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Has anyone used Touch-Type Read and Spell?


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I am looking for a typing program for my 3rd grade son.   He is a struggling reader, so I am considering Touch-Type-Read-and Spell.   (I would use this in addition to our regular spelling and reading program....not 'instead' of.   We are using AAS and AAR as those seem to be the most effective things for him.) 

 

I really can't find too many reviews of this program online, so I am wondering if anyone here can review it?   I see that it is British, does that mean that it uses British spelling?   (That might be confusing.)   Also, can anyone tell me what a typical lesson is like?  I can't find any screen shots or sample videos.   And finally, is the program worth the hefty price tag?   Or could I just use one of the many cheaper programs.  

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  • 2 months later...

I am currently using it for my 9 year old.  We have only been using it for about a month, so I can't speak to its long-term effectiveness.  It is a British company, but you can choose whether you want British or English spelling and pronunciation.  If you go directly to their website, you can request a 14-day trial.  After your 14 day trial, if you purchase through Homeschool Buyer's Co-op, they will have to send an email to reset your account, but it was easily done within a day.  You will lose whatever you progress you made during the free trial, but since you can choose where to have the student start, that isn't really a big deal.  Lessons are short.  I would say usually about 5 minutes...never more than 10.  I usually have him do a couple of lessons a day with a break in between.  I like that every 5th lesson is dictation so they aren't just copying the words but learning how to type them from ear.  Like I said, I'm not sure how effective it will be for spelling/reading, but it seems to be a solid typing program.  I'm hoping it will help the spelling as well since that was my primary reason for going with it.

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I am also using it for my nine year old. We are primarily using to learn how to type but if we learn how to spell at the same time it will be a big bonus.  It has been the only typing program she has used that didn't induce tears. I would definitely give the fourteen day free trial a try. 

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  • 2 years later...

Here, absolutely it was worth it.  It has reinforced reading/spelling lessons for two dyslexic kids and it definitely helped their typing AND dictation skills.  

 

One caveat:  Typing programs are sort of like musical instruments.  The student needs to practice daily AND needs proper finger placement and a good height and seat for gaining the muscle memory and procedural memory to gain this skill in a timely fashion.  Once they are good at typing they can sit wherever but if they have poor posture they can cause hand strain, especially while they are just learning.  If they aren't using consistent proper finger placement they may learn poor typing practices that make it harder to type, slower to type and it will be 10 times harder to try unlearning than relearning than if they had just had to do it right the first time.

 

It isn't a "fun" typing program but it definitely is a good one.  The kids have used 3 different ones.  TTRS has been the best fit for us. When our subscription ran out on TTRS I asked them which typing program they wanted to continue to use and they chose to stay with TTRS.

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