5 Top Tips for Left Handed Writers

Lots of children who are left-handed are able to write and complete tasks without any concern at all. Sometimes, making some small modifications can make a big difference and can make writing easier! If your child is left-handed, try the following tips and strategies to help your child be successful in the classroom and in the home environment.

Pencil grip

• Encourage your child to grip their pencil 1- 1.5 inches away from the point to allow them to see and avoid smearing what has been written.
• Place a mark or sticker on the pencil to remind your child where to put their finger.
• Experimentation with different pencil grips and pens is encouraged to find the most suitable writing tool for your child.

Writing position

• Sometimes, children who are left handed will “hook” their wrist, often in an attempt to see their work as they write. This position is not recommended as it can cause fatigue and pain as writing demands increase. To avoid your child writing with a “hooked” wrist position, place paper to the left of the child’s midline and tilt top left-hand corner of the paper upwards.

Writing organisation

• Encourage your child to work from left-to-right of the paper. Place a mark on the left side of the paper as a reminder if necessary.
• If it is difficult for your child to include consistent spacing in-between words, try using a cut-out finger space or teach them to imagine they are writing an “O” between words to make the correct sized space.

Writing fluidity

• To facilitate fluid handwriting and avoid a stop-start handwriting motion, try writing with a small amount of Talcum powder on the part of the hand that is in contact with the paper.

If your child has tried these tips and is still finding writing to be tricky, contact Qualia on 9555 9776 for more specific ideas and advice.