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Original poster

Has anybody considered sending their kids to learn touch typing .. DS is 6 but

43 replies

TwigorTreat · 13/10/2007 18:19

I think it could be rather useful

are there any courses a 6 year old could take? How did your kids learn to touch type?

OP posts:
ScaryScaryNight · 13/10/2007 19:20

It is not just about speed, it is about posture and how you hold your hands and arms at a more ergonomically correct way, so as not to strain back, neck and shoulder as you type.

foxinsocks · 13/10/2007 19:24

ooh that bbc one is good - thanks for that

my dd is a poor writer too (although she actually doesn't like typing either )

I was surprised how quickly she could type just from playing on the computer

TheEvilDediderata · 13/10/2007 19:25

Too true.

nailpolish · 13/10/2007 19:43

touch typing is more about looking at the words as they appear on the screen and not at your hands and they keys as you type

i touch type and i never ever ever look at my hands/keys while i type

its not about speed

Original poster
TwigorTreat · 13/10/2007 19:43

sniggering at typing with gingers .. particularly from you BT

hve to say I do touch type already which is why I think it will be good for DS

love the BBC site .. why did the goat have to be a scouser though? .. I'm a manc .. don't think I can subject DS to that

OP posts:
fullmoonfiend · 13/10/2007 19:44

well ds has been on that BBC site and enjoyed it. Now all I have t do is persuade him to practise...

LIZS · 13/10/2007 19:46

ds does it at school, which offers it for those who struggle with spelling and handwriting. They can start at 7 iirc. Once they reach a certain level some are allowed to use a laptop for lessons and exams.

fullmoonfiend · 13/10/2007 19:51

my ds is allowed to type his homework as his writing is so horrible. Only trouble is, watching him type is like pulling teeth...hence trying to teach him TT.

foxinsocks · 13/10/2007 19:59

oh that's interesting about the typing at school

dd's (also 7) writing is abysmal (but it has its merits - she's had to write a page of homework and her writing is so large and goes diagonally across the page so I reckon she's written about a third of what everyone else has had to do!)

Nightynight · 13/10/2007 20:01

touchtyping is very useful. I learned after university, but will send my children to lucie clayton during gap year or earlier. The typing speed is significantly faster, plus the advantage of not having to look at the keyboard.

BeetrootMNRoyalty · 13/10/2007 20:02

pmsl at 'typing with gingers' have I had too much wine?

swedishmum · 15/10/2007 22:46

My ds is older (10) but is starting a class after school on Wed. I know what happens if we just buy software - it just doesn't get done. Will see how the free taster session gose - here's hoping as he's dyslexic and it would really help him.

isgrassgreener · 16/10/2007 08:36

My DS 10 goes to a dyslexic/dyspraxic school and all of the children are taught to touch type, as in the long run it will mean that they will be able to do their work quicker.
We are about to start a parent help group at my other DS school, to go in each week and help a group of children who find writing difficult, to learn to touch type. I think we are going to use the BBC website to do it.

figleaf · 18/10/2007 10:02

I took my son out of school on Wednesday afternoons for a term when he was 8. I taught him touch typing using Walt Disneys Adventures in Typing with Timone and Pumba (spelling?). School weren't mad keen on the idea but the OT and Pead were supportive so they couldn't block me. That term got us from 2 w.p.m to 10. He is 9 now (10 next month) and he types at 14 - 15 w.p.m. Our aim is to get him to 18 w.p.m by the time he starts high school.

figleaf · 18/10/2007 10:04

forgot to say that when we were in England he used a word processor caled a Neo in class (again the school weren't mad keen but I'm pushy). Now we live in Scotland the LEA bought him a lap top (no pushing required). The more practice you put in the faster you get. I think if you can start at 6 that is great.

EmsMum · 18/10/2007 10:15

They start them on touch-typing at DDs school in Yr 3. The software they use is called Kaz, we got it at home too... DD says she needs to practice it but never does, she's not really into playing on computer (am I alone in wishing she'd play on computer more ?!)

I can see from when she's shown us what she's doing that its a really good idea to learn how to do it properly from the outset.
I'm half-tempted to learn properly myself ... but after 20 years writing software I'm fairly fast and can type without looking at the keyboard, using all of
my fingers, so maybe it would just confuse me now.

figleaf · 22/10/2007 11:53

We tried Kaz but didn't like it as much as the Disney touch typing tutor. My son reached 15 w.p.m as an official average score last night!! We are really pleased, previously he has hit 15 but mainly stayed around the 14 mark. last night he got a couple of 16 on the typing tests so his average ticked over to the 15. As I said before the magic number is 18 w.p.m as this is what research shows bright secondary school students hand write at. DS handwrites at 4 -6 w.p.m so the benefits of touch typing are obvious for him.

He practices 3 times a week but the tutor plays a range of different games with him so it isn't a really terrible thing to do. I have told him he can stop practicing when his average hits 18.

Hulababy · 22/10/2007 11:57

DD starts tocuch typing as part of ICT lessons from next year - so Y2 equivalent. They find it really useful to have the girls being able to type well and fast, esp for doing ICT based projects. Will be useful skill when they move onto secondary school and coursework too.

Not sure there'd be child-based courses though. Would probably need a home based software package instead.

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