Which touch typing website for 10yo DS please?

[MaggieW]

DS needs a bit of help with learning to touch type, so please can you recommend a (preferably) free website which will engage a 10 y.o. boy? TIA.

watching with interest

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

oops sorry..rubbish at links!
The children in my class enjoy this one.

www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

DD2 (11) and DS (8) have been using a programme called 2type for about a year, without much noticeable improvement. It seems really good, but it's hard to motivate them to do it regularly. ( DD1 used it at school from about 7 yrs and is very good at touch typing.)

So I have enrolled them in a programme called TTRS, where they have to go each week for an hour. They are resigned to the fact that they have to learn, now, so hopefully we will get some results, soon.

Not free, but not too expensive. There is a free download to try it.

A friend teaches children with writing difficulties and has had a lot of success with this.

www.nessyfingers.co.uk/

Mavis Beacon ... worked for my dyspraxic one!

Dd used dance mat, which she seemed to make good progress on, but still doesn't touch type quickly, she is only 7 though. Worth trying as an initial programme. It was fine for teaching position, fingers etc, but from what I remember there was no time limit so she didn't get faster as that wasn't part of the challenge.

Hi - exTA (male) here :

I have been a touch typist for about fifty years, having been trained in the RAF National Service !!!

I am not a great fan of 'gimmicky' typing tutors, but have had a very quick look at the BBC one recommended by ellaballoo and it does look quite reasonable.

However, it is also necessary to understand the concepts behind learning to touch-type, rather than just 'tapping away' at the keys. At school I have run touch-typing sessions at lunch times with Yr2 children, and some have managed really well, while others get discouraged because it does take time and patient practice, and progress is slow. Rather like learning a musical instrument, it needs a combination of mental and physical skills, but once mastered can become 'automatic' so you don't need to think about it.

I will try and come back sometime, and explain more of what I mean, and will give a few tips that may help. I'll send a PM in a day or two.

cheers

not free, but Mavis Beacon's done the trick with both my handwriting-challenged boys - not expensive either

BBC dance mat is fine to start off with but is very limited and they don't make progress long term

meant to say as well, little and often is best - 10-15 minutes a day, tops

I learnt myself using a combination of Mavis Beacon at home and my IT teacher making us remove our jumpers, put them over ours hands which were on the keyboard and we then had to copy out our reading books (touch typing on a BBC keyboard wasn't the easiest thing to do as they are not very ergonomic)

I picked up a Mavis Beacon PC version for a couple of quid in a secondhand shop. It looks good for adults. I prefer the look of English Type as the font is bigger and it's designed for SEN children. You can download a free sample but it costs around £30 for the full version.

Nessy Fingers is very good. My 8 year old is using it and loves it.