Wednesday, August 26, 2015

Teach Home School Students Typing (or Keyboarding) for Free


Photo: Jmarchn
Typing (or Keyboarding) for Home School Students 


When I was in high school, only a small percentage of students took a typing class. I was one of that small percentage. At the time, I only knew that I would be working in an office, and needed to know how to type. I also enjoy writing non-fiction and fiction, and knew that it would be helpful in those efforts.  
My husband, too, took a typing class in high school, and it has been a skill that has served him ever since. He writes non-fiction, fiction, and song lyrics. We both spend hours everyday in our home offices using the computer keyboard to create or edit the typewritten word.
When my daughter was in high school, the class was called keyboarding. She learned to type, but I don’t think she learned as well as we did in our old school typing class. Still, she does type.  
My son started a typing class in homeschool. Unfortunately, as he grew into a young man, his hands grew too large to fit any keyboard I have ever seen. He types, but not using the typing method I taught him. His hands are just too big to make it possible for him. Still, he knows where the keys are and is faster with his ‘pecking’ method than many people are with both hands on the keys. 
 
Goodtyping.com
 
A couple of years ago, I was teaching at a career college. All the student’s papers had to be typed. Many of them, however, had never used a computer or a typewriter. To help them out, I suggested they spend time at www.goodtyping.com. I even offered extra credit if they brought in their grade sheets provided by the online typing training software.
The software, www.goodtyping.com, is perfect for homeschool families. First, it is free. However, that does not mean it is lacking. Second, since each student has their own account, you can get printouts of their work and their grades to keep in their binders. Students can learn to type in foreign languages, too, which might add a dimension to Spanish or French classes. 
Students learn the proper placement of hands on the keyboard, which fingers to use for which keys, and even spend some time getting their typing speed up. Goodtyping.com does not have an affiliate program. If they did, I would be happy to promote them, but I am happy to promote them anyway, since they offer a service that so many people really need.

Another good source of typing training is Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing software. I used this with my son for homeschool. The software can be used for several students, teaches typing basics, and has some interesting games to help students increase typing speed. There are also lessons for 10-key, if your student may be interested in working in an office where high-speed calculation is required.

Do you teach your children to type? What methods do you use?


 
Please Comment Below
 

2 comments:

  1. I sat in as assistant teacher for half the year in a homeschool typing class. These are wonderful because so many students hunt and peck for keys. Also, from what I understand wrist disorders are on the rise in children, and proper typing form can help delay the onset of them.

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    1. The advantage typist have over non-typists when the students get to the work force is a key reason to teach typing, too.

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