The Benefits of Touch Typing:
An Essential Life Skill
In a world where online activity is dominating the way we communicate, being able to touch type (learning to type with multiple the fingers and not looking down) is an invaluable skill - a skill that once learnt will be appreciated forever.
Faster Working
With laptops increasingly being used for schoolwork, the ability to type quickly allows students to complete tasks more efficiently and accurately. A touch-typist is not reliant on looking down at the keyboard, so focus is not wasted on finding the keys. They are also able to identify mistakes more readily.
As they become proficient, they will find that they can type at speeds that match their thought process, which significantly boosts productivity, allowing ideas to flow more easily and improve the overall quality of the work.
Better equipped for Exams
Touch Typing allows students to transcribe their thoughts more rapidly, giving them more time to review and refine their answers, allowing them to complete more questions in the allotted time. NB. Touch Typists can type up to 3 times as fast as a regular typist... getting ahead of the game!
Touch Typing & SEN
Naomi and her team have decades of experience between them of teaching neuro-diverse children how to touch type...
- Recent research into learning difficulties has concluded that touch typing is not only hugely beneficial for children with learning difficulties, it is often considered to be a necessity.
- When Touch Typing, each finger is responsible for a specific key. This can be advantageous for dyslexic individuals who may struggle with letter / word reversals, as it provides a more organised and predictable system. It also helps with organisation and spelling, as word patterns are learnt using muscle memory.
- Moreover, students with learning difficulties, find handwriting challenging, time-consuming and often very tiring. Touch Typing enables them to edit and produce written work more easily, allowing them to focus better on spelling, grammar and ideas – what they are writing - rather than being hampered by the motor skills involved in how they are writing.
- Typed answers are often more legible and students’ responses are clearer, reducing the risk of misinterpretation by examiners.
- Touch typing generally allows students to work faster than handwriting, which is especially helpful in timed environments such as exams. This can level the playing field for students with SEN, giving them more time to process and formulate responses.
- Intelligent children, who were once falling behind in class, due to having difficulty translating the thoughts in their head onto paper, feel liberated. Self-confidence is boosted, as is the quality of written work produced.
Understanding dyslexia:
Ergonomically Healthy Typing
The Importance of Correct Touch Typing Technique & Posture...
With increased laptop use, we must protect our children from injury by teaching them how to look after their bodies, so that they can stand up tall against the future and all it might throw at them! Our touch typing courses provide just that.
Prevent RSI: Proper touch typing technique - using the correct fingers to type and minimizing unnecessary movements - reduces strain on hands & wrists, by spreading the typing across all the fingers and not just the dominant ones.
Prevent Back & Shoulder Pain: Students are regularly reminded to sit up straight and take regular movement breaks. This leads to healthier and more sustainable laptop use, thus future proofing the next generation.
NB. A break midway through the class allows students to relax, run, play, and recharge, whilst fostering a friendly environment where new friendships can flourish!
Surrey Courses...
Naomi also runs typing courses in Frensham, Surrey. Check out www.touchtypinghub.com for more info and to book!