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Original poster

Left handed twins going into Y3 - terrible handwriting

61 replies

mammmamia · 05/08/2017 12:17

I have 7yo twins going into year 3. Both are left handed - not sure if this is relevant - and they both have terrible, messy, inconsistent handwriting with varied letter sizes and switching between joined up writing and non joined up.
They are a boy and a girl.
Any tips or things we can do over the summer to improve this? Do they need to do specific things for left handers?
Thanks for any advice.

OP posts:
Ifonlyoneday · 05/08/2017 12:36

What are the school doing to help? Have they suggested anything?

Cabawill · 05/08/2017 12:45

My DD is left handed and really has to work at her handwriting. We do a lot of her making shopping lists, taking the register when we play schools, taking orders in her "cafe" etc in the holidays and have seen a big improvement I also bought her a left handed handwriting pen so she got the hang of gripping properly and it doesn't seem to smudge too badly.

Have you got an example of their writing?

allegretto · 05/08/2017 12:48

I could have written the same thing except mine are right handed! The school doesn't seem interested and neither are they but I think it is really important. How are they going to cope with essay writing and note taking in the future?

Original poster
mammmamia · 05/08/2017 12:57

My DD is very computer literate and says things like "what's the point of handwriting when I'm just going to type everything in the future" Hmm

School gave them extra handwriting home work every week. Their writing is still poor and very inconsistent.

Will upload a pic if I can figure out how Blush

OP posts:
elliejjtiny · 05/08/2017 15:27

My 6 year old DS is left handed and his handwriting is awful too.

BlondeB83 · 05/08/2017 15:34

Back to basics, tell then to forget joining and go back to letter formation. Watch them write and work out the issues. After that, daily 5-10 mins each.

AvoidingCallenetics · 05/08/2017 15:39

Am left handed. Tbh, I never had a problem with writing so I'm not sure how relevant the left handedness is. Just a thought though, are they being allowed to tilt the paper when they write? A lot of left handed people wrap their hands around the pen and almost write backwards iyswim, but I held a pen the same as a right hander and just tilted the paper to an angle. It might help.

justicewomen · 05/08/2017 15:44

i bought my son some handwriting books from a site called Anything Left-handed and we worked on them together (because I am also left-handed with terrible handwriting). Worked for us

NancyJoan · 05/08/2017 15:48

Might be worth investing in a writing slope to see how they get on. It helps by supporting the arm in the correct position. You could also see an Occupational Therapist, there are ones who specialise in handwriting.

Original poster
mammmamia · 05/08/2017 17:13

Thank you all for the tips. Love MN Smile

OP posts:
GreenTulips · 05/08/2017 17:15

Most schools teach right hand methods

You can buy left handed pens and left handed writing books/letter formation - look it up!!

(National left handed day isnin August!!)

mrz · 05/08/2017 17:22

"Most schools teach right hand methods" there is actually very little difference between letter formation for right and left handers but many schools rely on children tracing or copying without observing to ensure children start and end in the correct place with the correct movements in between so poor habits are established.
A big problem for lefties is that their writing hand obscures what they've written so spaces between words can be a problem. Angling the page can help.
Another problem is that when writing with your left hand you are pushing the pen across the page so it can be blotted or even worse case make holes. Finding the right pen or pencil can help but this can be trial and error.

TeenAndTween · 05/08/2017 17:27

The using a computer just won't wash at the moment as schools do not have everyone using computers yet so they have to get through to GCSEs and maybe A levels with writing by hand. It is too early at age 7 to give up on handwriting.

LBOCS2 · 05/08/2017 17:37

Turn the page. Seriously, it's the one thing which makes the biggest difference, forget specialist books or pens - they're nice to haves but in the real world they won't be provided with them so it's best to learn how to do it so it works for them in the first place.

Turn the page so it's is 90 degrees to how it would usually be - the long side closest to the body rather than the short side. That way, when they write, they're writing down the page rather than across. It solves the problem of smudging and it means they'll be able to see what they're writing.

DH and I are left handed and we have at least one left handed child. I've spoken to teachers we know and they've all said that they're not trained in teaching lefties to write and so if we have methods we're passing on, just to tell them and they'll support that.

Wotrewelookinat · 06/08/2017 07:26

Two of my children, 1 left handed, one right handed, struggled with joined up/cursive writing. When they got older and chose to right without joining up, both of their hand-writing improved a lot.

harold81 · 06/08/2017 16:13

I am left handed.. my DD is left handed too. At age 6, she does need to work around "smudging" and estimating available width of space to write. Her handwriting seems alright, so i figure it could be due to her building up hand/finger muscles from constant drawing and writing. In other words, i think keep on practicing with the pen, be it drawing/writing/scrawling.

Monkeymonstermum · 06/08/2017 21:30

Reading with interest as I have a 5yo leftie DS who had just finished reception. I've asked his teacher who says no issues and as I'm not a teacher I'm not sure if his writing is usual for his age or messy (as looks messy to me)!
Would those in the know advise sloping the page early on, even when they're writing with a pencil so they're ready for a pen?

mrz · 07/08/2017 05:28

Yes angling the page helps and it's useful to get in the habit early although I wouldn't go as far as 90 degrees to the writer. As a teacher I always ensure that a left handed child sits to the left if sitting next to a right hander otherwise elbows numb and this adds to poor formation.
I'm afraid like most things you've got to "train" to improve so using a keyboard isn't the answer. There is truth in the old saying practise makes perfect.

Left handed twins going into Y3 - terrible handwriting
waitingforthewaterwars · 07/08/2017 05:38

Another cause could be dysgraphia, especially if either of them is in physical pain when writing, or have difficultly organising thoughts on paper.
My son has this and transposed letters, missed out words, formed letters badly and his arm and hand consistently hurt after writing and when put under pressure it became worse. What he thought he was writing never came out the same on paper. Now he uses assisted technology and has gone from a D student to an A student.
An educational psychologist or an occupational therapist can diagnose this, and the earlier it is picked up the better.

Knightjam · 07/08/2017 10:13

I think my main issue left handers have is not being able to see what they are writing, so tilting the paper does help, what has helped my writing was a swan neck pen on amazon with a curve end which makes it easier to see what you are writing.

GreenTulips · 07/08/2017 11:12

You are lucky to be able to use assisted technology - the difference in DS's literacy is huge when completed using this - but school won't allow it -
Technology is the future - just not in schools

ParadiseCity · 07/08/2017 11:14

I agree with tilting the paper.

FWIW left handers do grow up to be the BEST adults Wink

GreenTulips · 07/08/2017 11:16

www.lefthandersday.com/

13th August - International Left Handed Day

BubbleFrog · 07/08/2017 11:38

Where are you based? My younger sister had terrible handwriting and had 1-2-1 sessions with a handwriting consultant- the difference is astounding. I didn't actually realise this was an actual thing but the lady running it has a background in working with children and also in typography so was very helpful in showing her how to form the letters correctly and undo all her bad habits.