Hi, it appears this is referencing the case study example in the
heinemann lv 3 C&YPW diploma book - pg 88.
In summary, it explains how a practitioner recognises that they have little evidence to support knowing if Robert has established a hand preference - left or right.
The practitioner then demonstrates that knowing this information about Robert is important to her as the text continues to explain how she then
"plans a series of activities to strengthen hand preferences" possibly believing or feeling that he has not yet formed a solid hand preference, that he should of, that something is wrong if he hasn't, that the setting/practitioner should be in possession of this type of information, that others will expect the setting/practitioner to have this knowledge, there is medical or developmental concern, or that she feels Robert truly has limited opportunities to explore his handedness.
Robert is quoted as being 3 years old
Two or dual handed activities are utilised in a direct way to include and support his interests - previously identified as water play and helping out.
An invitation to help wash up the beakers at a snack time is given by the adult to Robert and "
a couple of other children"
Robert then naturally demonstrates his propensity of hand choice and has one of his hands - not identified in the case study, to hold the beaker whilst the other wipes out the inside of the same beaker with a sponge and water.
Two handed activities that support 'strengthening hand preference' involve events where one hand takes on the role of balancing or stabilising and the other hand conducts, in addition to balancing and stabilising, more focussed and intricate movements in order to complete the activity or reach a stage of personal accomplishment.
One hand/arm may perform gross motor activity, supporting the child's body, weight, position & stability or an object, and the other hand, whilst also balancing, holding, stabalising then moves on to add finer motor skill activity to the actions helping build dexterity, cognitive development, understanding, reason, purpose, creativity, culminating it would be hoped in positive, pleasing outcomes.
EG:
- Holding a toothbrush steady with one hand - holding a toothpaste tube steady with the other, squeezing and directing the paste onto the brush.
- Holding paper with one hand - holding scissors, positioning and making a cut with the other..
- Holding paper - holding a mark making tool and manouvering it to create an expression
- Holding a sheet of backing paper - picking, peeling and removing stickers
- Holding a stair rail - reaching out to touch a picture ..
- Holding a bucket - holding a shovel, manouvering to dig, tip, fill, pat, compact the contents of the bucket ..
- Hanging from a climbing bar - reaching out and taking grip of the next..
- Holding a book - turning a page
- Holding a banana - peeling the skin
- Holding a sandwich - removing something from inside ..
- Hold an envelope - hold & open the envelope, remove the contents
- Stabilise a slice of bread - holding a knife and spreading a topping
- Holding a paint pot - holding a brush, inserting it into the pot, loading it with the contents, manouvering it to create art
- Holding a mixing bowl - holding a spoon and continuing on to mix the ingredients/contents inside the bowl
- Holding a carrot - holding a knife, manouvering the knife to make a cut/impression.
- Holding a piece of aida - holding a threaded needle and passing it through the gaps in aida.
- Holding a door handle - inserting a key into the door lock
- Holding a shape sorter container - holding a shaped piece, positioning and inserting the piece into the container - money boxes
- Holding a cup - holding a full bottle, lifting, tipping and pouring inside the cup.
- Holding the wheel of a sit n ride - holding the beeper, pressing to create a sound. supporting handedness may depend where the horn is positioned on the toy. Ease of squeezing/ringing may override a hand preference if the horn/bell is located closer to one hand than the other.
- Holding the bar of a shopping trolley - selecting, holding goods to place inside the trolley.
- Holding a spray bottle - holding and operating the trigger and directing the spray.
- Holding a bottle of bubbles - holding a bubble wand, dipping into and removing from the bottle's contents, lining up the wand to direct a gentle blow through the circular/shaped middle.
- Holding a pot - holding the pot's lid, gripping, twisting to remove, tighten or loosen.
- Hold the handle of an umbrella - hold or press the umbrella's latch mechanism and open/close the brolly canopy.
- Hold and position an item on a fridge - select and position a securing magnet
- Hold a bar of chocolate - unwrap, break off a chunk, eat
Handedness from wikipedia
Teaching left handed writers
I hope this helps a little xx