Keyboard skills/ Typing

richardw

I need to improve my skills so I can do things quicker and perhaps get as far as typing without looking at the keyboard. Does anybody have any experience of online courses or in person courses and what was good?

TIA

chanie

Type it into a search engine and try some free courses/games.

I learned to touchtype at school in the mid 90's and literally, all the teacher did, was get us to put our hands on the home keys and keep pressing the keys in particular patterns e.g

aaa ;;; aaa ;;; a;a ;a;
sss lll sss lll sls lsl
ddd kkk ddd kkk dkd kdk

The online courses are exactly the same, but some are like games, so you try and beat your previous time.

The main thing is the practice as thats the only way you will get faster.

notanewuser

Mavis Beacon.

SailorSam

I'd learn quicker if they made a keyboard that goes ....
abc.......xyz.

saintjammyswine

Google Alison - it is a site that provides free online training for a range of programmes & subjects.

iammumtoone

Just a little tip for you what we had to do when I learnt at school (on a typewriter :eek: - anyone remember them?) . Tape a piece of paper over the keyboard so you can not cheat and look at the keys.

I don't understand why typing lessons are not compulsory at school these days as alot now is done on computers where people have to type.

iammumtoone

SailorSam wrote: »

I'd learn quicker if they made a keyboard that goes ....
abc.......xyz.

The style of the keyboard was actually designed to slow people down! As typewriter keys were prone to jam so they had to make the keyboard so people didn't type quick.

SailorSam

iammumtoone wrote: »

The style of the keyboard was actually designed to slow people down! As typewriter keys were prone to jam so they had to make the keyboard so people didn't type quick.

Yes i remember reading that but now with modern computer keyboards we don't need to worry the keys may jam together so could it be the time to move on.
Even if it's only to help the thick ones, like me.

StrawberryJam132

iammumtoone wrote: »

Just a little tip for you what we had to do when I learnt at school (on a typewriter :eek: - anyone remember them?) . Tape a piece of paper over the keyboard so you can not cheat and look at the keys.

This is exactly what I was going to recommend! I was self-taught. All I did was put a tea towel over my hands and keyboard (Less troublesome than a piece of paper, I found it moved less?). I didn't create 'lessons' because my mind gets bored easily in those situations :doh: I just done this every time I was on forums etc. The short bursts of feeling around for the keys and 'backspace' really helped my spacial awareness. Within weeks I was getting pretty good Now I'm a whizz!

Plus it's free!:money:

Although this doesn't help if you need proof on your CV of your typing skills... Could you put 'self-taught?' Play on the whole self-sufficiency thing?... Not sure how this would be viewed by employers? :undecided

~Beanie~

This one is quite good http://www.typeonline.co.uk/lesson1.html

Idiophreak

iammumtoone wrote: »

I don't understand why typing lessons are not compulsory at school these days as alot now is done on computers where people have to type.

I don't think it's very important, to be honest. I work in IT and do just fine and I can't type properly - I rarely use more than 6 fingers...but I still manage a pretty decent type rate and don't need to look at the keyboard to do it. Kids these days are exposed to computers so much they'll be able to get by just fine...Secretaries are really the only people that require a high enough type rate to justify learning proper touch-typing, so there's not much point in teaching it to everyone.