negotiating things right to left rather than left to right???

hpfreak2011

DD is 4.5 and doing great in pre-k but we all have 1 concern that we are working on. She is currently doing things right to left. We are all worried that this will result in her having problems learning to read. She draws things from right to left and writes her letters from bottom to top.

antone else had this problem and know how to help at home?

Pesky

I don't know honestly.  Time will tell.  I would probably ask the pedi if that is a sign of dyslexia.  Is she left-handed?  I will say that DD traces her letters and numbers in a way similar that is not the "normal" or rote way of doing things but I know over time, she will likely figure out the easiest way of forming the letters and it may be different, it may not. 

neverblushed

As far as I can remember from my education psychology classes, that's a normal phase some preschoolers go through.  I noticed in my son's pre-k class that the teacher spent a LOT of time working with the kids on starting on the left and working towards the right, so it can't be that uncommon.

My dd is a lefty, and she had slightly more difficulty with this than some kids.  By the time she was in K, she had it sorted out, though!

I'd mention it to her preschool teacher first -- she'll be able to keep an eye on your DD in class for a few days and see if she thinks it warrants calling your pediatrician.

dshoop7

I am rarely on this board, but I do have a son that will be 4 in December. Anyway, I asked my husband what he thought of your post because he teaches special education for 2nd and 5th grade. (Not severe just the kids with a learning disability.) He says that he would not worry about it yet. He says he has some 2nd graders that are still doing that and he would be more worried with that age. He says that she may grow out of it. Just keep and eye on it. Like if she starts says letters backwards. I am by no means trying to sounds like he knows everything.(I would never let him think he knows everything....lol!) I just thought maybe you would like a teachers imput. Good luck. I also agree with asking her teacher what she thinks.

Sagenhaft

I'm a pre-school teacher. There's an easy at-home test -- have her write the letter "o". If she makes it counter-clockwise, then it's probably nothing to worry about. (This is how typically developing people making their "o"s.) However, if she makes it clockwise, then she may have dyslexia (or she may be going through a dysgraphia stage, which is completely normal and will subside in a few months by itself).

If she is left-handed, make sure she is holding the paper tilted to the right while she writes (if you are right handed, it should be tilted to the left). This prevents "hooking" which can occur when the paper is held the wrong way and the child can not see their letters as they are writing them, which can lead to dysgraphia, mirror writing, and (yes) writing from right-to-left.

 

Either way, if you are too worried about it, ask her teacher.