Teaching Left-Handed Children How to Write

My handy Left’s Hander’s Desk Calendar noted the Handedness Research Institute the other day. Started in 2001, its aim is to advance scientific understanding of handedness – left-handed, right-handed or ambidextrous.
From the looks of the website, it could use some funding. Not surprising, I suppose, because only 8-10% of the population are left-handed. Many of the articles I’ve read on left-handedness noted that lefties are simply under-represented in research. They may be under-represented in the caring department as well.
I found the page on left-handed writing (go figure) particularly interesting because it explained how left-handed people write differently. Lefties don’t just write the opposite as right-handed people. The following image illustrates, for example, how a lefty should position her paper.

As a young lefty, I wasn’t ever shown how to properly hold the paper and position my hand for writing. Most people don’t know this is even an issue because they are right-handed. This positioning makes a huge difference because, had I known, I would have avoided a lot of strain in my wrist and all that ink smudging on the outside of my hand.
Anyway, I thought it was interesting and would share. I’m sure there are some parents out there with left-handed children. Penmanship can be tough for lefties (mine’s horrible), but learning the best way to position themselves can certainly help.
My youngest son is a lefty, and he’ll be starting preschool in the fall. I ordered a left-handed writing mat so that he can practice writing in the most comfortable way possible.
The Lefty’s Left Handed Writing Guide Instructional Set can get you and your child ready for left-handed writing. The washable writing mat shows kids how to position a piece of paper so they don’t strain their hand. It also shows the proper (or most comfortable, at least) way for a lefty to write each letter, since we tend to loop some of our letters the opposite way.
He’s not too much into writing letters just yet, but it seems like a great tool.
Do you have a left-handed child? What tools do you use to help them learn to write?
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