Placing the left-handed child: a study of the implications of being a left-handed child within the primary classroom
Emily Hayes
PGCE Primary (2009-2010)
email: ehayes@cantab.net
Abstract
This study reports the findings of a small-scale research study into the implications of being a left-handed pupil in the primary classroom. In doing so, it explores the implications of brain laterality on handedness. It then considers the lack of adequate school equipment available to left-handed pupils in the primary classroom and the impact that this can have upon pupil’s self-esteem. This is followed by a discussion of the handwriting instruction that is offered to left-handed pupils. The study involved thirty year 3 pupils from a Cambridgeshire primary school. Classroom research was conducted in the form of laterality tests, handwriting and equipment exercises and observational studies. The findings raise awareness to the lack of support for left-handed pupils in the primary classroom and the need for the implementation of a left-handed policy within schools in order to address this. Furthermore, they highlight the importance of educating teachers about strategies to support left-handed pupils in order to increase pupils’ self-esteem.
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The full paper is available for download as a pdf file: 089-112hayese.pdf
Citation: Hayes, E.(2011) Placing the left-handed child: a study of the implications of being a left-handed child within the primary classroom, Journal of Trainee Teacher Educational Research, Volume 2 , pp-89- 112. (Downloaded from http://jotter.educ.cam.ac.uk/, [date of access])