How to encourage left handed DD with handwriting? Currently, we are seeing lots of mirror image letters...

[greythorne]

DD1 is nearly 4. We live abraod where the system is geared towards:

• starting some writing skills early
• forcing encouraging elaborate, cursive handwriting

DD is learning to write her name and the teacher has made it very clear that the kids have to:

• learn how to hold the pen "properly"
• learn how to write each letter from top to bottom and left to right
• leant the "correct" movement of the pen to create each letter to avoid creating bad habits which are hard to stamp out when real, cursive writing is required.

DD1 is left handed and is not very enthused by the whole writing enterprise at the best of times.

I try to get her to copy the letters of her name (as the teacher has suggested) but I notice that she produces letters such as "t" and "s" in mirror form.

Is this a common left handed issue?

Any ideas how to encourage her?

Very common. I'm left handed and still have some of my early school books in which I do exactly this. DD is nearly and also left handed and does exactly the same. Her teachers have said not to worry as its very normal at this age.

Your dd is tiny, its wonderful she's writing at all at this age. Don't push it, she'll learn.

I find it helpful to write letters for dd to trace as she learns from that. She finds d and b especially confusing so we write bed and draw a little person sleeping across the letters. If you write deb he can't go to bed

Really don't worry about it, she'll be fine its very early days yet

sorry dd is nearly 5

DS2 is left handed and aged 8 now writes beautifully in cursive form. He used to write perfect mirror writing. Be patient with DD - she will sort it out for herself. Gentle correction only. She is still very young to be learning to write.

My daughter reversed quite a few letters when she was just starting out too. Mainly S, J and T and she's right handed so I really wouldn't worry too much about it yet.

This may help - dd's school are using it to help teach her letter formation here Could you explain the issue to her teacher and ask her to look at it? Would they be receptive to it?

Yes, absolutely, I know I am probably coming across a bit full on!
It's just that I have only this evening come out of the beginning of year parents meeting where the teacher outlines all the learning objectives for the year and top priority is learning to recognise then write their name.

DD likes writing her name when she "signs" birthday cards for friends.

We'll keep practising in a gentle way.

tHX

Dd is 8yo and still sometimes writes 5 and 2 the wrong way around.

She learnt cursive from an early age, as is DS (we are in Switzerland. She has very neat handwriting now so the work is worthwhile.

MmeLindt
We are in France where huge importance is placed on the loopy, swirly cursive. Personally, I find it quite hard to read lots of French people's handwriting, because it is sooooooo loop the loop, but that's another story!

We are in French speaking switzerland and they have similar style of writing here, I think. I was a bit taken aback, but the dc have learnt really well.