Keyboarding Tips for Parents

General Information

Because all students need to be able to type and because keyboarding is considered a BASIC LITERACY SKILL, Utah elementary students should begin keyboarding instruction in 3rd Grade and receive continued drill and practice throughout their elementary years.  The MINIMUM recommended specific keyboarding instruction schedule by grade level is:

3rd Graders -  30 minutes a day, five days each week for a minimum of four weeks.  Then 30 minutes at least twice a week thereafter.

4th- 6th Graders -  30-45 minutes at least twice twice a week

7th - 9th Graders - at least 1 semester of Keyboarding Applications or Basic Word Processing depending on their keyboarding competence. 

Keyboarding Techniques

It important to emphasize PERFECT TECHNIQUES rather than accuracy and speed when children first learn to type.  

•  What are PERFECT Techniques in keyboarding?

When all alphabet letters can be keyed with correct fingering and without looking at their hands, emphasis should then be placed on SPEED. 

•  If you have Microsoft Office Software (specifically PowerPoint), download a Keyboarding Technique Slideshow

Accuracy should NOT be emphasized until children can type at least 32 words per minute without looking at their hands and with correct fingering.
This is one of the reasons, most keyboarding software programs can hurt rather than help when learning to type. 

Keyboarding Software

Some keyboarding tutorials can assist keyboarding skill development; however, unless the instruction is monitored, children have a tendency to develop bad habits.  It is suggestion that keyboarding software be used for additional appropriate drill practice and to add variety.

•  It is important to select keyboarding software that provides appropriate drill and practice.  For a list of criteria used in Utah to evaluate keyboarding software, CLICK HERE.
• To assist you in selecting Keyboarding Software for your children to practice at home CLICK HERE.  Some programs can be downloaded from the net or even used on-line.

Children can practice keyboarding at home but remember, practice doesn't make perfect.  PERFECT practice makes perfect!  Schedule 10 to 15  minutes each day to reinforce what they have learned in keyboarding.  Watch how they type more than their accuracy or speed. Reward them for 'perfect' practice and keep the sessions short.

CLICK HERE for drills to reinforce beginning keyboarding instruction. 

Children don't always need to be at a keyboard to practice typing.  Use the charts below to help students memorize where the letters are on the keyboard according to right and left hand.  

• Black & White Keyboard Charts (8.5" X 11") - MSWord or Corel WordPerfect
• Color Full Keyboard Chart (8.5" X 11") - (bmp file)
• Blank Keyboard Chart (bmp files) - black & white or color (bmp OR jpeg) (Various sizes of blank color keyboards - doc)

Help children see patterns in typing and identify 'finger families' for the keys.   For a list of helpful patterns in WP doc format: CLICK HERE.