How to Teach Left-Handed Children to Write

Our previous blog posts were dedicated to teaching kids how to trace and write letters. Meanwhile, we got a message on our Facebook page, where we were asked about the difference between writing letters for a right-handed kid and a lefty. And this is exactly how this article was born. 

Some of you might have noticed that left-handers develop a ‘hooked’ wrist position during writing. Not that it is convenient to write with a bent wrist, lefties simply hold their hand like this because they want to see what they write. If not properly taught, they may develop an incorrect ‘hooked’ style of writing and poor seating posture. 

However, these consequences can be prevented by timely teaching and continuous monitoring on the part of adults. There are a couple of things you need to observe if you have a left-handed child.

Proper Pen Grip

Left-handed children are recommended to grip a pen around 1 inch to 1.5 inches from the point with their index finger and the thumb leaving the middle finger relaxed behind the pen.  

Correct Paper Position

Paper should be placed opposite the left part of the child’s body. Teachers also suggest tilting the paper so that the top right corner of a page is moved toward the writer. This will ensure the correct arm position during the process of writing. 

Correct Arm Position

A left-handed child should write with a straight wrist holding the hand below the writing line but writing on the line. 

Correct Letter Formation

Letter formation for right-handed children differs from the one for lefties. If you have doubts, whether or not you teach your kid proper letter formation, feel free to check out this website http://www.lefthandedchildren.org/letter-formation.htm.