How Do You Tell Left From Right?
Even though child psychologist Jean Piaget discovered that children are developmentally ready to know their left from their right by the time they are seven-years-old, many people seem never to be absolutely sure which is right and which is left. It gets even more complicated when it is necessary to handle directions or read maps that require space to be mentally manipulated. People who have difficulty with this skill often had trouble learning to read and many of them wrote their letters and numbers backwards. There are some tricks that can help almost everyone gain absolute confidence about left and right. Work with a partner. Stand up in the middle of the floor. Hold your right hand out like a waiter does when carrying a tray filled with dishes. Your partner will place several telephone books or other heavy items on top of your right hand. Hold the books up without using either your left hand or your body to help to support them. Don’t drop the books. Keep this up for several minute
