Typing programme for reluctant dyslexic

[struwellpeter]

My DS is severely dyslexic and dyspraxic and at a special school which is excellent. They insist that all pupils learn touch typing, which although I wholeheartedly agree with, is a big ask for my 7 year old.

Has anyone else used a really fun typing progamme which might appeal to a child who is just beginning to grasp phonics and hates sitting still?! Have asked the school to recommend a programme but not sure if what they suggest will be deadly dull for ds.

There is a CD in the Disney Learning range called "Adventures in typing with Timon and Pumba".

I dont know if you can still get it because we have had it for a few years now. We are currently using it for our mildly dyslexic daughter.

Thanks, will look this up.

There is one on BBC website, but I haven't used it.
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/levels/level1.shtml

We use a bbc programme called, dance mat typing, for a class at school, it is fun and the children seem to enjoy it and it's free.

ds1, also badly dyslexic, (in Y3) uses co:writer, which lets him put in phonetic [crazy] spellings and comes up with something quite accurate. No help for the touch typing, but we also use voice recognition software, both the sort built into windows vista and Dragon Naturally Speaking.
We also use the leapfrog click start which is a fun take on it with the usual leap-pad array of disney characters and stuff.

Good luck!

ohhh - forgot to mention Nessy - he loves it!!

If it's not too late my DD's specialist dyslexia tutor highly rates Disney's Timon and Pumba Adventures in Typing and more recently Nessy. Both mine love Nessy!

Good Luck