When to start report typing?

[Parrothead]

Dd is in 6th grade. She is typing at 12 wpm using a free learning to type program on line. She is also still doing handwriting practice because her handwriting is pretty bad for print and okay for cursive.

 

Since she types way faster than she writes I want to let her start typing her writing lessons. Right now she is writing the final draft of a 2.5 page first draft. She has been at it for 50 minutes. (Where's that little banging head smilie?)

 

So I'm thinking if I have her start typing out her final drafts it will save time and help increase her wpm. But at the same time I want her to write them out so she practices her handwriting.

 

What should a normally confident homeschooling mom allow? We've been at this 8 years. You'd think I'd have these type dilemmas covered.

[Sasharowan]

Mine (9, 11, and 14) are all allowed to type reports/essays as long as they are using handwriting for other stuff. All spelling, grammar, short answer type question for science and history are done with writing while any reports, even if only a paragraph long, can be typed. Dd11, who doesn't like to do cursive is required to do copywork in cursive if she doesn't do any other form of cursive. For instance, if she answers her history in cursive, then that satisfies cursive but if she doesn't, I choose a paragraph and she copies it into cursive. Oddly, she will choose this copywork most of the time even though it adds extra writing to her work since she still has to answer the other stuff that she does in print. Ds9 does a cursive program and so has worksheets for that. Ds14 i am focusing on getting correct essay formats in whatever type of writing he cares to use (usually typing).

 

All this to say i would let her type reports and add in handwriting practice if that is easier on the two of you. Mine, at least, tend to pick up typing faster when it is seen as useful rather than a game or just another worksheet.

[Parrothead]

 

All this to say i would let her type reports and add in handwriting practice if that is easier on the two of you. Mine, at least, tend to pick up typing faster when it is seen as useful rather than a game or just another worksheet.

The bolded is what I'm thinking of. I remember when I finished my high school typing class I left there typing 20-25 wpm on a good day. But once I stared work and was typing regularly "for real" I got up to 50 wpm. Now years later I get almost 70 on a good day.

 

So that is in the back of my mind too. Once it is useful she will probably start typing faster. I know it is a handy skill to have in this day and age. I'd prefer that she do it "right" instead of hunt and peck.

 

For this subject she has to do a bit of copy work from the model which she can do by hand. The first draft will be easier to correct if it is done in Word. That in itself will save an hour.

 

Okay. Thanks for letting me work this out. I guess she is going to type her narrative tomorrow. Cool.