Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Good touch typing application

Seeing the computer programming class thread reawakened reminded me that I think that keyboard fluency will help reduce frustration/ speed up keying in or modifying a program.

Which typing programs have you had success with?

I want DD to get self sufficient - currently DW or I scribe for her when necessary but I want to phase this out.

All input appreciated.

BBC's Dance Mat program is good. Typer Island drives me batty, but DC enjoyed it (although neither learned to touch type with it). Multi-sensory TypeRight is the program we've had the most success with, but it's tutor-based and I don't know how widely available it is.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

Okay, this may sound crazy radical but if she is youngish, then maybe you may want to consider letting her develop her own styles. I think that touch-typing doesn't work as well with tiny fingers and much of their typing these days are on tablets and phones.

I tried to provide a touch typing application but my kids may have been too young at 7/8 so it didn't take. They got their own laptop around that time so they became responsible for their own typing. I knew many of their classmates' parents were doing their typing (and sometimes writing according to the parents) for school assigments/projects but I insisted that they do their own independently starting 3rd grade. I am really glad because this year in 5th grade in his online algebra course, DS had to do a lot of typing and it would have been problematic if someone had to follow him around to do the typing for him. He is fairly proficient now although his twin is better at it perhaps due to superior motor skills (compare to him).

Keyboarding Kidz

Disney have a PC software title that is really inexpensive called "Typing with Timon and Pumba". It's fun, easy to use and really great at developing the skills for touch typing. Aiden and Nathan both started with it just before turning 5.

I wondered about the hand size at a young age thing too. Maybe I should let her hunt and peck for a few more years if some of the suggested programs don't go down that well.

Incidentally, DS8 preferred learning the keys alphabetically, which is TypeRight's method. The other programs we tried are home row-based, which he thought irrational. For DS8 being able to work on one hand at time (a-g; then h-p) first was also helpful.

Along these lines has anyone used a keyboard where the keys are a different color in columns? DS seems to flounder at times finding keys.

It is tempting to let them do it their own way--and my DD10 does (but does not type much). However, I REALLY REALLY regret never learning to type properly. It slows me down considerably. I plan to insist that my kids learn the right way--in fact, this is on my list for daily activities for DD this summer.