[LM_NET] HIT: Long - Teaching typing/keyboarding for elementary students

[Linda Zuber <lzuber@TWCNY.RR.COM>]

Thank you so much to everyone who responded to my inquiry about
teaching typing and keyboarding.  I always knew what a great group
this is.

My original question:

Date:    Tue, 25 Sep 2007 17:19:45 -0400
From:    Linda Zuber <lzuber@TWCNY.RR.COM>
Subject: TARGET: Teaching typing/keyboarding for elementary students

Our district is looking for some research on teaching
typing/keyboarding for elementary students.  When is it age
appropriate? Methods? Frequency?

Also, I would like to know what your districts are presently doing to
teach typing/keyboarding to your students.

Linda Zuber
Teacher Librarian
Oneida City School District
Otto Shortell Middle School
lzuber@twcny.rr.com

Responses:

At my school, when students are scheduled for a 40 minute class (haven't
been able to get on the flex schedule yet!), I use 15 mins. For a
mini-lesson, 10 for checkout and 15 for computer keyboarding for at least
the first half of the year.  I use the Dance Mat program from BBC schools,
which is an online program.  I have them spend two class periods at each
level.  This is for 4-6 grades.  If I had 3rd for 40 minutes, I'd include
them, but I only have them for 30.

I have taught in schools where I began with home-row and slowly advanced
even at the Kindergarten level although their hands aren't quite large
enough yet, they can handle home-row and space bar.  By second grade they
can really handle keyboarding.  By the time they reach third grade in a
computer literate school, it is almost too late to break bad habits.

Robin Chandler
Cleveland Elementary
rrchandler@spart7.org
Spartanburg, SC

My district has installed Microtype last November on the student computers
(didn't even think to put it on the teachers' - go figure), had the training
in April, and "suggested" each student use the program for 30 minutes DAILY.
Needless to say, the program just sits unused due to the facts that 1) the
students are using SuccessMaker (reading and math program) for 35 minutes
each day, having the teachers scrambling to get each student on a computer
"somewhere" (they shotgun them out to other rooms for the most part) and 2)
there aren't another 30 minutes to be found in the day with everything else
that must be covered as dictated by the PA Dept. of Ed.

Microtype is an excellent program, it just doesn't work in my district,
sorry to say.

Kathie Epler
Librarian
Amanda E. Stout Elem.
Reading, PA
skoob@epix.net

I don't have any information on actually teaching typing to elementary
students but I happened upon this website the other day. It is
designed to teach typing/keyboarding to ages 7-11. I tried playing
with it and thought it might be useful someday so I bookmarked it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/


Cathi

I teach in a computer lab, grades 3-6.  I see grades 3-5 once a week for 50
minutes and we use "Type to Learn 3" for about 20 minutes each class.  I see
the sixth graders twice a week for the same amount of time  & we do about 10
minutes each day.  I'm very please with their skills.

Jaye Masters
Rabun County Elementary School


In first grade we use "Type to Learn Jr" with the sole goal of teaching the
idea that typing should be done with two hands and that one starts typing
with their hands on the home keys.  In second grade Type to Learn is
introduced as a program and is done occasionally in Library (I meet twice a
week and teach both books and tech) and is an option during choice times in
the classroom.  The idea in second grade is to reinforce the idea of home
keys and two handed typing, while also introducing a student to Type to
Learn.  3rd grade is when it starts to become serious.  I meet with 3rd
grade 3 times every other week.  Starting in January once a month is spent
on Type to Learn.  Students are also given a typing test.  Students who are
extremely lacking in skills, which while not being formally taught until
January are informally taught when we use Microsoft Word, for instance, are
offered a chance to enroll in an after school "club" that meets twice a week
for 30 minutes for six weeks.  The goal for 3rd graders is to be able to
type 15 wpm with 85% accuracy.  In 4th grade students are benchmarked again
at the beginning of the year, with all students being offered the chance to
participate in the after school club, based on need, at some point during
the year.  The first session is for those with the greatest need and goes 8
weeks instead of 6 weeks.  4th grade is when students start to type
regularly in the classroom and when reports at home start to become greater
so the need goes up considerably.  The goal is for 4th graders to type 20
wpm with 90% accuracy.  5th grade is similar to 4th except the expectation
is 25 wpm with 95% accuracy.

Lane Young
Lower School Librarian and Technology Coordinator
North Shore Country Day School
Winnetka, IL

We use the Herzog System of Keyboarding.  It is not one that is
downloaded, the students and teacher have small books they follow.  I
wouldn't start students below the third grade.
I think this is a wonderful program.  It lasts 10 days.
Elizabeth Dean
I am a certified Business teacher as well as elementary librarian.  I
currently teach keyboarding as a class to the 5th & 6th grades for 45
minutes twice a week.  I also try to teach the home row to the younger
grades so that they can put their hands in the proper location, but we don't
start the formal classes till 5th.

Kendra Hartman
Broadus Elementary Librarian
Broadus, MT
kendra@broadus.net

We have a district-wide keyboarding program, starting in 3rd grade.  I
find that starting at that age works for most of my students, although
coordination levels do vary highly and so for some it's a struggle.
We use a version of the Whiteboard Approach
(http://dese.mo.gov/divcareered/Conferences/Whiteboard_Approach_to_Keyboard.doc
) modified to fit our class periods (two 30-minute session per week)
and ability levels.  I like this much better than having them learn
independently using any one of the many software programs out there
(something we tried unsuccessfully in the past).  Once the entire
class has worked through the Whiteboard lessons, students have the
opportunity to practice independently and we also do other technology
lessons during that time.

I would be dishonest if I didn't say that keyboarding is my least
favorite thing to teach—It doesn't allow for the creativity and
"performance" that makes my library time so enjoyable.  However, I can
definitely see the value for my students in our increasingly
technological world.  It's important to introduce touch typing early,
because these days if a student gets to 6th grade or so without
learning it then many will be so efficient at "hunt and peck" that
they'll never have the patience and discipline to go back and learn to
type correctly.

Kris
Kristina Detmer
Library Media Specialist
Russell Boulevard Elementary
Columbia, Missouri, USA
kdetmer@columbia.k12.mo.us

Davenport, Iowa, just started this year with 4th graders learning
keyboarding with Type To Learn 3.  It is suggested that they do this
20-30 minutes 4 days a week and to be done in the first quarter of
school.  Time is so limited, they are lucky to get it in 2 times a week.

Susan Berger <sueber@netexpress.net>

I don't know from the research, but a favorite software program is
Read, Write and Type! because it builds & reinforces the sounds of hte
letters as it goes.  (No, I"m not affiliated with them - this was
parent feedback ;) )

http://www.readwritetype.com/ is their website.

Susan Jones
Academic Development Specialist
Academic Development Center
Parkland College
Champaign, IL  61821
sujones@parkland.edu
Webmastress,
http://www.resourceroom.net
http://bicyclecu.blogspot.com

We use All the Right Type for our K-5 campus. I am not sure which
grade level use it. It tracks each student. As much as kids are on
computers, they need to learn keyboarding young to set safe
positioning and posture and add to their fluency annually.
Lynette Fortson, M.Ed.
Mockingbird Elementary Librarian
Coppell, Texas
lfortson@coppellisd.com

Subject: Re: Websites with keyboarding exercises for jr high

Here is a link to our website
have links for all grade levels
http://www.dillon2.k12.sc.us/students/keyboardingskills.asp


Thanks again,
Linda
Linda Zuber
Teacher Librarian
Oneida City School District
Otto Shortell Middle School
lzuber@twcny.rr.com

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