Methods of Instruction for Teaching Keyboarding

1. Methods of Instruction for Teaching Keyboarding Excerpts from“Typewriting: Learning and Instruction”

3. Keyboarding is a cumulative skill–what can be effectively learned at one level depends heavily upon what has been learned earlier. If hunt ‘n peck habits become ingrained, it becomes much more difficult to develop a competent keyboarding skill. You need that basic foundation early on. Desert News, April 5, 1999

4. Keyboarding Continuum • Recognize letters • Locate letters on keyboard • Type words • Learn select control keys (space bar, shift key, enter/return) • Efficient motor action • Type sentences with correct spacing and punctuation • Develop speed and accuracy.

5. When To Start? • Most research has shown that a child's visual motor and finger isolation skills are developed to the point where touch typing would be effective by 4th grade (approx. age 9).

6. Introduction to keyboarding from a hunt and peck approach and mouse skills can be introduced as early as pre-K. You can initiate introductory keyboarding skills at any age – one hand for right and one hand for left sides of the keyboard, thumb for the space bar and possible little fingers for shift, enter or backspace key. However….

7. As always, it depends upon the child. Some children will develop effective hunt and peck keyboarding. And some children will have a great deal of difficulty learning touch typing because they need to visually monitor their fingers to know where they are in space (proprioception). http://www.schools.utah.gov/ate/keyboarding/Articles/Whowhen.htm

8. National Education Teaching Standards: Grades PK–2 (Ages 4–8) • Demonstrate safe and cooperative use of technology. • Independently apply digital tools and resources to address a variety of tasks and problems. • Demonstrate the ability to navigate in virtual environments such as electronic books, simulation software, and Web sites. Grades 3–5 (Ages 8–11) • Practice injury prevention by applying a variety of ergonomic strategies when using technology. Since curriculum is set on state and local levels, each school district determines when and how to start keyboarding instruction.

9. Research Shows… Keyboarding facilitates skill development in writing, spelling and grammar… Students who can keyboard are not only faster but also more imaginative. They are free to think about composing text or copying material rather than constantly trying to find their place.

10. Keyboarding Software… You would not sit a child down at a piano and use a software package to teach piano playing. Similarly, children are taught to play sports with a coach and much guided practice. The coach provides motivation, reinforcement, and corrective action.

11. Software to Introduce and Develop Keyboarding Skills • Bailey’s Book House (Riverdeep) • Type to Learn (Sunburst) • Kid Keys (Knowledge Adventure) • KidsTime (Great Wave Software) • Jump Start Typing (Knowledge Adventure) • Write: Outloud (Don Johnston) • Spell-A-Word (R.J. Cooper) • Writing Skills/Keyboarding Skills (Diana Hanbury King)