The Hidden Barriers for Left-Handed Pupils (and what the Writing Framework means in practice)

Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

Author

Kieran Mackle
January 19, 2026

The Hidden Barriers for Left-Handed Pupils (and what the Writing Framework means in practice)

Good Morning!

Left-handed pupils often become the “messy writers” in a right-handed world but they don’t have to.

In this week’s episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, I’m joined by Mark Stewart, a contributor to the Writing Framework, to explore how handwriting instruction can unintentionally disadvantage left-handed children—and how simple adjustments can change everything.

Mark explains why left-handers face predictable challenges in left-to-right writing systems: smudging, covering their work while copying, awkward “hooked” writing, and even discomfort in wrists and shoulders when paper position is treated as fixed. He also shares why teachers need to look beyond the finished page and focus on how writing is produced—because technique and grip matter far more for left-handers than we often realise.

Two moments stayed with me. One is a letter from a 13-year-old who stopped smudging and gained confidence after just 10 minutes of guidance. The other is from Margot, in her 70s, who realised she’d never been shown the simple techniques that could have prevented a lifetime of struggle—and felt unexpectedly emotional about it.

If you teach EYFS/KS1, lead literacy, or support handwriting across the school, this episode offers practical, compassionate steps you can use immediately.

Hope you enjoy…

The Hidden Barriers for Left-Handed Pupils (and what the Writing Framework means in practice) by Thinking Deeply about Primary Education

Episode 265: Left-handed pupils are often judged on messy pages, slow fluency, and “awkward grips”—but what if the real issue isn’t the child… it’s the instruction?In this episode of Thinking Deeply About Primary Education, Kieran Mackle is joined by Mark Stewart (Left n Write UK)—a contributor to the Writing Framework and long-time advocate for left-handed learners.

Mark’s Recommendations

Visual Summary

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TDaPE London 2026

TDaPE London was (by all accounts) a huge success and our thanks go out to everyone who helped make it the day it was. We raised £1,145 in ticket sales - all of which will be donated to Velindre Cancer Centre. If you would like to donate, our just giving page is here. If you missed out this time and can’t wait for the next opportunity, tickets for TDaPE North West on the 28th of March are already on sale here.

Natalie and Lacey kick off TDaPE London in the beautiful Hawley Primary School

The Story of Maths

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