LEFT-HANDERS DAY  COMPETITION 2009

To enter the competition and win a £30 voucher to spend in shop  or online, solve the anagrams below and email your answers,    with your name and address,

by 30^th August 2009, to info@leftshoponline.co.uk

1) Clue:                    FIRST BLACK IN WHITE

Anagram:

BAA CRAB AMOK

2) Clue:      THIS BRITISH SPORTSMAN IS A FAST FASTENER!

Anagram:

UNBENT JOTS ON

3) Clue:       A RENAISSANCE MAN KNOWN FOR HIS PAINTING OF AN ENIGMATIC SMILE

Anagram:

DANCE RAVIOLI DON

4) Clue:         THIS SPANISH SPORTSMAN IS KNOWN AS

’THE KING OF CLAY’

Anagram:

A DEAR FAN ALL

5) Clue:            HEIR TO THE HEIR TO THE THRONE

Anagram:

ICEMAN WILL RIP

6) Clue:               A FAMOUS LIVERPUDLIAN ’BUG’

Anagram:

A CLUMPY NECTAR

Publication of 3 NEW "Left Hand Writing Skills" books.

Book 1 is "Fabulous Fine Motor Practice"

Book 2 is "Funky Formation and Flow"

Book 3 is "Successful Smudge Free Writing"

All books have been specifically designed with young left-handed children in mind. Opening vertically so that the child doesn’t have the left hand caught in the usual spine of the book, there are icons on each page to show pencil grip and page angle as well as specific letter formation for the left-hander. Advice for Parents and Teachers is included as well as "Top Tips" on every page of Book 1. Helpful contacts and product information is also included.

"Schools" version also available. This is an amalgamation of all three books, in mono, and fully photocopiable. Are now available on CD for purchase with E-Learning Credits.

May 1st - 3rd, 2003.

Presentation of workshop at the National Resource Center for Paraprofessionals Annual Conference in Los Angeles.

Mark presenting alongside Alison Robins, Senior Lecturer at University College, Worcester. 900 people attended the conference.- Web site link http://www.nrcpara.org/

14th January 1999

Launch of video.

Click here to link to the question about the video in the House of Common

July 1998 Sponsorship agreed with The Post Office, Berol and others to produce video and wallchart.

22nd July 1998 - Adjournment debate in the House of Commons. See the web site address below for full text.
http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199798/cmhansrd/vo980722/debtext/80722-15.htm#80722-15_head0

27th May 1998 - 2nd letter from DFEE admitting that "there are no current Government plans to make training for teachers in respect of left-handed children a compulsory part of initial teacher training".

May 1998 - SENCO guidelines finally published with NO mention of left-handedness.

7th April 1998 - Letter from DFEE accepting that it would be desirable for teachers to be aware that being left-handed may cause difficulties for some pupils.

13th January 1998 - Letter from Estelle Morris MP to Peter Luff MP accepting that being left-handed may cause difficulties for some pupils.

20th November 1997 - Letter from David Blunkett’s (Secretary of State for Education) Private Secretary agreeing that left-handedness should not be defined as a special educational need.

27th August 1997 - letter sent to Anthea Millett defining our final arguments as to why there should be a specific policy in the SENCO guidelines.

25th July 1997 - Letter from Anthea Millett confirming non-inclusion in the SENCO guidelines but saying "Given the newly outlined requirements for all teachers undergoing initial teacher training, I would expect them to be made aware of all factors which affect how children progress including the effects of left-handedness. In the attached copy of the National Standards for SENCOs you will note the many references to the need for all teachers to identify and address individual needs and the responsibility of the SENCO, particularly in the section on professional knowledge and understanding, to keep abreast of current issues."

June 1997 - Letter received from Estelle Morris MP, then Minister for teacher training, via Mike Foster MP for Worcester City stating that the SENCO guidelines were NOT going to mention individual special education needs.

January 1997 - Suggested wording for entry in the SENCO guidelines sent to TTA "Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators must be fully aware of the specific guidelines set out for teaching left-handed children in all areas of the curriculum but with particular attention to handwriting skills, to ensure that left-handed children develop a comfortable and efficient writing style through correct positioning and posture."




14th November 1996 - Meeting at the TTA (Peter Luff MP, Mark Stewart and Lauren Milsom). Suggestion by Anthea Millett Chief Executive, and still in post now, that there should be specific policy in the new SENCO guidelines even though she appreciated that being left-handed was not a special need. It never has been our view that being left-handed is a special need - rather it is a matter of equal opportunity! She said that she would personally support this inclusion. She also suggested making a training video to dovetail with the SENCO requirement.

7th May 1996 - Written reply from the DFEE to Parliamentary question. "Teaching methods and arrangements for the induction and in-service training of teachers are not centrally prescribed. It is for schools and teachers to determine the most effective way to ensure they meet the needs of all their pupils, using the resources available to them. The Secretary of State specifies broad criteria for courses of initial teacher training, including the need for new teachers to be able to respond to these criteria. All schools and courses of initial teacher training are subject to independent inspection followed by published reports".

17th April 1996 - Written reply from the DFEE to Parliamentary question "The Department does not collect information on what proportion of pupils are left-handed, nor on whether being left-handed has an impact on likely educational achievement". Also "The Teacher Training Agency accredits course providers to ensure that they meet the Secretary of State’s criteria. These criteria require new teachers to be able to identify and to respond appropriately to relevant individual differences between pupils. Despite being left-handed, I see no need for further information for providers in this respect".

18th January 1996 - Letter from TTA admitting lack of training for trainee teachers "It is true that initial teacher training does not, at present, contain guidance about how to help left-handed children"