Survey of left-handers' school experiences

Click here to see our report on initial results from the survey
Click here to see the press release on the survey
Click here for articles and responses from Club members

There are lots of great things about being left-handed, but it can sometimes be hard trying to learn to do something in a right-handed way or with right-handed tools. Nowadays, many schools are realising that it's not fair to make us left-handers do things "back to front" and that left-handers deserve to be just as comfortable when they learn. There are lots of really useful left-handed teaching aids and equipment that are now available to schools, but some teachers still aren't using them! That's why we're asking you to fill in this survey to tell us how well your school looks after left-handed pupils.

Please complete as much of the survey below as you can by ticking the relevant boxes and adding your comments in the boxes on the right. If you have left-handed brothers/sisters or children at school please get them to complete the survey too. We will review all surveys submitted and report on them in the next Left-Handers Club Newsletter as well as preparing a report to be issued to the press for Left-Handers Day on August 13th.

If the survey confirms the impression we get from members' emails and letters that there is still a challenge facing left-handers in school, we will also be following up with a campaign to make more teachers aware of the needs of left-handed children.

The survey should only take about 5 minutes to complete - depending how many comments you have!

*** We are not currently taking new submissions for this survey ***

Questions	Answers
About you
Email
First name
Last name
Age
Country
Handwriting
Which hand do you write with?	Left Right	Comments
Have you ever had any problems with handwriting? Smudging your work Aching hand Writing very slowly Aching back or shoulders No problems with writing
When sitting at your desk... Have you ever knocked elbows with a right-hander sat to your left? Did your teacher let you move?	Yes No Yes No
If left-handed, do you feel your teachers gave any specific help for left-handed writing? Did they show you... How to angle your paper correctly How to hold your pen properly To position your hand under the writing line Did the teacher ever give you... Writing position mats Letter formation sheets (specifically for left-handers)	Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No Yes No
Equipment
Have you ever been given a special left-handed ink pen with a left-handed grip and nib?	Yes No
Have you been offered a pen / pencil with a left-handed or triangular grip to help your finger position?	Yes No
Do you know there are special scissors with reversed blades so they work properly for left-handers?	Yes No
Do you have left-handed scissors in your classroom?	Yes No
Have you or your parents asked the school to provide left-handed scissors? And how did they respond (add note)	Yes No
Are there any tools or equipment you find hard to use at school because you are left-handed? Please provide details	Yes No
Do you think your teachers notice you are left-handed and check to make sure you can do things in a comfortable and safe way?	Yes No
Computers
Which hand do you prefer to use for your mouse?	Left Right
Does your school let you use it left-handed if you want to?	Yes No
Are shared workstations a problem (having to change it from right to left)?	Yes No
Practical subjects
If you take woodwork / metalwork / Design Technology or similar classes, have you seen over-ride switches or safety devices on equipment that are more difficult for a left-hander to use?	Yes No
If you take food technology, have you had to adapt to right handed kitchen equipment or are left-handed tin openers, peelers, serrated knives etc. provide for you	Had to adapt LH available
If you take textiles, do you find you sew / knit / crochet in the opposite direction to right-handers?	Yes No
Has your textiles teacher helped you reverse sewing patterns and techniques?	Yes No
Music
If you play guitar, do you play it left-handed (right-hand fretting) or right-handed	Hand that strums strings Left Right
If you play right-handed, was it your choice or were you required by teacher / parent ?	Own choice to play RH Had to play RH
Has being left-handed made playing any other instrument more difficult (please give details)	Yes No
Sports
Do you think being left-handed has given you an advantage in any sports? Please note which sports	Yes No
Has being left-handed made any sports more difficult? Please note which sports	Yes No
Overall
Do you think your school should give greater consideration to the needs of left-handed students?	Yes No
Has being left-handed been an advantage in any activities / subjects at school (please give details)	Yes No
Please note anything else that has affected you at school in relation to being left-handed or to the support or otherwise you have received from your teachers

Thank you very much for your time in completing our survey. We are sure the responses will reveal new information on the treatment of left-handers at school and help us to increase awareness of the requirements for helping left-handed children. We will report on our analysis of the responses and any action we are takling as a result in the Left-Handers Club newsletters.
To submit your completed survey, click on the submit button

You will get a screen message and an email to confirm that it has been accepted