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Handwriting help for adults; in fact any age!

Enquiry: Hi there
I’m currently 26 years old, and I’ve recently transitioned into copywriting.
I’ve been left-handed all my life, but I wasn’t aware that the way I used to write would effect negatively my posture.
I thought that the smudging was something I couldn’t fix.
I’d love to find out the techniques to fix this problem as my current work does require clear writing.
Can I ask, do you offer any help to adults?
George Hristov

Answer

Good morning George
Thank you for your email and your story. I would be more than happy to help you and am confident that we can get this “Smudging” issue sorted for you.  20 minutes on Zoom should get it sorted

Testimonial

Thank you so much Mark, I appreciate how you pointed out the correct way I have to get used to writing now, and the right “tools” I need to make it easier on myself.

Hi Mark

I thought I should reach out to you again, to explain how much of a difference to my writing you made with the guides and with just a few minutes of correcting my hand positioning.

I think it’s only been two weeks since I started going through the exercises and I’ve stopped smudging, my fingers have stopped hurting when I write and most of all, my writing now not only looks clear and easy to read but artistic as well.
I’ve started getting used to the calligraphy and I actually now prefer to write letters this way.
I now feel confident that my writing can be taken seriously as a professional.
I think the next step of progression is writing faster with this newly gained skill.
Thank you once again.
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New book written by Heather!

It’s with great pleasure that we can announce the publication of “Benji’s Big Day”, an activity book written by Heather! 🙂
It will be in the shop from midday today – rrp is £11.95!

The Lionheart Collection’s first story-led activity book for pre-schoolers is published by the Manuscript Pen Company (https://manuscriptpen.com)

Go on a journey with the Lionheart family as they get ready to celebrate Benji’s big day with reading, writing, colouring, drawing, cutting activities and games! Choose from 44 activities designed to help develop key motor skills, pen control, wipe clean pages to improve hand-eye coordination, letter formation activities, cutting and gluing and so much more!

The book has been has been designed to suit every child, whether left-handed, right-handed – or “Not quite sure yet!”

Whether its ABC or 123, help little ones on their creative journey with Benji’s Big Day activity book. Join Arthur and his Lionheart family as they celebrate Benji’s big day!

Here’s a short video about the new book!
https://lnkd.in/grM7WC9

Link here to buy it! https://www.leftshoponline.co.uk/shop/benjis-big-day-activity-book/

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Last week in the shop!

Hello there!

After over 25 years of our shop in Worcester, we will be closing the shop on 27th June.

But we shall still keep on the “Left-handed” business with our web site, training and campaigning! You can still contact us by phone (please note new phone number 07747605107) or email.

Sincere thanks to all of you have visited us in  Worcester over the past 25 years and have helped keep our business going.

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Left Handers Day -25 years in Worcester!!

Tomorrow is “Lefthander’s Day”! 


My wife, Heather, and I are delighted to take this opportunity to celebrate 25 years of our shop in Worcester. It has been an amazing journey and we are very grateful to all our wonderful customers who have kept us going!”
We shall be having various activities to test your “handedness”!!
PS There will be some cake etc from 10am!! 

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Knocking elbows!

From Viv Smith
“I’m left handed, the daughter of a left hander. I was recently reminded of my experience in primary school aged 8 when a very annoying teacher placed me next to a right hander. I was on his right therefore we battled elbows everyday. When I complained she refused to let us swap sides and cure the problem. I wrote this poem about the event”
.
Write Left
Little Laura could only write
With her pen in her left hand, never her right.
Armed like this her words could flow,
Her stories were rich, her ideas would grow.
Her problem was being sat next to Ricky,
Everyone knew he was tough and quite tricky.
Just like his fists, Ricky wrote with his right,
Sprawled over the desk his left hand clenched tight.
He put pen to paper to reveal to his peers
His astonishing wealth of stupid ideas.
Laura sat hunched in a small bit of table
That Ricky had spared her, until she felt able
To move her left arm and free up her mind
From staring at Ricky’s humongous behind.
Laura spoke to the teacher, but poor Mrs Hyde
Was just grateful that Ricky remained occupied.
One day Little Laura sat down on the left.
Then Ricky arrived and looked vaguely bereft.
To have to shift over to the opposite side
Was confusing for Ricky and a matter of pride.
“Just try it” said Laura, “and I think you will see
It’ll work just as well for you as for me”.
Ricky said nothing sitting down with a groan
He took the new seat, fists flexed for a moan.
But when writing began he started to see
The girl had a point, his right arm felt free.
Laura sat upright, her left arm could move
And Ricky, for once, had nothing to prove.

Copyright Viv Smith

A great poem! Any thoughts or comments?

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Knocking Elbows!

From Viv Smith

“I’m left handed, the daughter of a left hander. I was recently reminded of my experience in primary school aged 8 when a very annoying teacher placed me next to a right hander. I was on his right therefore we battled elbows everyday. When I complained she refused to let us swap sides and cure the problem. I wrote this poem about the event.”

Did anyone else go through this at school?

 

 

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Education system – Apathetic at best, discriminatory at worst!

The parents of the child with the pencil grip as shown drives over 150 miles to get help!  The mother writes:

“My daughter attends primary school in Wanstead, London, and I sadly understand that her case is not untypical. She has never had any support with writing at school, and has now, in year 6, developed a problem with her grip. We spoke to the school and her class teacher said that she knew nothing about left handedness, and that my daughter had neat handwriting and she should expect that it hurts to write as they write more in year 6. The teacher said it hurt her hand after marking books.

After a dismissal from the teacher after two minutes, we took matters into our own hand and visited a specialist in Worcestershire. He corrected Alice’s grip in 15 minutes.”

During repeated correspondence with ministers at The Department of Education, the following fallback has been used “The Teachers’ Standards require teachers to adapt their teaching to address the needs of all their pupils, whatever those needs may be”.  If teachers are unable to identify the specific needs of the child, they are not going to take any action..

Hardly surprising that this teacher did nothing as “she knew nothing about left-handedness”. The teacher is not to blame – there is nothing in Initial Teacher Training on left-handedness nor in the Teacher Assessment Framework.

Is this fair on the child? Absolutley NOT! (And potentially over 1,000,000 left-handed children but the Dof E hasn’t got any idea how many left-handed children there are!)

Can this situation be easily sorted? It absolutely CAN! Simple training as part of ITT and CPD.

And it’s WIN for the child, WIN for the school and WIN for the country!

So, apathetic or discriminatory? Or both?