SUPPORTING KEYBOARDING SKILLS FOR STUDENTS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the challenges with digital learning is an increased need for keyboarding skills.  Many of the assignments that students were completing with pencil and paper will now be completed digitally.

For someone with good typing skills, the digital format will usually be much faster.  However, many students have not had the opportunity to develop good typing skills.  For those students, the necessity to type assignments may be slower and adding an additional strain on completing assignments.

Like many things, keyboarding skills get better with practice and instruction.  Below are some great websites (for FREE!) that your student (or you) can use to practice typing skills.

  

Websites for Keyboarding Skills Practice

        Elementary Students

• Typing Club - You can use this site without creating an accout, or you can create a free account to save your progress (and remove ads).  The site provides engaging animated vidoes that describe new skills.  Then, the student is given time to practice and occasionally plays a game for more practice.  Points and badges are earned.  Stats, including accuracy and typing speed, are displayed at the end of each activity.
• Dance Mat Typing - This site uses animated instructions and songs to teach the typing skills.  It moves faster than the Typing Club, above.  Younger students may like the animations and songs on this site better, but it may move too fast for them to keep up.
• RataType - This site provides very little actual instruction.   It does provide practice.  You must create an account, but the account is free.

 

        Middle and High School Students

• Typing.com - This provides video instruction and typing practice.  You can create a free account to save progress.
• Speed Typing Online - This site provides practice.  If you create a free account, you can set your own goals.

 

        Games to Practice Keyboarding

• Ghost Typing - This is a game in which students must quickly type words to eliminate ghosts before they get too close.  As with most games, it seems easy in the beginning -- with one word and one ghost very slowly getting closer.  But, as the game progresses, many words and ghosts are on the screen at the same time.  There is no typing instruction.
• Key Man - This game is set in an aquarium.  Players must type letters to change the direction of gates within a maze to collect all of the items in the maze.  There is no typing instruction and there is no typing of words, simply one letter at a time.
• Type Rush - This game allows you to compete in races (car street races or boat races) by typing.  When the green light flashes on, you start typing a paragraph.  There is no instruction, but you are typing "real-world" type paragraphs for practice.  Your stats are stored if you create a free account.
• Alpha Munchies - This is a game where you must type single letters to stop critters from eating your snacks.  There is no typing instruction.  There is no typing words.
• Typing Chef -  This game requires you to type words for recipes.  With each level, you work your way up in the kitchen.  There is no typing instruction.  You are typing words that relate to your level in the kitchen.

 

         Paid Resources

• Typing Instructor for Kids - This site is a paid site.  However, if you are interested, this brings keyboard practice to the level of video games that kids love.  The price ranges from $3.95 for 7 days of access to $29.95 for a year.