I'm sure this will take this thread even more off topic but the conversation on learning how to type reminds me of how it was because of a H.S. typing class that I was able to graduate an entire year early from H.S. and attend university at 17. The typing class was independent study granted CREDITS for the amount of course work you made it through. (And it was on typewriters even though the first Mac's came out that year.) Since I had taken typing in junior high and already could type reasonably well I was able to get a full 10 credits (one years worth) in one semester. That gave me enough credit to graduate, I only had to juggle my spring semester a bit to meet all the course requirements. And since I would have been mostly taking AP courses senior year. Thinking back on it I must have been really motivated to spend that many hours practicing typing just to graduate early. ;-)
P.S. As to teaching typing to a child to learn good touch typing it really helps to have an adult who is actively supervising to make sure the hands are on the keyboard and the eyes on the screen.
