Lefty Left
Lefty Left
Teaching the Left-handed Child-Why they were born a Lefty, the Odds and Statistics
I am left-handed and have alwasy felt a member of a special group but I always wondered even as a little kid why I was born left-handed. Therefore, when I began my research my main goal was to find out the cause of left or right handedness. I was confident that I would. However, the reason a person is born left or right-handed remains elusive. The human brain is so extremely complex that research has not extended that far.
There are many theories but, please remember, they are just conjecture. The true cause as to why we are born left-handed or right-handed is still unknown. The most thoroughly tested theories listed below are formulations of scientific observation. Please note I am just reporting them and not saying that they make any sense.
Theory 1. Fetal Position: Fetal position during the final trimester is a factor in that 2/3 of fetuses are limited in the womb to a leftward positioning. So that their right side is facing right giving freedom of motion to the right side which influences the use of right-sidedness. Then in the other one-third of fetuses the opposite condition exists thus rendering the fetus freedom of movement on the left side and influencing left-handedness.(1)
Theory 2. Genetics (Heredity): Genetic determination is the most commonly accepted of all the explanations of the cause of left-handedness because of the evidence, however, even here the evidence shows that being born left-handed is at best a 50/50 chance.
Other studies varied a little, however, I chose the statistics below because they were the most conclusive.(2)
Parent's Dominant Hand Chance of Left-handedness
Both Right-handed 2%
One Left and One Right-handed 17%
Both Left-handed 50%
Theory 3. The Testosterone Theory: Elevated levels of the hormone testosterone that the fetus is exposed to in the uterus during pregnancy are said to be the reason the dominant right side is abandoned for the left hand. This also could attribute to the evidence that there are more male lefties than female lefties. For statistics on population of male/female left-handedness see Chapter 3, "Statistics on Left-handedness."
This study of testosterone levels in the uterus during pregnancy goes on to explain that as a result of the higher testosterone levels, lefties show a higher tendency toward stuttering, autism, dyslexia, immune diseases, mental retardation, migraine headaches, allergies, and even eczema.(3)
Theory 4. The "Birth Stress" Theory: This theory claims that left-handedness is due to brain damage during birth. It shows that birth complications are more common in lefties and that "birth stress" is related to babies with low APGAR scores, down's syndrome pre-maturity, autism, epilepsy, cerebral palsy and later in life schizophrenia.(4)
There is also a theory that levels of amino acids from protein in the body affect hand dominance but as I stated before, these are just theories there is no true known cause of why one hand is dominant over the other.
About the Author
Annie Thomassen and her right-handed husband Harry, have two daughters, Erin a righty and Jelica, a lefty. Annie has compiled her research into a manual titled, "Left-Handed But Not Left Behind: A Positive Approach For The Left-Handed Student". Along with the practical teaching tips, it has the latest research on left-handedness, a writing method just for Lefties and interviews with celebrity Lefties. For more info or to purchase my book: www.lefthandedinfo.com
I noticed Obama is a lefty, how many left handed US Presidents has there been?
I think these are the only ones so yeah 7(seven)
James A. Garfield (1881) 20th
Herbert Hoover (1929-1933) 31st
Harry S. Truman (1945-1953) 33rd
Gerald Ford (1974-1977) 38th
Ronald Reagan (1981 -1989) 40th (actually a right-handed writer)
AND INCLUDING OBAMA
George H.W. Bush (1989-1993) 41st
Bill Clinton (1993-2001) 42nd
Lefty Left
ShayCarl is a LEFTY!! Left Handers Apply For Minority Status?
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Teaching the Left-handed Student to Write-Some Simple Tips
Simple Tips
1. Make a survey of your lefties schooling area even if you yourself are left-handed. I say that because chances are you probably have for many years assimilated into the right-handed way of thinking and doing.
So look around and try to perceive some problems that your lefty may have to deal with. Something as simple as having them sit on your left to free up their left side for reaching and writing will make a big difference in their performance. Place items at their work space on the left for a left-handed reach, especially the computer mouse! (We even mounted our pencil sharpener backwards but when the righties in the family complained we went to an electric pencil sharpener.) Don't just let these practical applications stay in the classroom, use them everywhere; always keeping in mind that lefties live in a world that strongly favors righties.
2. If you are right-handed or teaching righties and lefties together when you demonstrate something like cutting, take the time to work with your lefty showing them the opposite or left-handed way to do the activity, try demonstrating with your back to them holding the materials over your head so they can see it from the direction they would be doing it.
3. Supplies are very important such as left-handed or ambidextrous scissors, fast drying pens are fun and helpful and left-handed rulers (more about rulers below). There are many websites on left-handedness and products to buy. Look in section 10 of this manual on, "Now For The Good News, Advantages To Being A Lefty," where websites are discussed.
Also get rid of all the left bound spiral and three ring notebooks! They are so frustrating to a lefty and those spirals hurt! We implemented top bound notebooks, steno pads and also used lots of clip boards. Left-handed notebooks can also be ordered on the internet.
A note about purchasing lefty items: Due to supply and demand most of the products are pricey. Try being creative with the top bound notebooks also buy an old fashioned wooden ruler and adapt it by crossing off the numbers that go from left to right and write in the numbers from right to left. This really helps the lefty with measuring and drawing straight lines! Lefties have more dexterity if they can draw a specified length of line from right to left rather than left to right. There is a drafting ruler called an "engineering scale" that has numbering going both ways and can be purchased at a drafting supply store but I am sure that is pricey also.
About the Author
Annie Thomassen and her right-handed husband Harry, have two daughters, Erin , a righty and Jelica, the lefty. Annie has compiled her research into a manual titled, "Left-Handed But Not Left Behind: A Positive Approach For The Left-Handed Student". Along with the practical teaching tips, it has the latest research on left-handedness. For more info. or to purchase the book go to: www.lefthandedinfo.com
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Lefty Left