differentiated instruction for left-handed learners

8/15/2019 Differentiated Instruction for Left-Handed Learners

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/differentiated-instruction-for-left-handed-learners 1/27

1

Differentiated Instruction for Left-Handed Learners:

Voices of International Educators

Ian M. Henderson

Framingham State Uniersit!



"

Introduction

#hen consulting the literature concerning the conce$t of differentiated instruction

for left-handed children% seeral themes &ecome readil! a$$arent: the inherited cultural

mores a&out handedness colored a &ul' of the research during the "(th centur!% much

of this $rior research )as called into *uestion and reassessed &eginning in the 1++(,s%

and onl! er! recentl! hae the im$lications concerning $edagog! &een addressed.

Ho)eer% seeral themes are clear from )hat data does eist left-handedness is an

in&orn genetic condition )hich alters the )a! the &rain functions and $rocesses ne)

information% there is a clear need for differentiated instruction for left-handed learners

and there is limited research% training or a)areness of the $henomenon in the realm of

education.

Review of the Literature on Left-handed Learners

/he )eighted negatie im$lications of things associated )ith the left hand hold

true glo&all!% &ut $articularl! so in the )estern tradition. 0umerous researchers

illuminate the et!mological im$lications )ith eam$les such as the )ord left%2 )hich

deries from the 3nglo Saon )ord l!ft2 meaning 4)ea', or 4&ro'en, 5#en6e "((78. /his

inherited influence dominated research u$ through the end of the "(th centur!. Denn!

5"((98 concluded that left-handedness )as seen &! most earl! researchers as a mar'er

for other $athologies li'e grou$s )ith a histor! of alcoholism% autism% criminalit!%

de$ression% homoseualit!% immune diseases% $s!chosis% and schi6o$hrenia to mention



&ut a fe)2 5$. ;98. <arallels can &e dra)n )ith other research during this $eriod such

as lin's &et)een criminalit! and the $oor% mista'ing correlation )ith causation. Een

through the 1+9(,s it )as still &eing argued that the origins of left-handedness )ere due

fetal or infant head trauma and )as therefore a t!$e of neurological disa&ilit! 5=ohnston

"((+8. 3s late as 1+>;% dismissing mounting genetic eidence% ?arlson 51+>;8 argued

that is )as mostl! due to enironmental factors and &elieed ta'ing $recautions )ith

infants could determine their lateral $reference.

@ne researcher in $articular sered as a transition for much of the earlier findings

and more modern attitudes Dr. Stanle! ?oren. /hrough do6ens of studies he sho)ed

that left-handers )ere more $rone to a host of negatie effects including accidents%

&ehaioral issues and een shorter life s$ans 5?oren 1+>+% ?oren 1++1% ?oren 1++>8.

3round the same time a gro)ing &od! of )or' )as forming to challenge or com$letel!

oerturn some of these conclusions. Most im$ortantl!% =ohnston 5"((+8 tells us the

conclusion of these studies demonstrated conclusiel! that handedness could not &e

attri&uted to child health at &irth% famil! com$osition% income% or other enironmental

factors and that )orld)ide the incidence has held stead! at 1(A of the $o$ulation.

Besides the causatie element% Eaton 51++C8 ruled out other oerloo'ed

aria&les and found that it )as im$ossi&le to lin' maturational lag to handedness.

3nnett 51++8 demolished the reduced longeit! theor! &! demonstrating the

decreased num&er of lefties among the elderl! )as due to the )ides$read $ractice of

conerting children at an earl! age to )rite )ith their right hands% )hich had diminished

oer time.



7

0onetheless% some findings )ere reaffirmed )hile other ne) discoeries seemed

to &e in direct contradiction )ith each other. Lefties )ere found to &e dis$ro$ortionatel!

re$resented in a ariet! of disorders such as d!sleia% autism% schi6o$hrenia%

h!$eractiit! and asthma% 5rouios 1+++% Hauc' "((1% Schiffman "((;% Dee$-So&osla!

"(1(% romm!das "((8. 3t the same time% numerous studies such as Ben&o) 51+>C8

sho)ed a higher incidence of left-handers among the etremel! intellectuall!

$recocious and gifted children2 5Denn!% "((9% $. ;98. Li'e)ise% other researchers

found a dis$ro$ortionate num&er of left-handers among musicians% artists% architects

and mathematicians 5=ohnston "((+% Beratis "(18. Een ?oren 51++;8 $u&lished

findings that seemed in contradiction to his negatie conclusions )hen he argued that

left-handed children seems to hae greater ca$acit! for a&stract thought and diergent

thin'ing. #hile at first &lush the research seems at odds )ith itself% a $attern did form of

a sort of inerse2 &ell cure. =ohnston 5"((+8 summari6ed this dissonant conclusion of

the findings &! sa!ing Left- or mied-handedness has &een associated )ith at!$ical

cognitie a&ilities% )hich can hae &oth disadantageous and adantageous outcomes2

5$. ">18.

For those tr!ing to find constructie )a!s to im$lement the research into

$edagog! concerning left-handed children% researchers )ere in a *uandar!. Seeral

ne) theories hae &een $ut for)ard to e$lain ho) lefties can occu$! &oth ends of the

cognitie s$ectrum. Some of the methodolog! of the findings concerning mental

disa&ilities )as reealuated and found that much of the research had diided the

su&ects into t)o $rimar! categories% right-handedness and non right-handedness. /his

$roed to &e an erroneous s!stem as the degrees of lateralit! are much more com$le.



;

/he three more accurate classifications are mostl! no) descri&ed as right% left% or non-

dominant. /he most consistentl! lo)-scoring su&ects on these cognitie ealuations

are those )ith no $reference 5Godrigue6% "((>8. /his is seen as a characteristic in man!

deelo$mental disorders. L!le 5"(1"8 concluded that hand $reference either )a! )as

the strongest indicator for memor!. Li'e)ise% rouios 51+++8 esta&lished that those

)ith a clearl! esta&lished hemis$here $reference of either sort scored similarl! and it

)as onl! those indiiduals )ithout a dominant hand )ho ran'ed significantl! lo)er on all

fronts.

3dditionall!% &esides those indiiduals )ithout a non-dominant hemis$here as a

result of other larger disa&ilities% some students are )ithout a clearl! $referred lateralit!

as a result of conersion. Mentioned $reiousl!% the act of forci&l! conerting children to

use their right hand has a long historical $recedent in the #est% and is still actiel! used

in other $arts of the )orld toda!. Meng 5"((98 and an 51++>8 tell us that in /ai)an%

?hina% and Singa$ore roughl! ;"A of natural left handers are een no) actiel!

conerted% )ith close to +(A haing &een attem$ted conerts.

#hile $erha$s not seeming li'e that large an issue to some% the im$lications are

staggering. 0euro&iologists such as lo$$el 5"(1(8 hae $roen that conersion alters

the er! structure of the &rain% s$ecificall! the $ericentral corte and &asal ganglia% the

latter of )hich is inoled in oluntar! moement% $rocedural learning% cognition and

emotion. Sattler 51++C8 ela&orates on $recisel! ho) com$le the ramifications are for

the deelo$ing mind During )riting% the greatest ariet! of cere&ral s'ills are included.

Eam$les are the fine motor s'ills% s$eech% the $ictorial re$resentation of imagination of

the series of letters as )ell as the simultaneous chain of thoughts% associations% gra$hic



C

re$resentations% memories% and recall of $reiousl! learned material )hich also run

throughout. Scarcel! an! other human underta'ing is com$ara&le to )riting in its

multifaceted connections &et)een the most differing &rain functions2 5$.8. Sattler

51++C8 also ado$ted the term &rain-&rea'ing2 from the neuroscience communit! as she

felt it more accuratel! descri&ed the deastating effects more clearl! than more su&tle

semantics such as re-education.2

0umerous studies hae highlighted the $ossi&le conse*uences of conersion

including- &ut not limited to- memor! disorders% $ro&lems in concentration% d!sleia%

s$atial disorientation% motor s'ills discoordination% s$eech disorders such as stuttering

5Meng "((9% Sattler 1++C8. /hese are stri'ingl! similar to the original disa&ilities )hose

origins had &een $rescri&ed to left-handedness. /he $s!chosocial effect of these

com$lications are e*uall! $rofound: insecurit!% introersion% oercom$ensation through

heightened $erformance% o$$ositional defiant disorder and emotional $ro&lems. /hese

also har'en &ac' to some other studies such as ?oren,s findings that left-handers )ere

more li'el! to engage in delin*uent &ehaior as adolescents 5?oren 1++>8.

Because lateral dominance is an in&orn genetic condition% the cognitie

dissonance of liing in a right-handed )orld &egins er! earl!. #en6e 5"((78 related

that most $arents hae noticed their child,s hand $reference in their first !ear of life.

#hile most $eo$le assume the &rain functions the same for lefties and righties )ith the

ece$tion of the hand or foot lateralit!% Bo)er 5"((;8 has demonstrated that een the

conce$t of $erce$tion and identif!ing $arts of a )hole ersus large $atterns is

$erformed &! different areas of the &rain de$ending on hand dominance. 3dditionall!%

?assanto and Henet6 5"(118 found that children innatel! $lace $ositie or negatie



9

alue udgements on images or characters &ased on )hich lateralit! the! occu$ied%

independent of learned cultural norms. /his &od!-s$ecificit! h!$othesis sho)s that from

an earl! age% humans literall! $erceie the )orld differentl! &ased on the dominant

hemis$here.

Because of this% all left-handers undergo a sort of 4soft, conersion. Sattler 51++C8

sa!s this can range from more oert forms such as $arents and teachers $lacing

o&ects consistentl! in the child,s right hand% using $raise or caoling% to the necessar!

neural changes re*uired to ada$ting to a )orld &uilt for right-handers. /here are also

instances of self-conersion )here am&itious% &right children attem$t to s)itch their

dominance to fit in2 )ith the larger societ!. /he research carried out &! #en6e 5"((78

found that children as !oung as four )ere a)are that it )as easier to &e right-handed

and often e$ressed a sense of isolation.

3rmed )ith the 'no)ledge of the im$act such forced conersion can hae on

deelo$ing minds% it ta'es onl! a cursor! glance at the aerage instructional setting to

reali6e the needs of these learners are not &eing met. First% the &asic tools necessar!

for lefties are a&sent in man! classrooms. Ges$ondents to #en6e 5"((78 indicated that

t)o-thirds of left handed elementar! students thought &eing a left! $resented

challenges at school% and the num&er one o&stacle )ere right-handed des's. Besides

des's% other &asic tools often omitted &! teachers and administrators )ere scissors%

ada$tie s$iral note&oo's or &inders% and rulers. #riting instruction also has a &ias

unreali6ed &! most teachers. /he direction or flo) of circular sha$es% letters% and

$atterns flo)s out)ard from the &od!% the o$$osite of )hat usuall! right-handed

instructors are modeling. Vaughn comments that 5"(1(8 the confusion arising can often



>

lead to erroneous diagnoses of d!sleia and more often than not% teachers do not 'no)

)hat to loo' for. 3 child ma! struggle )ith t!ing their shoelaces or using scissors or

)riting &ecause the! are left-handed. @nce the! see their friends doing it and that the!

cant% the! )ill gie u$ more *uic'l! and &ecome more frustrated2 5$. "8. 3s Morris

51++>8 $ointed out% sometimes een the sim$lest e*ui$ment% li'e left handed scissors%

are unaaila&le.2

/he emerging digital classroom also host its o)n range of challenges. In school

com$uter la&s% it is common that not a single com$uter )ill &e set u$ for a left-handed

mouse user. @ne $iece of e*ui$ment has highlighted ho) much differentiated

instruction can &enefit these learners. In Ha!)ards 5"(178 sure! of 3ustralian left-

handed $rimar! schoolers% the! found that left-handed children that had $reiousl!

struggled )ith )riting in English class &lossomed )hen a&le to use a 'e!&oard )hich is

lateralit!-neutral in it,s a$$lication. 3nother eam$le illustrating the im$act of

differentiated instruction is that in art class% &oth sets of learners $erform at usuall! the

same leel. Ho)eer% Vlachos 5"((78 found that one glaring ece$tion )as in the

attem$t to dra) straight hori6ontal lines &! follo)ing the teachers modeling% )hich

)or'ed counter-intuitiel! for the left-handed learners. Music class as )ell is an

o&stacle course for this educational minorit!. /he most egregious of )hich is the

a&sence of hand-s$ecific instruments such as guitars% iolins and cellos. More

camouflaged are the )a!s in )hich the music itself is )ritten and arranged. McDermott

5"(18 highlights the fact that most $iano sheet music% for instance% is )ritten )ith the

left hand $erforming chords and the com$le melodies &eing $erformed &! the right

hand.



+

Gesearch done in <ortugal &! Freitas 5"(178 demonstrated that <ortuguese

elementar! school children )ho )ere left-handed had a higher $ro&a&ilit! of

deelo$mental coordination disorder 5D?D8 and challenges in $h!sical education

classes inoling &ase&all. #hile not entirel! de$endent on e*ui$ment% the *uestion

must &e raised that if most $h!sical education de$artments are lac'ing in items such as

left! &ase&all gloes% hoc'e! stic's% etc. )hether or not those are an im$ediment to

ecelling at s$orts. Li'e)ise% one of ?oren,s 51+>+8 studies finding that left-handers

)ere significantl! more $ro&a&le to &e inured in accidents )as found to &e due to the

uta$osition of using e*ui$ment and tools designed for right handers.

Some hae argued that these u&i*uitous challenges in eer! facet of

deelo$ment for left-handed children might go some )a! to)ards e$laining the

$reiousl! mentioned inerse &ell cure. Denn! 5"((98 $ara$hrases multi$le sets of

earlier research to e$lain that )hile some of these hurdles sere to hinder some

learners $rogress% the! ma! actuall! sere as a &oon to others. @ne argument that is

fre*uentl! suggested &ut has not &een studied ma! &e called the 4adantage of &eing

disadantaged, theor!. 3ssume that &oth left-handers and right-handers each $ossess a

certain set of a&ilities. ien that the enironment is geared to)ard right-handers% left-

handers hae an incentie to inest effort in ac*uiring additional s'ills% naturall!

$ossessed &! right-handers that ma! foster creatie &ehaior 5<eterson and Lans'!

1+998. It follo)s that the! ma! end u$ )ith a higher oerall leel of a&ilit!. /his is

consistent )ith a theor! of com$etenc! that argues that indiiduals are motiated to

achiee com$etenc! as a desire to master their enironment 5#hite 1+918. /his theor!

)ould $redict some adantage to &eing left-handed2 5$. ;+8.



1(

/here is a clear need for &oth s$eciali6ed $edagog! and e*ui$ment to o$timi6e

the learning e$erience for these learners. /his has onl! &een recogni6ed and

e$ounded u$on in the $ast t)o decades. Earlier suggestions for differentiated

instruction included ell! 51++C8 )ho adised instructors to hel$ and assist left-handers

in as uno&trusie a )a! as $ossi&le to aoid eacer&ating $otential self-consciousness

and not to use )ording li'e clums!2 )hen descri&ing incidents. 3lso in the late nineties%

a grou$ of cam$aigners in the United ingdom $etitioned the goernment to im$lement

certain $roisions for these students. Montgomer! 51++C8 tells us that their agenda

included teaching techni*ues% re*uirements concerning $ro$er e*ui$ment% and the need

for the goernment to &egin 'ee$ing records of num&ers of left-handers and the im$act

on education. De$artment of Education =unior Minister Go&in S*uire said at the time

that the! had no $lans to include left-handedness as $art of teacher training. It is near

im$ossi&le to thin' of another situation )here the needs of 1(A of the $o$ulation are so

routinel! ignored and neglected.

Hoo' 5"(1(8 re$orts that $arents in the U.. $rotested again on &ehalf of left!

students again )hen it )as determined that the format of man! of the multi$le choice

tests discriminated against left-handers. /he la!out )as such that the ans)er &u&&les

)ere situated on the right hand side of the tet% causing lefties to hae to sto$ reading to

&u&&le in an ans)er then find their $lace again. /his amounted to re*uiring su&stantiall!

more time to com$lete the test as )ell as additional frustration. /he $ro$osed solution

)as to $ut ans)er columns on &oth sides of the tests. Lang 5"((98 and #en6e 5"((78

hae com$iled a series of teaching strategies to assist in ma'ing the classroom more

inclusie. /hese t)o educators are &! far the ece$tion rather than the norm. 3 "(("



11

tet&oo' concerning differentiated instruction included onl! one idea a&out left handers

the fairl! o&ious solution of $lacing them in grou$s so their el&o)s don,t clash )ith

neigh&oring students. #en6e summari6ed the oerall $ro&lem e$osed in the research

&! sa!ing Scant research is aaila&le on the accommodations that left-handed students

are forced to ma'e as the! enter and $rogress through school. It is im$ortant for

educators to &e a)are of% and attend to% the s$ecial needs of left-handed students. 3s it

a$$ears from this stud!% the students are ma'ing their o)n accommodations &ecause

others 5including educators8 are not there to assist them. /eachers need to understand

left-handedness as a uni*ue diersit! in their classroom2 5$."+8.

Purpose

/here is insufficient information on the leels of a)areness and accommodation

among educators concerning the needs of left-handed students. /he $ur$ose of this

stud! is to gauge )hether an! ste$s are &eing made to address the situation among

certified teachers from arious international &ac'grounds )or'ing in a ariet! of

international settings.

Methods and Design

/his *ualitatie stud! too' the form of semi-structured conersations )ith o$en-

ended *uestions. /he interie)s )ere $erformed during the 3utumn of "(17. /here

)ere si su&ects% all of )hom )ere certified teachers in their earl! to mid (,s and had

&een teaching &et)een 7 and 1( !ears. 3ll &ut one had taught internationall!% and most

of their e$erience had &een oerseas in international elementar!% middle and high



1"

schools. /hree )ere 3merican nationals )ith the other three &eing from ?hina% ?anada

and South 3frica% res$ectiel!. /he! )ere s$lit e*uall! &et)een male and female. /he

aim )as to create a mosaic of their res$ectie e$eriences to sere as a &arometer of

the current status of leftie a)areness in the contet of differentiated instruction. /heir

shared age and amount of teaching e$erience guaranteed the! )ould hae a

contem$orar! ie) of the to$ic &oth in training and eecution. Because of their arious

nationalities and international )or'$laces% ho)eer% the! create a 'ind of $ol!$hon!

)here their e$eriences oerla$ and !et sometimes differ in modern educational

settings. /he maor limitation )ould &e the sam$le si6e% &ut nonetheless certain themes

and trends can &e esta&lished from the data.

Results

=on is " !ears old and receied his Bachelor of education from the Uniersit! of

/oronto and then later attended the @ntario ?ollege of /eachers. He s$ent four !ears

teaching English in orea and another t)o at an international middle school in

Singa$ore teaching literature. /hroughout his e$erience as an undergrad and then at

teachers college he doesn,t recollect the conce$t of handedness &eing addressed one

single time. In fact% he had neer discussed it in regards to education at all until our

conersations. /here are therefore a num&er of facts a&out his left handed students he

couldn,t remem&er or had neer noticed.

/he onl! time he could recall noticing handedness had to do )ith ada$tie

measures on the $art of the $u$ils. He o&sered that those )ho )ere left handed and



1

o)ned s$iral note&oo's )ould &egin on the &ac' $age and fill in the $ages in reerse

order due to the fact that in the traditional format of s$iral &ound note&oo's% the left

hand rests u$on the )ire s$iral% )hich can &e $ainful and interferes )ith the )riting

$rocess. His school em$lo!ed long des's% )hich sat seeral students side to side

hori6ontall!. During the first )ee' of class he )itnessed seeral students changing

seats )ith other students to &e seated at the far edge so as not to &um$ el&o)s )ith

their neigh&ors )hen )riting.

Guth% 7 !ears old% )as &orn and raised in Shanghai% ?hina and has &een

teaching for almost a decade. She is certified in elementar! education and teaches

?hinese at an international elementar! school in Seoul% South orea. She sa!s during

her teacher training in ?hina the issue of handedness )as neer $art of the official

curriculum &ut )as inde$endentl! addressed &! one teacher. She e$lained that

children didnt need to &e forced to conert an! longer and that &eing left-handed )as

acce$ta&le. /his ran contrar! to the long standing social norm in ?hina of forced

conersion. Guth sa!s that gro)ing u$ and in her first fe) !ears as a teacher in ?hina

she )ould neer see leftie students due to this $ractice. She also sa!s there seems to

&e a recent $henomenon in ?hina of &elieing that left handed students are more cleer

or intelligent. 0onetheless% she sa!s she still &eliees it is common $ractice for $arents

to $riatel! urge the teachers to encourage the students to use their right hand.

Since teaching at an international school% Guth has &een sur$rised at the num&er

of left handed children in her classes. /he aerage class si6es are a&out 1"-1; students

and she rec'ons that usuall! includes one or t)o left handers. She doesn,t consider

lateral $reference )hen assigning seats or in the method of instruction on ho) to )rite



17

?hinese characters. During our conersation she reflected that the direction of &rush

stro'es inoled in ma'ing the characters might &e counter-intuitie for these students.

/he leftie students stand out to her for a cou$le of reasons during these calligra$h!

classes. /he first is that the! are usuall! much slo)er than their right handed

counter$arts. /he! consistentl! hae to sto$ and lift u$ their hand to chec' on )hat the!

had ust )ritten. Secondl!% and $erha$s related to the first% is that in her o$inion their

characters are neer &eautiful and often missha$en. /his echoes a $reailing

stereot!$e in the #est a&out the slo$$! *ualit! of left! hand)riting. She said her school

does hae left handed scissors &ut that is the onl! accommodation made as far as she

is a)are.

0ic'% "% is originall! from 0e) Jor' and has taught in international schools in

South orea M!anmar% and ?hina. He )as a semi-$ro MM3 fighter and no) eclusiel!

teaches $h!sical education. He is licensed for -1" &ut has taught $rimaril! elementar!

and middle school age leels. During his teacher education and training% he didn,t

remem&er the conce$t of lateralit! eer &eing addressed. 3s an instructor% he modeled

actiities )ith right handed form% een though he is left-handed himself. Ho)eer% he

)ould also ta'e time to model the reersal of each for those instances )here a left-

handed $u$il )as $resent. ?ontrar! to the common &elief that lefties are more a)')ard%

he sa!s on the )hole he thought the! $ic'ed u$ on conce$ts *uic'er and actuall!

seemed more natural )hen the! did so. @ftentimes if the! had $ro&lems it )as the

$roduct of )hen the! hadn,t $reiousl! receied lateral s$ecific instruction from $rior

teachers and had to unlearn &ad ha&its )hich )ere self-taught.



1;

3ccording to 0ic'% most of the e*ui$ment )as &ilateral things li'e &as'et&alls%

um$ ro$es% etc. so s$eciali6ed e*ui$ment )asn,t much of an issue. Ho)eer in certain

team s$orts li'e &ase&all% or field hoc'e! there )ere 6ero left handed gloes or other

s$ecific e*ui$ment. He said some of the adantages from &eing a minorit! in certain

s$orts )ere also $realent among his 'ids in com$etitions. /he same )a! in )hich

&eing a south$a) in &oing is 'no)n to &e adantageous% he said the same idea holds

true in &ase&all and other s$orts )here $eo$le train against an o$$onent )ho is right

handed +(A of the time. He said the su&ect )as neer &rought u$ &! teachers or

administrators% so it )as entirel! &et)een himself and the students on ho) to address

the issue.

=en is a ; !ear old 3merican and has taught for oer ten !ears in the United

States in &oth 0orth ?arolina and Florida. She is a licensed general s$ecial education

teacher and coordinator for grades -1"% &ut not for $rofound or seerel! disa&led

$o$ulations. Half of her e$erience has &een in middle schools and half in elementar!

schools. She sa!s she has no recollection of the su&ect of handedness &eing

addressed in teachers training &ut can,t &e sure. She has noticed some left handed

students &ut its al)a!s &een an afterthought. Usuall! if she has o&sered the lateral

$reference of a student its &ecause the! hae turned their note&oo's at er! strange

angles to facilitate )riting. 3lso% as a result% she sa!s she is al)a!s sur$rised that their

hand)riting is good &ecause it seems such an a)')ard $osition to )rite in. =en sa!s

she has no idea if her scissors or an! other e*ui$ment is lateral sensitie. In fact%

throughout our conersation% she )as consistentl! sur$rised at ho) little thought she

had eer gien to the su&ect.



1C

ene 5$ronounced ina!8 is from ?a$e /o)n% South 3frica and has &een

teaching oerseas for a&out 1( !ears% )ith her $ost-grade certification for grades 7-+.

Her time teaching has &een roughl! s$lit &et)een international schools and academies

in u)ait% South 3frica and South orea. Her class si6es range on aerage from "(-";

students% )ith a&out one or t)o lefties $er class. ene is left handed and sa!s that she

)rites all of the stro'es to form her letters in reerse direction as a result of mirroring her

teacher )hen she )as !ounger. 3n une$ected result of this is that all of her students

learn to )rite in this fashion as )ell. She said the issue of handedness )as neer

addressed during her teachers training or an! school orientations either. She al)a!s

notices left! children and sa!s that )hen the! discoer that she is left handed as )ell

the! often ehi&it a sense of relief and camaraderie.

During her time in u)ait she )as forced to eat )ith her right hand for $ur$oses

of cultural assimilation. Li'e)ise% her students )ere all forced to conert and she )as

o&ligated to &e an accessor! in this endeaor% something she had dee$ moral

com$unctions )ith. In orea she e$erienced one instance of a $arent tr!ing to forci&l!

conert their first grade son. 3fter seeing the difficult! he )as haing ene interened

and said the mom seemed er! o$en to the information and ceased all efforts at

conersion. 3fter )hich the child,s hand)riting im$roed considera&l! )hen he )as

allo)ed to use his naturall! dominant hand. She said the orean school had left handed

scissors &ut nothing else related to lateral $reference. In &oth u)ait and South 3frica

the $arents &ought their o)n su$$lies so it )asn,t an issue.

Dennis% 7% is from 0orth ?arolina )here he taught fourth grade for seeral !ears

and has taught grade three in orea at an international school for an additional fie. His



19

licensure is -C and he also has a Masters in Education. He sa!s left and right &rain

studies )ere addressed in his initial licensure &ut it )as er! su$erficial% such as lefties

are more creatie. His classes are 1;-"( students and he sa!s there are usuall! a

cou$le of left handed children. 3s most $edagog! in the $ast decade has &een geared

to)ards differentiation and grou$ conferencing% he feels that most teachers )ould ta'e

that into consideration if )or'ing closel! )ith a $u$il. He said his school does hae

some left handed scissors and that the des's )ere all &ilateral.

Discussion

3fter reie)ing the interie)s% seeral oerarching themes emerge )hich seem

to confirm much of the information in the eisting literature. Beginning )ith the content

of teacher $re$aredness% all of the stud! su&ects stated that there had &een no

significant discussion of the to$ic of handiness during training% or $erha$s at all in an!

ca$acit!. /hose )ho said there )as some related content e$ressed that it )as done in

$assing or inde$endentl! on the $art of the trainer% as in the case )ith Guth in ?hina.

/his sho)s that calls for a s!stematic accounta&ilit! of the needs of left handed learners

from researchers such as Montgomer! 51++C8 hae still gone unheeded. Li'e)ise% the

demands for an integrated $edagog! li'e those &! Lang 5"((98 and #en6e 5"((78 into

general teacher,s training hae also made little to no $rogress in the $ast decade.

Seeral disadantages for these students &ecame a$$arent throughout the

course of the conersations )ith the instructors. 0ic',s e$erience tr!ing to hel$

students )ith fossili6ed errors as a result of &eing self-taught )hile tr!ing to model right

handed teachers is reminiscent of ?oren,s 51+>+8 findings that left-handed $eo$le )ere



1>

more li'el! to suffer inuries )hile tr!ing to $erform $h!sical tas's in a right oriented

)orld. /he lac' of s$eciali6ed s$orting e*ui$ment ties into the stud! &! Freitus 5"((78

a&out the disadantage suffered &! lefties in &ase&all and other team s$orts. @n the

$ositie side of the literature% ho)eer% 0ic',s $ersonal e$erience did seem to erif!

that once these hurdles )ere oercome% left handers could hae an adantage &ecause

their o$$onents hae &een training to com$ete against the o$$osite side% Denn! 5"((98.

Guth,s comments a&out the unattractieness of the students, characters in

?hinese class% as )ell as her lac' of training in ho) to model for these minorit!

students% is com$ara&le to the effects of dra)ing in art class o&sered &! Vlachos

5"((78% )here students )ere fundamentall! uta$osed from the st!le of the teachers

instruction. In addition% Guth commented that these students continuousl! had to lift

their hands to loo' at )hat the! had ust )ritten% ma'ing them slo)er than the rest of the

class and also smearing their )or'. #hile the left to right direction of our )riting s!stem

is o&iousl! geared to)ards right handers% there are other instances )here this &ias is

in $la!% &ut need not &e necessaril! so. Guths o&serations seemed similar to the

$lacement of ans)er &u&&les on multi$le choice tests &eing $ositioned in such a )a! to

&e a hindrance to left handed students 5Hoo'% "(1(8.

/o oercome some of these challenges% there are usuall! t)o a$$roaches that

)ere utili6ed &ased on the interie) su&ects ada$tie measures on the $art of the

students and differentiated instructional techni*ues em$lo!ed &! the teachers. /he most

common among the data for this stud! )as the students inenting techni*ues )hich

allo)ed them to ada$t. Some eam$les of this )ere =on,s e$eriences )ith students

self arranging at des's to aoid &um$ing el&o)s and )itnessing left! students )riting in



1+

note&oo's from &ac' to front as a )a! of co$ing )ith the s$iral )ire &inding. =en also

had o&sered students tilting their $a$ers at etreme angles and using the classic

hoo'2 hand sha$e to &e a&le to see )hat the! had )ritten and not smear their )riting.

Des's and note&oo's are the t)o most u&i*uitous eam$les of lateral s$ecific school

su$$lies% as discussed &! #en6e 5"((78. It also &rings to light the argument made &!

Ha!)ard 5"(178 that man! of these student,s $erformances &lossom )hen furnished

)ith ade*uate gear )hich assists% not hinders% their academic $otential.

/he second aenue at reconciling the challenges faced &! these students%

differentiated instruction% is also the one )hich most teachers had neither &een informed

or made a)are of. @nl! t)o of the interie) su&ects em$lo!ed an! DI techni*ues. 3s

discussed% this )as not a result of their training% &ut rather a &!-$roduct of &oth

instructors &eing left handed themseles. Both 0ic',s alternatie modeling of athletic

maneuers and ene,s indiidual time s$ent )ith lefties )ere re$resentatie of the t!$e

of cogni6ant% indiiduali6ed a$$roach adocated &! researchers such as ell! 51++C8.

Both ene and Guth had e$eriences illustrating that in man! $arts of the )orld% such

as the Middle East and 3sia% forced conersion is still unfortunatel! a realit!% causing

untold damage to such a large $ercentage of !oung learners% as documented &! &oth

Meng 5"((98 and an 51++>8. Luc'il! there does seem to &e more )ides$read

'no)ledge a&out the issue of handedness glo&all! as discussed &! Guth% &ut there are

still numerous hurdles to &e oercome.

Implications



"(

/he most o&ious im$lication )hen com$aring the results of the interie)s to the

eisting literature is that the su&ect needs to &e addressed in all teacher training. /o

merel! &e made a)are of the to$ic and the modern scientific 'no)ledge of handedness

)ould go a long )a! in im$roing the educational outcomes of left handed learners.

Ideall! the to$ic )ould not onl! &e addressed% &ut differentiated instructional techni*ues

in arious su&ects% es$eciall! )riting% )ould &e im$lemented as )ell. For those

educators in countries )here forced conersion is still $racticed% the! should &e

encouraged to o$en a dialogue )ith &oth the teachers and school administrators a&out

the dangers of the techni*ue. @f course% this inoles a com$le inter$la! &et)een

$olitics% religion and a host of other factors. Besides the aforementioned a)areness and

strategies needed% &asic lateral s$ecific e*ui$ment is the net area that )ould &enefit

the most from reform. S$ecificall! des's and note&oo's )ould hae an immediate and

)ides$read &enefit for left! students. Follo)ing that% su$$lies li'e scissors and

s$eciali6ed su&ect gear for music or s$orts )ould also hel$ leel the $la!ing field.

Ultimatel!% a fe) minor changes and additions to our educational s!stems could create

a ne) host of o$$ortunities for ten $ercent of children and their educational endeaors.



"1

References

3nnett% M. 51++8. /he Fallac! @f /he 3rgument For Geduced Longeit! In Left-

Handers. Perceptual And Motor Skills, 76 518% "+;-"+>. 51++% Fe&ruar! 18. Getrieed

3ugust ";% "(17% from US 0ational Li&rar! of Medicine 0ational Institutes of Health.

3nnett% M. 5"(118. D!sleia 3nd Handedness: Deelo$mental <honological 3nd Surface

D!sleias 3re 3ssociated #ith Different Biases For Handedness. Perceptual And Motor

Skills, 112 5"8% 719-7";. 5"(11% 3$ril 18. Getrieed 3ugust ";% "(17% from US 0ational

Li&rar! of Medicine 0ational Institutes of Health.

Benamin% 3. 5"(("8. Differentiated instruction: A guide for middle and high school

teachers. Larchmont% 0.J.: E!e on Education. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from EGI?.

Beratis% I.% Ga&ailas% 3.% !$rianou% M.% <a$adimitriou% .% K <a$ageorgiou% ?. 5"(18.

Inestigation of the lin' &et)een higher order cognitie functions and

handedness.Journal of linical and !"perimental #europs$cholog$, %& 578% +-7(.

5"(1% March 18. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from E$u&.

Bo)er% B. 5"((;8. 0euroscience: Lefties% righties ta'e neural sides in $erceiing $arts.

Science #e's, 167 5>8% 1";-1";. 5"((;% Decem&er 1+8. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from

E<S?@H@S/.



""

?arlson% D.% K Harris% L. 51+>;8. Hand $reference for isuall! guided reaching in human

infants and adults. (eha)ioral and (rain Sciences, 6 58% 9"C-9"C. 51+>;% @cto&er 18.

Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from =S/@G.

?asasanto% D.% K Henet6% /. 5"(118. Handedness Sha$es ?hildren,s 3&stract ?once$ts.

ogniti)e Science, %6 % ;+9"-;+9". 5"(11% =anuar! 18. Getrieed 3ugust "7%

"(17% from EGI?.

?oren% S. 51+>+8. Left-handedness 3nd 3ccident-related Inur! Gis'. American Journal

of Pu*lic +ealth, 75>8% 1(7(-1(71. 51+>+% 3ugust 18. Getrieed 3ugust "C% "(17% from

0?BI.

?oren% S.% K Hal$ern% D. 51++18. Left-handedness: 3 Mar'er For Decreased Surial

Fitness. Ps$chological (ulletin, 1-518% +(-1(C. 51++1% =anuar! 18. Getrieed 3ugust "7%

"(17% from EGI?.

?oren% S. 51++;8. Differences in Diergent /hin'ing as a Function of Handedness and

Se..he American Journal of Ps$cholog$, 1-/ 58% 11-11. 51++;% =anuar! 18. Getrieed

3ugust "7% "(17% from =stor.

?oren% S. 51++>8. <renatal testosterone e$osure% left-handedness% and high school

delin*uenc!. (eha)ioral and (rain Sciences, 2158% C+-9(. 51++>% =anuar! 18.

Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from Educators Geference ?om$lete.



"

Dee$-So&osla!% 3.% H!de% /.% ?allicott% =.% Lener% M.% Verchins'i% B.% 3$ud% =.% ... Eleag%

B. 5"(1(8. Handedness% herita&ilit!% neurocognition and &rain as!mmetr! in

schi6o$hrenia.(rain, 1%%51(8% 11-1"". 5"(1(% =ul! 18. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17%

from E$u&.

Denn!% .% K @Sullian% V. 5"((98. /he Economic ?onse*uences of Being Left-Handed.

.he Journal of +uman 0esources, 2 5"8% ;-97. 5"((9% =anuar! 18. Getrieed 3ugust

"% "(17% from =S/@G.

Eaton% #.% ?hi$$erfield% =.% Gitchot% .% K ostiu'% =. 51++C8. Is a Maturational Lag

3ssociated )ith Left-Handedness 3 Gesearch 0ote. Journal of hild Ps$cholog$ and

Ps$chiatr$, %7 5;8% C1-C19. 51++C% =ul! 18. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from =S/@G.

Freitas% ?.% Vasconcelos% M.% K Botelho% M. 5"(178. Handedness and deelo$mental

coordination disorder in <ortuguese children: Stud! )ith the M-3B? test. ateralit$:

As$mmetries of (od$, (rain and ognition, 15C8% 1-"". 5"(17% Decem&er "18.

Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from Info/rac.

an% L. 51++>8. Left handed ?hildren in Singa$ore.‐ !arl$ hild De)elopment and are,

1% 11-119. 51++>% Ma! 18. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from =S/@G.

rouios% .% Sa'adami% 0.% <oderi% 3.% K 3leriadou% 3. 51+++8. Ecess of non-right

handedness among indiiduals )ith intellectual disa&ilit!: E$erimental eidence and



"7

$ossi&le e$lanations. Journal of 3ntellectual Disa*ilit$ 0esearch, %578% (C-1. 51+++%

3ugust 18. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from EGI?.

Hauc'% =.% K De)e!% D. 5"((18. Hand $reference and motor functioning in children )ith

autism. Journal of Autism and De)elopmental Disorders, %158% "C;-99. 5"((1% =une 18.

Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from EGI?.

Ha)'!ard% G.% Dem$se!% I.% K 3rthur-ell!% M. 5"(178. /he hand)riting e$eriences of

left-handed $rimar! school students in a digital age: 3ustralian data and criti*ue.

Australian Journal of !ducation, &/ 5"8% 1"-1>. 5"(17% 3ugust 18. Getrieed 3ugust "%

"(17% from =S/@G.

Hoo'% S. 5"(((% March 1( 8. Sinister &ias of multi-choice test. .!S #e'spaper4

Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from Educators Geference ?om$lete.

=ohnston% D.% K 0icholls% M. 5"((+8. 0ature,s e$eriment Handedness and earl!

childhood deelo$ment. Demograph$, 6 5"8% ">1-(1. 5"((+% Ma! 18. Getrieed 3ugust

"% "(17% from 0ational Institute of Health.

ell!% E. 51++C% =anuar! 18. Left-Handed Students: 3 Forgotten Minorit!. 5ast*ack Phi

Delta appa !ducational 5oundation% 1-7(. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from EGI?.

lo$$el% S.% Mangin% =.% Vongerichten% 3.% Frac'o)ia'% G.% K Sie&ner% H. 5"(1(8. 0urture

ersus 0ature: Long-/erm Im$act of Forced Gight-Handedness on Structure of



";

<ericentral ?orte and Basal anglia. Journal of #euroscience, %- 5+8% "91-"9;.

5"(1(% Decem&er 78. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from =S/@G.

o6el% G. 51++;8. ?onsideration of Hand in the Geading of Braille. 0eha*ilitation and

!ducation for (lindness and 8isual 3mpairment, 27 5"8% 9>->". 51++;% =anuar! 18.

Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from EGI?.

romm!das% .% ourgoulianis% .% 3ndreou% .% K Mol!das% <. 5"((8. Left-

handedness in asthmatic children. Pediatric Allerg$ and 3mmunolog$, 1% "7-"9.

5"((% =anuar! 18. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from =S/@G.

Lang% =. 5"((9% Se$tem&er 18. #riting Hel$ for Lefties. Parenting % 1;>-1;>. Getrieed

3ugust "7% "(17% from Educators Geference ?om$lete.

L!le% .% Hanaer-/orre6% S.% Hac'lNnder% G.% K Edlin% =. 5"(1"8. ?onsistenc! @f

Handedness% Gegardless @f Direction% <redicts Baseline Memor! 3ccurac! 3nd

<otential For Memor! Enhancement. Journal of !"perimental Ps$cholog$: earning,

Memor$, and ognition, %/ 518% 1>9-1+. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from EGI?.

McDermott% M. 5"(18. .he lefthanded curriculum: reati)e e"periences for

empo'ering teachers. ?harlotte% 0?: Information age <u&lishing. Getrieed 3ugust "7%

"(17% from Educators Geference ?om$lete.



"C

Meng% L. 5"((98. /he rate of handedness conersion and related factors in left-handed

children. ateralit$: As$mmetries of (od$, (rain and ognition, 12 5"8% 11-1>. 5"((9%

=anuar! 18. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from EGI?.

Montgomer!% =. 51++C% @cto&er 1" 8. Left-handers do not get e*ual hel$ .!S

#e'spaper . Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from Educators Geference ?om$lete.

Godrigue6% 3.% K #aldenstrOm% U. 5"((+8. Fetal origins of child non-right-handedness

and mental health. Journal of hild Ps$cholog$ and Ps$chiatr$, 5+8% +C9-+9C. 5"((+%

=anuar! 18. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from EGI?.

Sattler% =. 51++C8. .he on)erted eft+ander or .he not in the (rain 5"nd ed.8.

Donau)Orth: 3uer. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17 from alegrou$.

Schiffman% =.% <estle% S.% Mednic'% S.% E'strom% M.% Sorensen% H.% K Mednic'% S. 5"((;8.

?hildhood lateralit! and adult schi6o$hrenia s$ectrum disorders: 3 $ros$ectie

inestigation. Schi9ophrenia 0esearch, 72 5"P8% 1;1-1C(. 5"((;% =anuar! 18. Getrieed

3ugust "7% "(17% from =S/@G.

Vaughan% G. 5"(1(% Ma! 178. E$ert $oints finger oer treatment of left-handers. .imes

!ducational Supplement % 57>+(8% 1;. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17 from alegrou$.



"9

Vlachos% F.% K Bonoti% F. 5"((78. Left and right handed childrens dra)ing $erformance:‐ ‐

Is there an! difference ateralit$: As$mmetries of (od$, (rain and ognition, 578% +9-

7(+. 5"((7% =anuar! 18. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from EGI?.

Vlachos% F.% K ara$etsas% 3. 51++C8. Visual - motor organi6ation and memor! in the

right-handed and the left-handed child: 3 com$aratie neuro$s!chological a$$roach.

hild #europs$cholog$, 15"8% "(7-"1". 51++C% Decem&er 18. Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17%

from EGI?.

#al'er% . 51++>% =ul! 18. ?lash of the el&o)s confounds left-handed. .imes

!ducational Supplement . Getrieed 3ugust "7% "(17% from Educators Geference

?om$lete.

#en6e% .% K #en6e% 0. 5"((78. Hel$ing Left-Handed ?hildren 3da$t to School

E$ectations. hildhood !ducation, /1518% ";-1. 5"((7% @cto&er 18. Getrieed 3ugust

"7% "(17% from =S/@G.

differentiated instruction for left-handed learners

Documents