FAQs About Left Handed Pencil Grips

Left handed people commonly feel that they live in a world that has been designed for right handed people. They often need to use common items such as pencils differently. These FAQs about left handed pencil grips and writing with the left hand serve as a good guide to the subject.

Q: Where should someone who is left handed hold the pencil?

A: People who write with their left hand have to hold the pencil far enough from the tip to let them look over their hand to see what they write. Most experts recommend grasping the pencil about two and one-half inches from the tip. For children that have trouble with this, teachers and parents usually make a mark on the pencil to show them where to hold it. Encourage children not to grip the pencil too tightly, and writing large letters helps them relax their grip on the pencil over time. The size of the writing decrease automatically as the child learns to control the pencil better.

Q: How should a left handed student hold the paper?

A: Set the paper at the child's mid-line, and angle it with the right-hand corner slightly closer to the body than the left-hand corner. Different children adjust this angle differently, and they learn what is most comfortable for them over time. Remember to keep the arm at a right angle to the bottom of the page. Otherwise, the writing becomes slanted. Place the hand that is doing the writing below the line on which writing occurs.