Training a Lefty

[KTLM6]

I am looking for some ideas from others that may have more experience... or more recent experience... in helping a left-handed child with fine motor skills. Out of five daughters, only two are lefties. One went to public school when she was young. I remember having her grandpa help her learn to write her name. The other lefty is my youngest. She will be four in a couple weeks. We just started LHTH a few weeks ago. Her fine motor skills aren't very strong yet. I know it will come with time, so that doesn't worry me. I just struggle trying to help her with cutting and tracing and stuff where her dominant hand needs guidance. These are all new skills for her. If my older left-handed dd is home, I usually have her help. However, she isn't always available. Any ideas on how this right-handed mom can help more effectively, or is this a 'do the best you can' situation? Thanks for any suggestions.

[lmercon]

Hmmm....my ds is a lefty, and to be honest, I never thought about a special way to train him. He just did everything I did but with his left hand. I did make sure that he had lefty or left/right handed scissors. Otherwise, he caught on just fine. The most difficulty he has had was learning cursive last year. I was going to contact the people at Cheerful Cursive and encourage them to make a left-handed version because it was very hard for him to write without stopping yet see the word he was copying. His hand was always laying on the word. He would have to tilt his hand up, peek underneath it, and attempt to copy the word without messing up his nice cursive letter connections. The fact that it was spiral bound on the top was very helpful. I do avoid using spiral bound notebooks as the spiral is always bothering him when he writes. He uses composition books whenever he needs a notebook.

I guess I'm not too helpful. I'm curious what others suggest.
Laura

[KimS]

My 3yo is left handed but has amazing fine motor skills. The hard thing is helping him write his name. He is the only left handed one in the home so no one to help.
I use Handwriting Without tears but may change if I see that his hand covering the word is a problem. I saw on Rainbow Resource the other day a program just for left handed. I may check into that. I can't remember if HWT has the word beside or above but I believe it is beside.

[jenntracy]

I, too, have a lefty and i have never had a problem with his fine motor skills. I let him write the letters the way he wants and there was a website that i saw once that said lefties will draw letters in a different manner but still get the same letter. it makes sense to me and my son has wonderful handwriting. he is 7 1/2 and the evaluator said she was surprised last summer b/c you don't usually see that in a boy.
I do try to make sure his paper is turned the opposite way a righty would turn their paper. Lefties should have their paperswith the top slanted down to the right. i have also found it helps to put something they are looking at or copying on the "right" side of them. sometimes you just have to put yourself in their position to see why it is different and it usually makes sense. At least, this is the way it has worked for us. Somethings make no difference and other things ,like sifting flour when the handle is made for rightys, makes a difference. I wouldn't worry too much.

Jenn D.

[MomtoJGJE]

Sit across the table from them They are too young to realize they aren't using the same hand as you that way, so they see it the way they need to see it. My two oldest are left handed and this has helped tremendously!

The only issue we have now is with the binding of the pages in workbooks and notebooks. They are totally written for right handed people Cheerful Cursive is awesome since the binding is at the top.

[creativemommy]

My ds is also a lefty. We haven't had a problem with any of his fine motor skills - he's 7 1/2 now.

I did buy left-handed scissors for him.

For all of his copywork, spelling words, writing, etc, I have him use wide-ruled notebook paper so he doesn't worry about holding his hand over a spiral notebook.

For Singapore Math, I separated the worksheets from the book at his request when we began using Singapore last year. This makes it easy for him to write the numbers - he doesn't have to write over the center crease in the book!

I decided to use HWT's cursive program this fall as the letters are made upright (no slant). The writing examples are across the page and are printed several times across each line, so he won't be covering them up as he learns to make the appropriate letter/words.

[KTLM6]

Thank you everyone! MomtoJGJE, I never thought about sitting across the table. Makes sense. When we do the fingerplays, she mirrors me. I appreciate all the advice. It's very reassuring.
Cathy