Abstract

Many authors relate children’s learning problems with laterality, and attribute problems in the acquisition, among other things, of literacy skills to opposite side, crossed or undefined laterality. In this study we have given a laterality test to 170 children aged between 6 and 7 (first and second year primary school) with tests of the upper limb, lower limb and eye, as well as right-left discrimination and spatial orientation. At the same time, the class teachers have assessed the children’s acquisition of several items of school education, with questions about their reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning and attention in class among other things. Our results suggest that children with consistent right-hand laterality get better scores in all learning with respect to the consistently left-handed and children with crossed and unconfirmed laterality; the few cases we have of consistent left-handers (3% of the sample) get the worst scores. In addition, children that discriminate between left and right get better learning outcomes compared with those who do not and they also have better spatial orientation with respect to those who have poor orientation.