Ways to improve motor memory and typing accuracy

[Guest jim15800]

My son has very poor typing accuracy despite intensive practice with typing software.   I'd like to know if there is any exercises or techniques to improve motor memory.  Thank you for any help or suggestions provided.

[PeterPan]

I finally switched my dd to an alternate keyboard layout (Dvorak) and that did it.  Does he have any SLDs?  Other diagnoses?  And his age?    Some people are going to do better with dictation software.  Now it's included in most devices.  I'm using dictation on the kindle fire with my ds7.  My dh uses the dictation included on mac.  I think eventually I'll need to get ds Dragon, because he needs something that can learn his speech.

 

Adding, have you tried paying him?  I paid my dd.  She does a lot of that backtyping thing.  I think it's sort of an impulsivity/adhd thing with her.  As soon as she hit about 35wpm and was functional, I stopped worrying about it.  That whole type, go back thing, that's just how her brain works.  Might chill with ADHD meds, dunno.

Edited February 15, 2016 by OhElizabeth

[kbutton]

My son was in a holding pattern with typing until he had vision therapy. It was following the words on the screen, bilateral coordination between hands, and that sort of thing. (COVD optometrists check ocular motor stuff and do vision therapy.)

 

Another option is to get something pattern based. My son hates typing random stuff just to get proficient, but he'll do the basics. Then he likes typing real words. AVKO keyboarding is not a computer program (unfortunately!), but it's based on spelling patterns. They type real stuff pretty quickly. It's a hard copy book. We use Sequential Spelling at our house, made by the same company, and since the spelling is pattern-based, then the lists reinforce the movement patterns. Before using the SS words, we did do some free online programs (to learn the fingering), and we did Typing Instructor for Kids as well (we got that free as a promotion). It seems to make sense to my son's brain to use real words and real frequency patterns. HTH

[displace]

I am NT but the best way I learned to type was by having a cover so I could not see the keys. It forced me to rely on motor memory. I think it may work for SLDs too if you do it slowly.

 

Eta - Amazon sells blank key stickers (probably electrical tape could work too), and maybe just cover a letter or a few letters at a time instead of the whole keyboard.

Edited February 16, 2016 by displace

[Guest jim15800]

First thank you for all of the thoughtful feedback provided.   The desire to learn to type is coming from my son.  He bought Typing tutor and Mavis Bacon typing with his own money.  He is able to type about 50 wpm but the accuracy is poor.  Despite hours of practice a day he isn't improving.  He has a problem with handwriting and balance(falls over while walking and bumps into things).  Anything to do with manual dexterity is very hard for him( holding tools etc).  I'm not sure how to proceed.  Once again thank you.

[Heathermomster]

First thank you for all of the thoughtful feedback provided. The desire to learn to type is coming from my son. He bought Typing tutor and Mavis Bacon typing with his own money. He is able to type about 50 wpm but the accuracy is poor. Despite hours of practice a day he isn't improving. He has a problem with handwriting and balance(falls over while walking and bumps into things). Anything to do with manual dexterity is very hard for him( holding tools etc). I'm not sure how to proceed. Once again thank you.

Welcome to the boards!

 

My DS improved static/dynamic balance, posture, and bilateral coordination by working with a pediatric PT who specializes in DCD and dysgraphia. DS used weights, the elliptical, yoga ball, stretch bands, cross body exercises, and agility equipment. Improvements were realized after about 4 weeks of the routine. DS finally learned to swim too.

 

I always stress accuracy over speed, which was a hard concept for my DS to grasp.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Heathermomster

[PeterPan]

Yup, sounds like you need OT and vision evals.  For the vision, get a developmental optometrist.  For the OT, get someone who checks for retained primitive reflexes.  There are probably some physical explanations for this.  My dd's bumping into things was her vision.  She did VT for convergence, depth perception, etc. and the running into things and constantly banging her toes stopped.  The flopping and falling can be low muscle tone, praxis, dcd (developmental coordination disorder) or other things.  My dd is low tone with some mild praxis, and that's how it shows up on her.  If it's more severe, you go to a dcd diagnosis or even cp.  But yes, the motor planning is praxis, and that's why she had to go Dvorak, because it was easier for her to motor plan.

 

For her, the accuracy is an ADHD/impulsivity thing, I think.  I think her brain is going lots of ways and not really focused.  Does mavis beacon take accuracy into account in their wpm?  I can't remember.

[kirstenhill]

I'm using dictation on the kindle fire with my ds7. 

 

Is there a dictation app you are using on the Kindle Fire? 

 

Have you found a way to "speak" something like a google search into the Fire?  I love that functionality on iPad/android phones -- either asking Siri or using the google search app.  

 

(Sorry for the thread hijack, OP!).

[PeterPan]

Is there a dictation app you are using on the Kindle Fire? 

 

Have you found a way to "speak" something like a google search into the Fire?  I love that functionality on iPad/android phones -- either asking Siri or using the google search app.  

 

(Sorry for the thread hijack, OP!).

Those are good questions!  I think you could do a google search using the microphone button while in the web browser app.  I think on the kindle it's Silk.  We never use it for that (to surf, etc.) so I haven't tried.  But as far as an assistant like Siri/Cortana, that's a very different thing.  I'm not sure you can do that on a kindle.  I think it's proprietary software.  I don't think the kindle can do it.  

 

For what we're doing, you need a word processor app.  I think the one we're using is WPS, and I got the full version for free with amazon underground.  If you have prime and snoop around a bit or google for amazon underground, you'll find how to find the free apps that way.  So once you start a new page file in WPS Office, then you just get the keyboard to appear (which always mystifies me, I just keep touching and hope), and then hit the microphone.  Make sure you don't cover the input spots with your hands while you hold the device, and it can be a little laggy.  Not much, but a little.  But once you figure out those quirks, it's really quite good.  For the super low price, it's STELLAR.  To be able to get into a device for sub-$100 that does all that is astonishing, kwim?  

 

It's not going to learn your voice, but it *does* work when not connected to wifi.  For people who use parental controls on their kids' devices and want the wifi off, that's another perk, kwim?  Not all dictation software works offline.  I was really surprised when it did.  

[kirstenhill]

Those are good questions!  I think you could do a google search using the microphone button while in the web browser app.  I think on the kindle it's Silk.  We never use it for that (to surf, etc.) so I haven't tried.  But as far as an assistant like Siri/Cortana, that's a very different thing.  I'm not sure you can do that on a kindle.  I think it's proprietary software.  I don't think the kindle can do it.  

 

I was really confused at first because my kids' kindles (the cheapie fires that were on sale for black friday that they got as Christmas gifts from Grandma and Grandpa) don't have a microphone button the keyboard at all.  So we've never been able to to voice searches.  After a little bit more digging, I found out that they only put that microphone button on the nicer kindles...not the cheapest ones!  But you can add a third party keyboard app that does add that microphone! My kids love to search google  for answers to all their many questions, so for the boys to be able to speak their searches on their kindles as well as the iPad is great.

 

My DD has just been using our iPad when she writes as an audio dictionary/thesaurus of sorts.   "Siri, give me a synonym for initial."  "Siri, tell me how to spell _____"  (when you ask Siri how to spell something, she spells it out letter for letter...LOL!).  But just being able to speak the google search into her kindle will work, and frees up the iPad for other things (I have a lot of TMs on there I am using with the boys, and they are hard to read on my phone...so I hate to have her tied up with the iPad!). 

[PeterPan]

Kirsten, I love hearing how you're using Siri!  How adorable!  And how perfect to be able to say the word and have it spell it out, hehe.  I did not realize the regular kindles don't have the microphone button, bummer.  Are they updated?  Could it actually just be the operating system and change with an update?  Dunno.  Anyways, yes ours is an older HDX.  I got it because of the dual speakers.  It gives it enough volume for him to listen to audiobooks while he's playing.  I haven't seen the newest kindles in person, so I really don't know much about them.  Glad you were able to add an app to make it work!  :)