Teaching Left And Right

[Guest]

Could anyone tell me how they get their children to remember left and right? Is it just the old trick of holding out your hands, thumbs at right angles and looking for the L? Anyone got any other ideas?

[Guest HelenW]

The children here have remembered it through our road safety training, we go on walks every day. They always look right first then the left then the right before we cross. They know the traffic coming towards them on their side of the road is the right.

We also play the hokey cokey a lot. Looking for the L is good if they know their letters.

[mundia]

I still have to hold up my hand to show the L for left as I still don't instinctively know which is which.

[Rea]

I have no memory of ever being taught left from right.

I still get it wrong, especially when I'm navigating, I know where I'm going but say the wrong word, hubby is almost used to me but rather prefers his sat nav.

[SmileyPR]

I also tell them of the L shape in our left hands .

 

The traffic is different in Europe, so we have to look 1st to our left, then right, then left .

 

Then, I sometimes right a big L and a big R on the chalkboard when I do some literacy or numeracy activities... showing that we go from left to right.

 

Also, in any incidental situations, I use the term.

[michaelle]

Once again the big L but I have also done the One two three four five once I caught a fish alive ... and put a sticker with a fish on the little finger (or used a felt tipped pen) for them to sing the rhyme

[whippersnappers]

If all your children are right handed, try, YOU WRITE WITH YOUR RIGHT & WHATS LEFT IS YOUR LEFT. This is how i was taught by my Grandma, many, many, many years ago. Sorry though don't know how you would teach left handed children.