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  • Typing Objectives
  • Teaching Philosophy

  • Typing Program Requirements
  • Fingers In-A-Tent Trick

  • Beware of Lab People
  • Computer Lab Rules

  • Check List Before Teaching
  • More Insider Tips

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    Typing Objectives
    Typing is an excellent way to introduce students to computer literacy and to improve one's ability to interact with the computer. When you know how to type, you do not have to search for the key to press and, you can concentrate on the application at hand.

    Objectives for new typing students are to develop an ability to:
    • Develop the correct touch typing technique.
    • Key data quickly and accurately.
    • Demonstrate operational skills in using the computer.
    • Be able to key accurately, at a rate of 25 Words Per Minute (WPM).
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    Teaching Philosophy

    Finger Our approach in teaching anyone, even adults, is to maintain a rather "strict control" for the first few sessions. Then we allow them work at their own pace, and "do their own thing." In a controlled environment such as a classroom, during the first session, the learner "logs in." Log in should at least consist of asking the user for their name, so that program prompts can later be personalized. Then the program should review the topics, and the learner should progress to key several of the beginning exercises. ALWAYS, start with the home row keys.

    A keyboarding program utilized in a private learning environment, such as a home, follows a similar approach. The "Little Professor" should guide such learners, and although the learner can "override" the program and jump around, the "Little Professor" should strongly recommend that his layout be followed.


    The main emphasis on a beginner should be on developing the correct keystroke patterns. Frankly, unless there are a hundred errors on the home row keys, if the learner is requested to re-key an exercise, they won't see the challenge. Accuracy will improve with practice once the basic keystroke patterns are developed.

    In a classroom environment, the teacher could conduct a discussion with the learners regarding errors after the initial group of exercises are completed. In a private environment, the "Little Professor" should offer suggestions. For example, recent programs have an "artificial intelligence" built in that performs a statistical analysis (the anlaysis is hidden so no one gets scared) to detect errors that might be attrributed to poor posture.

    In the second session, learners should try to key a home row exercise at 20 wpm or greater. Again, don't worry about errors in the beginning exercises, just concentrate on using the correct finger to strike a key.

    Most learners will soon be able to key the home row keys at greater than 20 words per minute. Then they can proceed to the exercises on keys g and h. Students should not progress beyond keys "g" and "h" unless they are able to key the home row without looking at their hands.
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    Typing Program Requirements

    The adult learner is one who wants to develop or improve their skills. These are generally mature learners operating in a home environment, at a self-paced schedule.

    Another user category is the elementary student, who frequently will be learning in a controlled environment (such as a classroom). The major need of the young student, is a simple, non-sophisticated sentences, which soon become very boring to the more mature user. We will refer to these adults and mature students as learners and discuss program/educational needs from a learner's prospectus.

    Exercises should be "upbeat" to make learning fun, and be suitable for a self-paced learning environment. As these newer programs often contained hundreds of exercises, with numerous options, a means of navigating the program is needed.

    Typing Page A Typing Page?
    The program should contain a means by which the learner is guided through the entire learning process. Of course you need more than an outline for assistance. Nor do you need a "step-by-step" guide who tells you to blindly follow them as they walk you through a program. The learner needs personalized attention and a program that automatically adapts itself to their particular learning needs.

    Typing Prof An Intelligent Guide
    The learner needs a "Little Professor" or other device that will both serve as a guide in the program, provide advice and adjust the advice based on what is happening. Of course the learner should be able to configure the program to meet his/her needs, but prompts offering suggestions for improvement, analysis of results, and reinforcement (positive motivational messages) should be automatically given.

    The "Little Professor" should be an experienced keyboard teacher and should not overwhelm the user with useless statistics. That is, focused, pertinent, tailored advice is needed. Some advanced keyboarding programs, contain a built-in artificial intelligence program that looks for patterns in errors that may occur over time. This vastly increases the quality of the advice.


    Typical Program Features
    Learning Aids: Pictures, Error Analysis, Suggestions x
    Report Cards: Speed, Accuracy x
    Artificial Intelligence (AI) to detect trend in errors and offer meaningful suggestions to reduce errors, improve posture and improve speed. x
    Control Panel (Password Protected) x
    On Line Access to Supporting WEB Site (Exanded Stress Release Exercises, Coordination Exercises, Dexterity Exercises, Detailed Suggestions, etc.) x
    Numerous Beginning Exercises x
    Numerous Speed Building Exercises x
    Numerous Advanced Exercises x
    Progress Tests x
    1, 3 and 5 Minute Timed Exercises x
    Numeric Pad Exercises x
    Flash Cards x
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    The Fingers In A Tent Trick
    Students should not progress beyond keys "g" and "h" unless they are able to key the home row without looking at their hands.
    In a learning environment, a human instructor can be of great assistance. Tape a piece of paper to the top of the keyboard, making a tent. When students put their hands inside the "tent," they cannot see their fingers.

    They are forced to concentrate on the proper key stroke!

    Or, if you don't want to construct a tent, hold a piece of paper over their hands and ask them to key an exercise.


    If the learners appear "upset," ask them to re-key the home row exercises. Stress that they have to train their fingers to be "nimble" and they cannot do this unless they can key data without looking at their fingers. It is OK to look at the finger-keystroke on the screen, provided their brain, not their eyes, tells their fingers what to do. This is why the word "touch" is so important in touch typing.

    During this early formative stage, guidance is needed so that the correct skills will be developed. Posture must be erect, with feet flat on the floor. Wrists should be level with the keyboard and fingers should be curved. If in a classroom environment, the instructor can point this out. If in a private learning environment, the "Little Professor" can offer specific pictures based on a detailed error analysis.
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    Beware of People Who Run Computer Labs
    Sadly, if you are teaching or learning keyboarding away from the home environment, it will often be in an area maintained by computer "hacks." Although they are a nice, gentle "breed of people," getting them to operate a computer area in a professional, business-like environment is often difficult, and usually frustrating.

    Meet with the person in charge of the computer lab and establish a reserved lab time for your students. During the beginning exercises, only your students should be in the computer class lab. After your students get "into the program" they will know what to expect and the distractions of others can be somewhat tolerated.

    However, guests should understand that there is to be no talking, no clowning around, and never tolerate "game playing" on the computer. Full concentration is required to develop touch typing skills, which is very difficult if someone is talking, wandering around, or playing games.
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    Computer Lab Rules

    A few well-posted, computer lab rules are needed. No one wants to be the "enforcer," but without enforcement, the rules quickly become a joke.

    You might want to consider the below rules for the learning environment.


    No food or drinks are permitted!
    Food particles and liquids are the death of a computer’s keyboard.
    No loitering!
    Computer hacks should not be permitted to "hang out" around a lab. Their presence is distracting and they should be told to leave (actually the term is to "get a life!").
    Positively no smoking!
    Students are the least of your problems on this rule. It's the faculty that will dart into the room for a quick puff. Airborne smoke particles get into the keyboard and can cause key bounce. Key bounce occurs when a key is typed and two characters appear.
    No game playing!
    Computer games are a distraction and disrupt the educational process.
    Repair equipment when it breaks!
    All equipment should be in working order with no extension cords lying about to create problems.
    Minimize glare.
    Cover all windows, even if the lab appears to be too dark.
    Clean the work area.
    The floors, desktops, and the computer screen should be kept clean. Perhaps you can get the janitor to clean the floor, maybe even the desktop, but don't even try to get them to clean the computer screens (they probably will use a mop with dirty water, or the cloth for washing the sinks). However, computer screens need to be cleaned often, even if you can't get the janitor force, or person in charge of the lab, to cooperate.
    Be a hero!
    Do not allow dust and fingerprints to accumulate on the computer screen as it may cause eyestrain. Buy a bottle of window cleaner and some soft, disposable rags (common white hand towels). Give the screens a "once-over" every couple of weeks.
    Post the lab schedule.
    In addition to posted lab hours, indicate the time when your keyboarding students have priority.
    Distribute the schedule.
    Others should avoid using the computers when you are conducting a class. Again, this requirement can be relaxed later on in the course. However, if you start with a relaxed requirement, it is difficult to tighten up requirements later.
    Identify which computers the students are to use.
    If certain computers are off limits explain why.
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    Keyboarding Check List

    Before conducting a class for any group using the computer, sit in front of each computer and actually use (boot up) the program so that you obtain first-hand experience in identifying potential problems. Replace keyboards that don't have a "feel" when you press a key. Touch typing skills are facilitated by using key that provide a feedback (a click) when struck.


    After you execute the program on each computer to assure everything functions as intended, take a look at the work area:
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    More Insider Tips
    Keyboarding is an excellent way to introduce students to computer literacy and to improve an adult's ability to interact with the computer. It is easier for people to learn word processing and how to operate a computer program if they can type.

    Here are a few more insider tips that are often overlooked!

    Does the program start properly? Of course you will have personally typed many of the exercises before instructing others in the use of the program. However, there can be "last minute" hang-ups that occur when the friendly computer hacks make changes to the computers.

    Can you walk to each computer? Will you be able to walk to each computer to answer individual student questions and to assure that sound skills are being followed (posture; eyes on screen, feet flat on floor, etc.)? Or will you have to jump across desks and have six kids move out of the way to be able to talk to the person at the end of the row?

    How Will the Computer Access Software? Check with the lab technician to find out how the computers will actually access software. For administrative purposes, it is easier to assign a learner to a particular computer, and ask them to constantly use the same computer. However, the lab people might want to have a central file server store the main program, which should not be a problem, provided your try the program out before using it in a teaching environment.

    Even if the program is loaded into a network environment where each computer can access the software, permanently assigning a learner to a particular computer prevents a lot of wandering around and confusion when starting a class.

    Report Cards? Ask the students to show you their report card weekly to assure they are staying on track. Classes are best when limited to a 45- or 50-minute class period so that students don't become tired, and are more likely to concentrate on using the correct finger to strike a key. Stress that students need to concentrate in order to learn touch typing skills.

    However, avoid "over-working" beginners. Many learners, particularly begining computer users, become very tense when using the computers. Why not "reduce the tensions" so that learning can occur? Half-way through the period ask students to access a web site that has extensive exercises to improve coordination and release stress. Of course the advantage of learning in a private environment is to access the web site whenever you feel like it.

    Have Some Fun! The finger coordination exercises and stress reducting exercises, will help reduce tensions, and they often produce a smile. A smile and pleasant environment can help make learning fun. Check out the "Healthy Typing section in this www.nimblefingers.com web site.
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