Dd10 looking at keyboard while typing-ok or not?

[HappyGrace]

She went through the Dance Mat typing program twice so she is using her fingers correctly. I wanted her to do a more advanced typing program to nail down some speed first, but she doesn't like any of the programs and just wants to type her papers.

 

She is looking at the keys though! Should I just let her and she'll eventually memorize the keys and stop that, or should I insist she finish with another program to get her used to not looking while increasing speed?

 

I know typing is SO important-my dh finger pecks and it's such a pain. I really want her to have good typing habits and I'm worried that looking at the keys will eventually really mess her up.

[Luckymama]

Is she using all 10 fingers? If so, I think she'll eventually stop looking so much. I still have to look at the numbers when I type and I type quickly!

 

If she's not using all fingers correctly, then she might need an additional program.

[Kebo]

If you really want to stop her looking you could purchase an opaque cover for the keyboard (Ultraslim by Speedskin is one brand). I have a clear cover to protect my keys and it is comfortable and doesn't slow down my typing. The one listed above only covers the letters and numbers (leaving function keys exposed). The TypeRightNow Typing program even includes a Speedskin. I haven't tried the program, but it gets pretty good reviews on Amazon.

[Rene']

I took typing in high school and my teacher did not let us look at our hands. She would walk around and hold a sheet of paper over our hands to make sure we couldn't. I'm so thankful today that I can type without looking. I'm not sure if one would stop looking on their own over time or not, but for my own daughter I don't let her look.

[MrsMe]

If she's typing and looking at the keys, she doesn't have knowledge of key placement. Good speed won't come unless she knows this without looking. That's why programs have you type letter combinations (not words) when learning. Eventually she doesn't "have" to memorize the keys if she's able to look. Not only is it placement but finger feel of location combined together.

 

She'll may do okay as a typist, but would never be a 70+ word a min typist by looking at keys. Maybe not even 60, so it depends what she'll do later on. But in this day and age of computers, I'd prefer to have her be "one up" and have knowledge of key placement.

[johnandtinagilbert]

I'd say no peeking (sorry dd). I'd give Typing Web a try. It's free and will give her higher level practice.

[NanceXToo]

That's a very bad habit, I think. She's much better off not looking.

 

Maybe she can try this typing program which is free online:

 

http://webinstituteforteachers.org/~gammakeys/Lesson/Lesson1.htm

[siloam]

I have my kids put a towel over their hands while they practice. :D

 

Though I also put a print out of a keyboard on the top of the monitor so that if they really can't remember where they key is they can look at the picture and figure out where their fingers need to go. This way they can still peek but they have to develop that finger to what key ability as well. I just do a Google image search on keyboards to find a picture, then I cut it out and highlight home row and tape it in spot.

 

Heather

 

[Mom22ns]

I'd say no peeking (sorry dd). I'd give Typing Web a try. It's free and will give her higher level practice.

 

:iagree:

 

My dd used dancemat followed by typing web. Ds did something in ps and was already a good typist, but used the higher levels to increase speed.

[Guest]

This is indeed the generally accepted position (that you must not look). This is the classic way to learn to type; it's the way I learned in high school, and I type right around 100 words a minute.

 

However, both dh and dd are Aspies with fine motor issues and some difficulties in coordinating their hands and eyes. They both look. Dh is a four-fingered typist for the most part and is quite quick; I've really been impressed at how much he's improved over the years with the amount of work he has to do on line.

 

Dd's fingers are even more troublesome to her. She will probably always be either a two- or four-fingered typist, although occasionally I see her using other fingers. She will always look. It used to bother me a lot, because it wasn't the "right" way. However, having seen her overcome nearly all of her dysgraphia problems over the years -- beautiful writing, lots of writing stamina, drive to write, but still the most awful pencil grip you've ever seen -- I now have more faith in her ability to figure out a way that works for her that gives her what she needs. Neither dd nor dh is going to be a speed demon on the keyboard. But they'll both end up pretty much in the middle of the road, on par with most other people who learn the traditional way.

[johnandtinagilbert]

I have my kids put a towel over their hands while they practice. :D

 

Though I also put a print out of a keyboard on the top of the monitor so that if they really can't remember where they key is they can look at the picture and figure out where their fingers need to go. This way they can still peek but they have to develop that finger to what key ability as well. I just do a Google image search on keyboards to find a picture, then I cut it out and highlight home row and tape it in spot.

 

Heather

 

:iagree: I forgot we did that back when they were learning to type!

[mommaduck]

As painful as it is, she needs to not look at the keyboard. However, I would just stress that during typing lessons and cut her a break for assignments. Eventually she will get comfortable and it will come more naturally while doing her assignments.

[sbgrace]

I taught keyboarding (along with other things of course) for 10 years. I wouldn't let my students and will not let my children look. It's a hard habit to break after formed but she can do it. Before we instituted middle school keyboarding I had lots of kids who were not touch typists (peaking) at the ninth grade level and we would learn properly. The easiest way to fix this would be to get a keyboard cover like speedskin and do the dance mat again. It takes practice and patience (it's slower initially but in the long run faster and more efficient) but she'll get it and be much better off imo. She doesn't need to keyboard at 10 so taking time out to learn it correctly with that cover would be well worth the hassle for her.

Edited October 22, 2010 by sbgrace

[HappyGrace]

Thanks everyone-she thankfully only typed two assignments with peeking. Before that any typing she did was only the typing lessons, and she wasn't looking during that, so it's not like she developed the habit already. I was just hoping that since she doesn't like any of the programs, that we could just skip continuing any more lessons by letting her look during her typing of school assignments.

 

I won't do that though. We'll go back to typing lessons til she is more competent with touch typing only. I'm glad I asked and didn't just go forward with the peeking! Thanks so much!