handed until she was 3.5 and got the tip of her ring finger cut off in an accident. The dr. sewed her finger back on but she had a bandage for 6 weeks. Consequently she became right handed for practical reasons. She never used her left hand dominantly after that. To this day her handwriting is atrocious.

My daughter is right handed. She is doing fine so far with her handwriting but she is frustrated learning to tie her shoes.

I think if I were you I would seek out a local lefty friend to demo some writing techniques. Someone who can help your little guy find a method that works. I like handwriting without tears for my little rightie.

[GoVanGogh]

I am actually thinking about sending my leftie to a penmanship class that I found out about recently. :glare:

DH and I are both right-handed and can not figure out what to do to help DS w/his penmanship.

DS started writing on his own when he was around 4-years-old. (Wrote down the entire alphabet before we even knew he knew it.) I figured it best not to interfere at that point. We have since used every penmanship program available at home. He is almost 9 now and his writing is truly dreadful.

We are clueless with this leftie thing.

[Ellyndria]

I'm sorry, but as a left handed writer, I'm going to have to say you are overthinking it. :) Or at least, the bit you quoted is overthinking it.

 

The main reason to slant the paper to the right as a leftie is to have a comfortable position for writing and to be able to see what you're doing. It also helps to keep a person from hooking their hand if they have that tendancy.

 

I can write well enough with my right hand to comment that slanting the paper to the left for a rightie also seems to accomplish a comfortable writing position as well as being able to see what you're doing. Perhaps a slant to the right is an easy byproduct of the paper being tilted to the left, but I can't see it being the whole reason the paper is tilted. I don't think it's right to compare the slant of the paper for left and right handers on the basis of the slant of the writing alone, if the main reason for tilting for both is to provide a comfortable writing position as well as to see what you're doing.

 

I always say that writing left handed is not all that different from writing right handed...but there *is* a fundamental difference. Right handers pull their pencil across the paper. Left handers push it across the paper. It's different. Not really harder, just different. Because of that, writing as a left hander does not feel exactly the same as a right hander, and that's okay.

 

Now, as for the slanting. It's not that hard to slant to the right, even with the paper slanted to the right. You're pushing the pencil anyway, you just push it a little more, you don't have to do hand contortions to make it slant. ;) I think no matter what hand you use, cursive writing takes practice, and he has to practice anyway, right? :) However, if the slant is causing a problem right now, would you consider just letting him make the letters more vertical? This might be easier for a leftie while actually learning cursive. I have to admit that my cursive is more vertical some days, and more slanted others. After he's more comfortable with making the letters, then he could work on the slant if he wants.

Edited November 25, 2010 by Ellyndria

[Kuovonne]

I'm sorry, but as a left handed writer, I'm going to have to say you are overthinking it. :) Or at least, the bit you quoted is overthinking it.

 

:iagree:

 

It's mostly a matter habit. And it's hard to change an old habit.

 

I'm a lefty and I usually slant my paper, but I can write with the paper at any angle.

 

DD7 is a lefty. She usually writes with a slant to her paper, but can't write at any angle the way I can.

 

DD4 is a righty. She twists and turns her paper all over the place. She is still learning letter formation. As often as not she turns her paper to the left and writes sideways.

[Paige]

I don't slant my paper. I'm a lefty and have no trouble slanting my letters to my right without hooking my hand. I agree that you may be overthinking it. Even if he were right handed, with his personality and perfectionism, you would likely be dealing with the same level of frustration and difficulty with him.

[Dinsfamily]

I'm sorry, but as a left handed writer, I'm going to have to say you are overthinking it. :) Or at least, the bit you quoted is overthinking it.

 

The main reason to slant the paper to the right as a leftie is to have a comfortable position for writing and to be able to see what you're doing. It also helps to keep a person from hooking their hand if they have that tendancy.

 

I can write well enough with my right hand to comment that slanting the paper to the left for a rightie also seems to accomplish a comfortable writing position as well as being able to see what you're doing. Perhaps a slant to the right is an easy byproduct of the paper being tilted to the left, but I can't see it being the whole reason the paper is tilted. I don't think it's right to compare the slant of the paper for left and right handers on the basis of the slant of the writing alone, if the main reason for tilting for both is to provide a comfortable writing position as well as to see what you're doing.

 

I always say that writing left handed is not all that different from writing right handed...but there *is* a fundamental difference. Right handers pull their pencil across the paper. Left handers push it across the paper. It's different. Not really harder, just different. Because of that, writing as a left hander does not feel exactly the same as a right hander, and that's okay.

 

Now, as for the slanting. It's not that hard to slant to the right, even with the paper slanted to the right. You're pushing the pencil anyway, you just push it a little more, you don't have to do hand contortions to make it slant. ;) I think no matter what hand you use, cursive writing takes practice, and he has to practice anyway, right? :) However, if the slant is causing a problem right now, would you consider just letting him make the letters more vertical? This might be easier for a leftie while actually learning cursive. I have to admit that my cursive is more vertical some days, and more slanted others. After he's more comfortable with making the letters, then he could work on the slant if he wants.

 

:iagree: well said! It isn't any harder to write for a lefty...just different.

[Halcyon]

thanks all! I do tend to overthink things :)

 

After looking at a few cursive styles, and trying a few (particularly Peterson Directed, which I am going to teach myself!) he decided he prefers the 'curvy, rounded' look of HWT (which I don't like, personally, but figured on this count, he gets a say). He naturally holds his hand slightly to the left of the line, rather than underneath, and that's okay with him. If he starts to hook, I correct him. He needs to go slower with cursive anyway because he needs to make it look nicer, so this is as good a reason as any to slow down. :)

 

One thing he has said (and that I've noticed) is that because of the 'push' nature of lefties' writing, he needs to pick up and move his hand during cursive practice, which is somewhat antithetical to the "flow" he's trying to develop.

[BlsdMama]

 

Then I read this blog comment:

 

Dear elementaryteacher,

 

Gosh, I think I'm overthinking this. Ya think?

 

 

Dear mother of left handed child,

 

Your child will learn to write. I promise. I too am a left handed nut. Not only can I write, but I can tie my shoes, use a scissors (with my RIGHT hand) and hit a softball.

 

:D

 

I learned to do these things with no special method.

 

I was always told I would have messy handwriting because I'm a lefty. I don't. I have very nice handwriting, although in pen sometimes it smears because my hand has to drag after my writing. What a drag. :P

 

That said, I did just fine - no special method necessary. My sister in law is left handed as is my mother-in-law, as is my mother, and also one of my grandmothers. I also have freaky green eyes too, but hey I just think they make me special.

 

:D

 

All of this is said tongue in cheek of course. But we left handers learn to adapt quite well. After all the world is created for right handers and yet we can zip zippers and do all sorts of "handy" things. :) No special anything required. And me? GASP! I don't slant my paper AT ALL. Nope, just straight up and down. ;)

 

And, oddly, I have NO left handed children yet. I am holding out hope for the current baby or maybe the next one. It would certainly make life easier when I have to teach them to tie shoes & do handwriting!