In an Indian school, all children write with both hands, although only 1% of the world's population can do it
A small rural school in India has attracted the attention of the world media by the fact that all 300 of its students are ambidextrous, that is, they can write with both their right and left hands. Only one percent of the world's population is capable of this, but the ambitious founder of the school wants to change this by starting small.
The Vandini Wine School in Madhya Pradesh was founded in 1999 by a former soldier named VP Sharma. He was inspired to teach ambidextrous by the first President of India, Rajendra Prasad, who ruled the country from 1950 to 1962.
Every 45-minute lesson at the Vina Vandini School includes 15 minutes when children practice writing with two hands. Sharma believes that the skill helps students learn several languages more easily. In addition, they practice writing the same words in different languages at the same time.
Although many people believe that using both hands when writing helps to improve concentration, recent studies have found that, on the contrary, it can harm cognitive development. American scientists have concluded that ambidextrous children are inferior to left-handed and right-handed people in a number of skills (knowledge of mathematics, memory and logical reasoning).
A study in Northern Finland showed that ambidextrous children have a stronger tendency to develop mental problems, including speech disorders, learning difficulties and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Keywords: India | Learning | Writing | Hands | School | Schoolchildren