Hunt and Peck
**UPDATED: 22/9/2015 with new "for fun" typing games** |
| Cartoon courtesy of Jim Benton Design (jimbenton.com) |
Proper typing practice can also improve your health by ensuring proper posture and ergonomics.
So what can you do about it?
The two-finger "hunt and peck" strategy is a waste of 80% of your hands!
In years past, typing keeners would purchase software such as the venerable Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing, and although this is still a fantastic typing tutor packed with games and features, it's failed to keep up with the times when it comes to the web. It's also expensive!
Online typing tutors are easy to find these days, and many websites offer their apps free of charge and will even track and remember your progress if you make an account. Here are some recommendations for free online typing tutors:
BBC Dance Mat Typing uses animated characters to encourage typers toward proper technique while playing a "guitar hero" or "dance dance revolution" style game. Starts slow but gets pretty challenging! No account necessary.
Ratatype promises to use typing practice and tests to build muscle memory and speed without losing accuracy. It's free if you create an account, but is very drill-based without any fun games or extras. Good for students who are easily distracted, but not particularly engaging.
Keybr.com is similar to Ratatype with a more professional style, but adds one distinguishing feature that may be used to engage kids: races. If you create accounts, two users can compete against each other in races of typing speed and accuracy.
If Google Chrome is your browser of choice, you can install free app typing tutors from the Chrome Web Store. My favourite is TypeScout, packed with typing lesson plans, games and activities and is free for two months, after which it costs $1.50/year.
Type Fu is a polished, professional typing tutor that is completely free and has lots and lots of structured, adaptive lessons that adjust to the skill of the typer. The highlight here is the robust use of graphs and statistics that tell you just how you are doing, and how much you've improved.
Ninja Cat and Zombie Dinosaurs is a "for fun" speed and accuracy game. Little in the way of instructional content, it provides a fun landscape for practicing lessons learned from some of the more formal typing tutors. Has a two player competition mode!
My new favourite of the bunch, Icarus Proudbottom Teaches Typing is funny, structured, gamelike and engaging with clever retro graphics. Contains some strong language and mature references, parents should play through to the first exam if unsure.
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Hopefully you'll find these resources helpful in improving the speed, accuracy, and posture of your writing. Please leave a comment if you have anything to add!
-M
1 comments:
Write commentsOh I am so the hunt and pack person. I really need to take note, take the time and start to learn to type. Imagine how many more school emails I could send out! Ha ha! Great post, Matt - thanks! I wonder how many students will start challenging themselves to learn more at home?
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