How long did you take to learn to touch-type?

[MinaLoy]

THE THING IS....I'm doing a freelance typing job from home (working while the baby naps, and in evenings) and the woman I'm working for doesn't know how INCREDIBLY slow I am. So I've decided to (secretly) stop the typing job for a bit, to use the time learning to type faster. Just wondering how long it's gonna take me. I reckon if I really push it I could get 16 hours in this week. Is it humanly possible to learn to type fast that quickly? Coz I'll have to get back to the "proper" job at some point...........

[minorbird]

It took me 6 weeks but I was only 8 at the time. I had and still have a little machine called Typewrite and I taught myself.

[pop1973]

It just takes time to learn how to touch type. What kind of course are you doing to learn how to touch type ??

Just interested to know the methods that you are using and what is your current speed ?

I'll suggest some tips if you need help ?

[SlartyBartFast]

taught myself from a book {!}
but i am stil rubbish!

[traceybath]

well i learnt in 5 days when i did an intensive course before i went to university.

its just practice really and being disciplined at not looking at the keyboard.

[bodiddly]

I reckon you could learn in 16 hours .. it is fairly dull to learn but soooo good and the more you type once you know the basics the faster you will get. Just, whatever you do, don't cheat and move on from one stage of letters to the next before you truly know them .. it is the only way to get it to stick. Don't worry too much about learning numbers etc it is the letters and basic punctuation that are important. I learnt from a book in my gap year (many many moons ago) pretty quickly.

[bythepowerofgreyskull]

I used a software program called iankey.

will have a look online to see if they have a site.. it was on a secretarial course nearly 20 years ago though

[hecate]

pangrams are very good for learning to touch type

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
We promptly judged antique ivory buckles for the next prize.
Whenever the black fox jumped the squirrel gazed suspiciously
The public was amazed to view the quickness and dexterity of the juggler.

And work through your alphabet A-Z with your eyes closed!

Once you instinctivly know the position of all the letters, you need to work on your speed. There are no tricks, it's just practice, practice, practice...

[ranting]

Umm can't remember, think it was at school. It's much easier if your fingers are already on the home keys though.

[CarofromWton]

I learnt to touch type about 20 years ago, and it was one of the best skills I ever gained - use it all the time, work and home. I went to college and worked through a couple of books and learnt it quite quickly (I am quite a fast typist, but for most things you don't need to be). I know it's boring to begin with, but like driving, it soon becomes second-nature, and then you won't be able to type whilst looking at the keyboard!

[MinaLoy]

Thanks guys! That's all really encouraging. I've steeled myself to the fact that it's going to be a really boring week, but like you all say, I will be so GLAD when I've cracked it. The programme is called Sense-Lang.org and it looks so clunky (or maybe po-mo ironic clunky?) In between exercises I can come and peep at MN. Thanks again

[BecauseImWorthIt]

There are various software programmes - Mavis Beacon is one.

Learning where the keys are will take you no time at all, it's the building up of speed that takes time and practise. Or should that be practice?!

[MinaLoy]

Minorbird were you really EIGHT when you learned to type? I have a friend who knitted herself a jumper when she was ten, but you really take the biscuit

[ranting]

I do remember our teacher used to use the phrase (in a shrill voice IIRC) 'Home keys girls, home keys'. This thread has just reminded me of that.

[minorbird]

Yes Minaloy! My mum bought me the little machine typewrite and I loved it, took it to school and showed off how fast I could type! But I made a rod for my own back, cos it was muggins here who gets all my mates work to type... even 20 years later! Best of luck I bet you can get similar programs for the PC now, like the one Hecate and Grey skull mention. x

[somersetmum]

Teach yourself here

[misselizabethbennett]

Being able to touch type is my favourite skill. I love it that I can type and talk at the same time!

The method I was taught involved 'drilling' letter combinations, starting with the home keys (asdf ;lkj). The important thing was to keep a steady rhythm so each key stroke including spaces took the same time. We'd do about 4-5 lines of each combination, eg: jnj jnj jnj jnj (and so on).

Boring but very effective.

[MinaLoy]

The loneliness of the long-distance typist. I've written A S D F / J K L on my fingers in big black marker pen as an experiment. A new take on the LOVE HATE finger tattoos. But I know I'm just avoiding the inevitable...back to my practicing I go

[Ripeberry]

I learnt to touch type when i was 16yrs old and it's the best thing i ever did.
We were taught over the course of 10 evenings for 2hrs at a time and we used great big ancient manual machines and would spend ages just typing out sequences.
It's all to do with "muscle memory" as once your muscles know how to do it, they don't forget.
Like riding a bike or driving a car.
It will take time but with practice you do get a lot faster.
I've typed all of this in 67 secs!

[Scarfmaker]

I started learning to touch-type in school age 14-15 (it was called office practice with typing) and I got an O Level and it's also the best thing I've ever done. I can still remember sitting on the old manual typewriters in the classroom with Mrs Potter teaching us.

When I left school I worked in lots of offices and had some fantastic jobs, up until 16 years later when I left to have baby. At that time (1992)a lot of typists were being made redundant because word processors were around and people thought they could type up their own letters, reports etc. but they were wrong.

Typists know all the ins and outs - how many spaces between full stop and next sentence (two), paragraphing, how to set out a letter and the main thing that you rest your fingers on the home keys - a s d f and j k l :

My kids get me to type up some of their work as I am still very fast!

[SqueakyPop]

I learnt really quickly - and it was on a typewriter using a book borrowed from the library.

It is pretty easy nowadays, with computer programs like Mavis Beacon.

Just keep your fingers on the home keys and resist the temptation to take shortcuts. It's really worth the effort.

[mashedup]

Hi.
I learnt to touch-type when I was 13. My friends laughed and called it boring, now I have an easier job than them and earn more too.
It didn't take too long to learn. Have you tried typingmaster.com? They start you from scratch and build up to doing speed tests.

[mandymac]

It took me a week. I went to a secretarial training type place, but can't remember the name. I found it really useful when I was between permanent jobs, as I could always get a job typing. Audio typing is really easy too, my temp agency let me come in and try it for a few hours and as long as your grammer, spelling a punctuation are OK it is a breeze (and pays a bit better).

[mandymac]

Sorry that should have been 'spelling and punctuation'

[MinaLoy]

This is day 2 of my typing odessey. These messages have really helped my morale! Keep those memories coming ladies.

[Sausagehead]

Just wondered if you achieved your goal and how long it took? Can you now touch type?