Introduction
Does handedness matter?
Strategies
"Mirror" method
"Off-hand" method
"Mirror Thyself" method
Introduction
First of all, what is an off-handed person? For this article, off-handed is a person whose handedness is opposite of yours. The student uses what you would consider your "off hand" or your "weak hand". This also mostly deals with children. As an adult, I can learn from lefty or righty teachers w/o much effort. Some things I do still have to think about. Another thing... If I use gender in here, it is just easier to type two or three letters rather than a whole phrase... so "he, him, she, her" do not mean anything but a generic person, and I may interchange them even in the same sentence.
Does handedness matter?
Many of the things we want to teach are directly related to our handedness: writing, sports, some music instruments, even, for children, folding clothes and basic chores. Learning to tie shoes is a huge challenge when the two of you are off-handed to each other. So, what about those that aren't related? Things like MOST musical instruments, reading, cleaning, etc don't need these little tricks... BUT, (darn it, always a but in there somewhere) the teacher must remember there is a strong chance that the off-hand student will be seeing and recognizing things in a different way. Allow for that, and, possibly, learn from it as well.
Strategies
OK, with that out of the way, let's discuss some strategies. What teaching strategies are there? Mirroring yourself is a good technique. Another possibbility is to use your off-hand to teach. A very odd way is to have them mirror themselves. This one doesn't work very often but sometimes it provides that light when nothing else works.
"Mirror" method
First, and people use it a lot, is the "mirror" method, for lack of a better term. Instead of locating yourself beside the student, locate yourself opposite him. Yes, this may not seem as personal, which is how one-on-one should feel, but it makes sense in this case. Whatever you are exemplifying, have her do it mirror-image.
Example: Learning to Write
Circles ("O") - This is usually the first letter learned, becuase it is the easiest. Most people draw the circle going towards the center of the body from the top. Doing this and having him copy as you do it across the table is fun and lets him see what is going on.
Exanple: Sports (baseball)
Standing about 10 to 20 feet away from your student, demonstrate the swing in front her. Have her do it with you. You are side-by-side in this case, and it is easier than showing kids who are same-handed because she can see exactly what you are doing, whereas the same handers... see just your back.
"Off-hand" method
Why in the world would you use your off hand to teach something? Sometimes, the mirror idea is just not working. I have found students who just cannot wrap their minds around doing something mirrored to someone else. In this case, doing it off-handed is the only way they can see the examples. Another reason is the "perfection syndrome" (again, my term for lack of a better one) some students get. I have seen it more often in left-handed students than righties, but don't know if it has to do with being left-handed or just perfectionists. The perfection syndrome is where your student after one or two tries is ready to give up becuase it doesn't look as good/act as good/do as well as your example. Turning around asnd doing it in the off-hand is going to be shaky, wrong, and darn it, definitely not perfect. This brings it home better than anything that perfection does not have to be an immediate thing, and that it is OK not to be perfect immediately.
"Mirror Thyself" method
Sometimes, having the student do it in his off hand, and then with the "proper" hand (or at the same time, when writing or doing something one-handed) provides that final "click" when the other methods don't work. It also explores the possibility that, although this person is off-handed to you, they might, just MIGHT, be the same-handed as you for this particular item. There are a lot of people who write left-handed and pitch and bat (or kick) with the other side or vice versa. Never ignore the fact that handedness in people is rarely completely one-sided. I myself do almost everything left-handed, but cutting with scissors depends on which hand is closest. That is the only thing I can do right-handed. I even have to concentrate if I am trying to eat with my right hand so I don't miss my mouth (-:
So, as a start, this should help you understand that person who is backward to you, and possibly help you help them out, too. Good luck with it, and please, email me with suggestions or stories, or, put them in the guestbook.
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