How to Master Typing

In typing class, many people struggle to keep their eyes on the drill book. The temptation to glance down at the keys is enormous. Who hasn’t typed like a parrot plays the piano in the first days of typing class? Believe it or not, this one-finger malady plagues typing students today, so is there a quick solution to the problem?

Look Away

The real trick is to start typing without being visually guided by letters or numbers. It forces a student to learn the keys from memory. This skill is developed with motor learning. In typing, that means repeated instances of hitting the keys without looking. It commits to memory where a letter or number lay in the keyboard. That way, the students can benefit from the best typing software in the market. All these programs want to see the student use all ten fingers on the keyboard.

Type with Ten Fingers

By learning or relearning the right placement of fingers on the keyboard, a student is taking the first step toward the successful act of typing. It can happen fast too. Some programs assert that they can get you typing 50 words per minute or more in one day! Unfortunately, if you cheat and glance at the keyboard, your progress will slow.

Pays Dividends

By memorizing the location of the letter and numbers on the keyboard, the student can quickly progress from finger placement to touch typing. They will begin to enjoy the superior technology that many keyboards present to us every day. Everybody benefits from the shortcuts found in software applications, and touch typing makes the process of using shortcuts faster. With that level of keyboard skill mastered, the student will get the most out of today’s computer applications.

The motor learning required in typing class will make a difference because without ever looking at your keyboard, you will continue to type for minutes or even hours whether you’re typing from a source or from your imagination. It's the first step toward keyboard competency.