Keyboarding...how many words per minute to consider finished?

[Kelly on the prairie]

My husband and I are argueing about how many words per minute are expected in high school in order to receive credit. I was expected to type sixty words per minute, however, the same teacher, five years earlier, (he says) expected thirty words per minute. How many words per minute do you expect of your students before they receive credit for high school keyboarding?

[AmyCC]

(I guess they call it keyboarding now! :))

[Big Buckin' Longhorn]

I was expected to type 55 wpm in high school (many years ago).

 

Around here the job market usually says 30 wpm minimum typing speed. So I've let me son stop formally using a typing instructor curriculum. He types about 40 wpm. He is required, however, to turn in only properly typed work for our homeschool at least weekly, so he still gets lots of practice even though he's not using the typing software anymore.

[JenneinCA]

As I remember it was 35 words per minute, but it was a very long time ago.

[Kelly on the prairie]

These answers aren't helping the argument:glare:, but what's a few more numbers to throw in the pot!

[Cindy in WA]

Some people will never attain great speed in keyboarding. It is not their thing and due to learning style and physical capabilities may not be able to do so.

 

I would be more concerned that they understand well how to keyboard, format, etc. so they have the skills needed for life.

Cindy

[Pamela H in Texas]

well, and I wouldn't give keyboarding credit anyway....but I would think 45 or 60 would be what you'd want a high schooler to do in order to best utilyze the resource for schooling and, later, work. No way is 30 good enough anymore, imo.

[chaik76]

We had to reach 60wpm in order to pass when I took keyboarding. I think this is a good solid number...it allows you to at least (partially!) keep up with your thoughts while you are typing. It's come in very handy for me over the years, too.

[Sandra in FL]

40 wpm. We just recently checked our speed on Typing Instructor. Dd (12 years old - has 6 fingers) does an astonishing 66 wpm. I couldn't believe it! I thought she had to look down since she has only 1 finger on the right hand so no home row for her. Just goes to show what motivation can do when she's on her Pokemon websites.

 

Ds (9 years old) is just learning. I require 37 wpm before moving on to the next lesson. I did 40 wpm but realize that my endurance was terrible. My fingers were aching after the typing test.

 

HTH,

Sandra

[AndyJoy]

I think 60 wpm is a bit steep. My 9th grade class required 40 wpm, and I reached 45-50 wpm and was one of the fastest. Over the years, however, I have gotten progressively faster due to using these skills on college papers and jobs and now type about 80 wpm. I think accuracy is more important when you're starting out, and the speed will come later as you need/use it!

[periwinkle]

I think 60 wpm is a bit steep. My 9th grade class required 40 wpm, and I reached 45-50 wpm and was one of the fastest. Over the years, however, I have gotten progressively faster due to using these skills on college papers and jobs and now type about 80 wpm. I think accuracy is more important when you're starting out, and the speed will come later as you need/use it!

 

:iagree:

[xxxxxxxx]

In one study of average computer users, the average rate for transcription was 33 words per minute, and only 19 words per minute for composition.[1] In the same study, when the group was divided into "fast", "moderate" and "slow" groups, the average speeds were 40 wpm, 35 wpm, and 23 wpm respectively. Two-finger typists, sometimes also referred to as "Hunt-and-Peck" typists, can reach speeds of about 37 wpm for memorized text, and 27 wpm when copying text.[2]

An average typist reaches 50 to 70 wpm, while some positions can require 80 to 95 (usually the minimum required for dispatch positions and other typing jobs), and some advanced typists work at speeds above 120.

[Jean in Wisc]

MB has a suggested wpm for each age group; for those 16+, 40wpm is recommended. However, they say if your activities are dominated by typing, you should aim for 70wpm. We quit using the typing program when they hit 40wpm and I find that if they are doing 40wpm their freshman year, they are doing better 4 years later simply because they are using the skills in a practical way all through high school.

 

I can't imagine some children ever getting to 60wpm. Its just not going to happen. Big fingers that have done a lot of carpentry or farming just aren't going to do it. Some children are not as coordinated as others. etc. and etc.

 

The goal is to get the child to be comfortable at the keyboard and to get the work done in a reasonable amount of time. I'd guess my dd is easily up to 60wpm (one year of college under her belt), but my boys are not--but I have never gotten the impression that they are being held back by their typing skills--it is more the thinking skills that need to be sped up, imo. LOL!

 

I give pass/fail for keyboarding, and when MB says they are done, we quit.

 

FWIW,

J

[Cathy]

35 WPM is a "C"

40 WPM is a "B"

45 WPM is an "A"

They get the grade whenever you two decide they have the speed and skills! (This is Barb Shelton's standard found in her book "High School-Form-U-La."

Cathy

[HSKLNG]

...speed did matter and the goal was 60wpm with 100% accuracy and we were trained for speed without looking for mistakes getting our "finger workout". I remember achieving 120wpm.

 

When I hit the work force, it did prove convenient to type fast.

 

I will like my dd to type as fast as she can without compromising her accuracy. It is not worthy to type fast and have to type or proof your work over and over...time is wasted there...and I do not depend nor totally trust the spell checks.

 

Just my 2 cents.