ElizabethB Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 I learned to type with a program called typing tutor, it drilled the basics, and it was a very good way to learn to type. I've tried a few word based typing programs with my daughter, not so helpful. So, which typing programs focus on the basics without teaching a lot of words at first? Also, for mac is better, but we can reboot our mac as a pc if we must. Basically, the program I want would teach asdf jkl; then dedede then frfrfr, etc. It's hard to tell from the descriptions of the programs how they teach. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chai Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 We found this on-line site , Dance Mat Typing, to be a good starting point and it's free. Now, dd is using Typing Instructor for Kids and is loving it. It teaches in stages, but does get into words as soon as the right keys are learned. It has been much better for dd than the adult version of Typing Instructor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arch at Home Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 My children have used Sponge Bob Square Pants Typing CD. It works purely on letters for a long time though it may not be in the order that you are wanting. We got it for less than $5.00 used from Amazon. You might want to give it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreenKitty Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 We have Typing Instructor and Spongebob also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamela H in Texas Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 My mom (an OT) teaches kids to type by the alphabet. abcdefg (with the left hand) then when they have that down, hijklmnop (with the right hand) then qrst with the left uvwxyz (takes both hands). There was a program we liked, but I can't find it right now <sigh> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmrich Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 We use Typing Quick and Easy. My 9 year old daughter types super fast and correctly. The key is to be consistent (isn't that true with everything;)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danybug Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 My ds has not worked on typing thus far. I just looked up the free Dance Mat Typing. I think we are definitely going to give this a try. Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ummto4 Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Elizabeth, if you know what kind of typing instruction you would like your dd to have, why don't you create your own ? Pardon me, but I never use a computer typing program, so I don't know how it works. Can anybody tell me how it works ? I learned typing when I was 12 in Indonesia many moons ago. I used a textbook which was basically filled in with what we're supposed to type. That's it. It starts with qwert poiuy, then asdfg ;lkjh then zxcvb /.,mn then a lot of nonsense letter combination (including how to do the upper case letters) for a long time. Then we moved onto words then sentences, paragraphing and then various form of business letters. Are you looking for such typing course ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay Migotsky Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Mavis Beacon is a program my kids have used. It is a CD with drill that builds as you get the letters down. It's very good. Fay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ummto4 Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 I'll third Dance Mat typing. My kids loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Youngs Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 we use the free typing program at http://www.learn2type.com they have several different levels, we use the kids level. it stores your progress for you. the downside is, there are some ads on the top of the page, but mostly it's the flat belly diet, and it doesn't bother me or the kids..... HTH~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julesnpebbles@suddenlink. Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Honestly, I like the simplicity of "Type It". It's just a basic typing instruction, not computer-based. Same way as I learned it - looking at the Instruction book and typing what you see there. But there if you google "typing instruction kids" a few good ones come up online. There's one from the UK that my 6 yr old likes, can't remember the name now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 Elizabeth, if you know what kind of typing instruction you would like your dd to have, why don't you create your own ? The program had built in motivational games and speed reports. It would be very teacher intensive to work in that type of thing that a computer can calculate in its sleep. Also, the sheer amount of repetition that is required in the beginning stages is fairly large, I'd prefer to be able to have a program that does most of the work for me with me there just to make sure she's working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 We found this on-line site , Dance Mat Typing, to be a good starting point and it's free. Now, dd is using Typing Instructor for Kids and is loving it. It teaches in stages, but does get into words as soon as the right keys are learned. It has been much better for dd than the adult version of Typing Instructor. That looks like a great start, and you can't beat the price! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Basically, the program I want would teach asdf jkl; then dedede then frfrfr, etc. I've been wondering the same thing. I've looked at various online typing programs and they don't seem to drill they keys systematically so that kids learn them automatically. I learned to type the same way you describe - drilling the home row over and over again, then adding another letter or two, but in drills, not in actual words. Ds is using Mavis Beacon right now, but is very frustrated by it. He says the program expects him to be able to do more than he is able to do easily. I think it's because he hasn't been drilled over and over again in just a few keys at a time, in the same order. It's hard to explain what I mean. But MB and others I've looked at get right into typing words and sentences, and I don't like that. I mean, the drills we did in high school typing class were very boring (and from a book with an electronic typewriter:D), but effective, because my fingers quickly got confident with where the keys were, by doing just a few at a time, in order, over and over. Are there any programs out there that teach this way anymore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colleen in NS Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Honestly, I like the simplicity of "Type It". It's just a basic typing instruction, not computer-based. Same way as I learned it - looking at the Instruction book and typing what you see there. Can you describe some more how it teaches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda in Oregon Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Ds is using Mavis Beacon right now, but is very frustrated by it. He says the program expects him to be able to do more than he is able to do easily. I think it's because he hasn't been drilled over and over again in just a few keys at a time, in the same order. It's hard to explain what I mean. But MB and others I've looked at get right into typing words and sentences, and I don't like that. Are there any programs out there that teach this way anymore? The Mavis Beacon program we're using does not expect you to start with words and sentences. My kids are starting with home row keys and drills. It's working very well. It's version 10, btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethB Posted February 9, 2009 Author Share Posted February 9, 2009 I've been wondering the same thing. I've looked at various online typing programs and they don't seem to drill they keys systematically so that kids learn them automatically. I learned to type the same way you describe - drilling the home row over and over again, then adding another letter or two, but in drills, not in actual words. Ds is using Mavis Beacon right now, but is very frustrated by it. He says the program expects him to be able to do more than he is able to do easily. I think it's because he hasn't been drilled over and over again in just a few keys at a time, in the same order. It's hard to explain what I mean. But MB and others I've looked at get right into typing words and sentences, and I don't like that. I mean, the drills we did in high school typing class were very boring (and from a book with an electronic typewriter:D), but effective, because my fingers quickly got confident with where the keys were, by doing just a few at a time, in order, over and over. Are there any programs out there that teach this way anymore? Yes, that's exactly what I'm looking for. I'm a really fast typer and I think that's why. I've actually seen old versions of the typing tutor program available for PC, but they're really old and it seemed like a pain to install...even more so since our "PC" is really a PC emulator on our mac. The typing tutor program did eventually get to words, but it also drilled over and over and over the way you describe. It made the drills a little more fun because you tried to beat the times. Also, I think it kept track of what you knew and didn't know (another thing computers do easily) so it was just drilling you on what you needed more work on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkInTheBlue Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 I'm cringing as I type this confession. As much as I don't like Sponge Bob and we have never really watched him here, the Mac friendly Sponge Bob typing cd-rom has been wonderful in this house. My 12 and 10 yr old boys are learning so easily and painlessly. I feared its teaching methods and watched them like a hawk for several days but can't find anything wrong with it. The style is good and the games built in make it fun. I bought ours at the Apple store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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