Typing Keyboard Pictures

If a learner is asked to memorize the keyboard, they will immediately lose interest in the learning process. What started out as a fun activity to learn how to type, has become a threat. You could attempt to explain that they have to know the location of the keys to learn touch typing. That approach will only be marginally effective, because it is also frightening.

The issue is how do you challenge students/learners to learn the keyboard? Perhaps the best "attention grabber" is asking the learner to complete a picture of a standard typing keyboard by writing in the key character in the correct location.

NimbleFingers.com has enclosed pictures of the complete keyboard. Pictures are also available with the keyboard characters blanked out.

People tend to look at the picture of the keyboard with the key character shown, and think nothing of it. But, when asked to complete the picture of the keyboard by identifying the characters blanked out, it's a whole new ball game.

Nimblefingers.com gives you free copyright privileges to use these keyboard pictures in any manner desired. We ask you to play fair and if you use these pictures in a commercial environment, please reference that they were provided by nimblefingers.com.

Print the pictures on a decent printer, then photocopy and distribute them to typing students as a study aid. Ask them to fill in the missing characters on the blank keys and watch them start scratching their head. Or use the keyboard pictures yourself when learning the touch method.

Touch typing consists of thinking the character, and then your finger automatically strikes the correct key. You are developing a motor reflex pattern whereby your brain has trained your fingers to do its bidding. Thus, people who know the touch method can devote their intellectual efficiency on the task at hand. They can devote full concentration to the task, and let their fingers do their work without conscious thought of the keystroke involved. A picture is worth a thousand words.

If you have problems getting the picture-printer to work correctly, try pasting the URL in your browser. Then print directly to the picture.

Click on the small picture for a full size picture. Print it, then "back arrow" to return to this program. I prefer the dark, full-page landscape layouts.

Dark keyboard; all keys shown.

Dark keyboard; few keys shown.

Light keyboard; all keys shown

Light keyboard; few keys shown

Vertical pictures (130k portrait .jpg files) are below. Click on the smaller icon to print the keyboard using the full 8 ½ " by 11" typing paper.

These keyboard pictures are my favorite for beginning students.

What's Involved?
Getting Started
Flash Cards
Trivia
Keyboard
History
Typing Fable

More Free Things
Checklist
Tent Trick
Pictures
Videos
Finger Dexterity
Limb & Body Exer.

Teaching - Learning
Objectives
Teaching Ideas
Tips
Lab Rules
Repetition
Carpal Tunnel

Data Entry
Data Entry Program
Data Classification
Chart of Accounts

General
Word Wacker
Download Instructions
Site License
F.A.Q.

Click on picture for full size.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Can you do it?
Can you fill in the blanks?

Do you know what makes these pictures valuable as a learning aid?

They represent another form of reinforcement. It's one thing to say you know the key locations.

It is an entirely different thing to be able to write the keys in the correct location.

And if you've been following the educational theory used in the Nimble Fingers programs, you realize we have used another form of repetition. Note that the change of pace is not boring... in fact, it's a challenge.

Typing Tips

Set up a schedule. Unless you establish a "schedule for learning" it is all too easy to find an excuse for not practicing. It takes practice to develop touch typing skills.

Do you have extra time, some time? Then you can complete a couple of practice exercises. It might not sound like much, but you have helped develop your skills.

Check your hands. Hands should slant at the same angle as the keyboard. Do not let your wrists become lazy and rest against the desk or keyboard.

Check your fingers. Are your fingers curved? Strike each key with the pad of your finger, not your fingernail.

Move only the needed finger. Train your fingers to stay on their assigned home row key. Pivot with the little or index finger for long reaches. Immediately return to the correct home row key.

Monitor your monitor. Adjust the angle of your monitor to minimize glare. Tilt the angle of the screen or slightly darken the room.

Relax and stretch. Periodically get up and move or stretch your neck, arm, and hand muscles to combat fatigue.

Which exercise would you select?
With Nimble Fingers - Word Wacker and Typing & Data Entry
programs, You select the drill of interest to you.

A few of the over 500 exercises are shown.

Plus there are hundreds of FREE exercises available as WEB downloads.

How about an exercise for a pet bird?
Barbara has a pet parakeet named Joe. His green and yellow feathers
are quite pretty. He can say a few words and he seems to like bright
colors. He becomes very excited when Barbara uses magazine pages for
the bottom of his cage. Joe always says "Thank you" when he gets a
new, brightly colored floor. However, he chatters frequently, and
he never seems to know when to shut up.

Here is an exercise for a gambler.
A quatorze is the four aces, kings, queens, jacks or tens scored as
fourteen points for the holder. I like playing cards and am not
upset if I am not quickly dealt a winning hand. However, the gambling
casinos at Las Vegas and other well-known resort towns, are a bit much
for my conservative taste. I prefer spending my hard-earned money by
eating out or by going to a movie. But, even movies are very expensive.