Elementary typing

Created: 2007 06 02 | Percent completed:

Elementary Curriculum and Training » Elementary Typing

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Lesson | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |

Perspective: Direct Instruction. Its authors are committed to maintaining a high level of scholarly ethics.

What is Elementary Typing

Elementary Typing is the teacher or parent's guide for teaching typing at the elementary to middle school level. It is advisable not to start before 4th grade but somewhere between 4th and 7th grades.

Each lesson is numbered and can be taught in one day within 15 minutes. Each lesson also contains scripted instructions for the teacher.

Why not simply use an online or computer program to teach typing?

Those programs do not require much, if any, adult supervision. Therefore shaping behaviors (sitting correctly, not looking at the keyboard, eyes on what you are typing) and error correction procedures do not take place. This can lead a young student to either learn bad typing skills which may have to be unlearned, or to not learn to type at all.

Lesson 1

Objectives

1. Basic rules
2. Word Processor
3. Position of hand and fingers
4. What is a cursor
5. Where is the space bar
6. Where is the Enter Key
7. How to press keys
8. New: A key

This course

You will learn to type the correct way. You will want to type at least 32 words per minute in 3 to 6 months. With practice, you can learn to type much faster.

Basic Rules

1. Do not use the backspace key yet. We will learn that later. If you make a mistake, just continue on.
2. Practice at home or at school 1-2 times per day for 5 to 15 minutes each time.
3. Look at the workbook when typing. DO NOT look at the screen or at the keyboard.

[Note: Teachers need to remind students of this. When students are proficient, they will naturally learn to look at the screen while typing to do emails or compose papers.]

Word Processor

We will be using a computer word process to learn to type. Open your word processor by [put directions for your specific word processor here]

Position of hand and fingers

1. These are your index fingers [show them]. Place your left index finger on the "F" key with the bump. Do it now. Place your right index finger on the "J" key with the bump. Do it now. Use the bumps to help you find the correct keys to keep your index fingers on. Your other fingers go to the keys next to your index finger.
2. On your left hand, the index finger - show me the finger [look to see if the correct finger is in the air], goes on the "F" key, the middle finger [show finger] goes on the "D" key, the ring finger [show finger] goes on the "S" key, and the pinky finger [show finger] goes on the "A" key.
3. Take your left hand off the keyboard. [pause] Now put it back on. Don't forget to put your index finger on the "F" key with the bump. Is the middle finger on the "D" key? [get answer in unison] Is the ring finger on the "S" key? [get answer in unison] Is the pinky finger on the "A" key? [get answer in unison]
4. On your right hand, the index finger - show me the finger [look to see if the correct finger is in the air], goes on the "J" key, the middle finger [show finger] goes on the "K" key, the ring finger [show finger] goes on the "L" key, and the pinky finger [show finger] goes on the semicolon key. A semi colon looks like a comma with a period on top [draw on board]
5. Take your right hand off the keyboard. [pause] Now put it back on. Don't forget to put your index finger on the "J" key with the bump. Is the middle finger on the "K" key? [get answer in unison] Is the ring finger on the "L" key? [get answer in unison] Is the pinky finger on the semicolon key? [get answer in unison]
6. Take both hands off of the keyboard [pause]. Now put them back on. [walk around to make sure fingers go in the right spot]. Repeat as necessary 2-5 times.
7. Your fingers should be curved. Your elbows should be in. And your wrists low but not touching the keyboard.
8. Keep your main thumb near the space bar. If you are right handed, keep your right thumb above the space bar. If you are left handed, keep your left thumb above the space bar.

What is a cursor

Look at your screen. The cursor is the little line that goes up and down. The cursor is where you will start typing. What is a cursor? [Where you start typing]

Where is the space bar

• Look at the bottom of your keyboard. The spacebar is the long key at the bottom. Where is the spacebar? [the long key at the bottom]
• With the end of your thumb, quickly hit the key using the side of your thumb. Hit it as many times as you can until I tell you to stop. Ready? Do it. [wait 10 or 20 seconds & check the students]. Stop.

Where is the Enter Key

• Now look on the right side of your keyboard. The Enter Key is the one marked "Enter" and the symbol of an arrow. What symbol does the enter key have on it? [Arrow]
• The "Enter" key makes the cursor go down one line. What does the "Enter key do? [makes the cursor go down one line.
• Using your right pinky, hit the Enter key but keep your other fingers on the "J", "K", and "L" keys. Once you hit the Enter key, return your pinky to the semicolon key.
• Hit the Enter key as many times as you can until I tell you to stop. Don't forget to keep the other fingers on their keys. Ready? Do it. [wait 10 or 20 seconds & check the students]. Stop.

How to press keys

Put your left index finger on the "F" key with the bump on it. We are going to learn how to press the keys correctly. Press down on the key quickly and make sure you bring your finger up quickly. Let's practice.

1. You are going to type the F key one time.
2. Wait for the signal. Ready? "F" Stop.
3. Did you type the right key? [yes]
4. Did you get only one F letter on in your word processor? [yes]

[repeat 1-4 as necessary until ALL students make no mistakes and follow correctly]

New: A key

1. Now take out your workbook and put it on your right side. Turn to lesson 1.
2. Put your fingers on the keyboard correctly. Remember that the left index finger goes on the F key with the bump and the right index finger goes on the J key with the bump. The middle fingers, ring fingers, and pinky fingers go on each key next to the index finger. [pause, check students]. Don't forget to put your writing thumb above the space bar.
3. We are going to practice the A key. Follow along in your workbook. You will try to make what you type look like your workbook.
4. When I say the letter A or the word Space press the correct key. Make sure you keep up with me and DO NOT correct your mistakes.
5. Ready? [read the following line pausing between letters, say the space for the space key]

   aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa

6. Now practice on your own for 2 minutes. [check student work]

Lesson 2

Objectives

1. Reminders
2. Practice: Space Bar
3. Practice: Enter Key
4. Practice: A Key
5. New: the S Key

Reminders

1. Today we will practice A, Space Bar, Enter Key, and add in the S key.
2. Don't forget to practice at home or at school 1-2 times per day for 5 to 15 minutes each time.
3. Open your word processor if you don't already have it open.
4. Flip your workbook to lesson 2.
5. Put your index fingers on the bumps on the keyboard and the rest of the fingers next to the index finger. [check students]

Practice: Space Bar

• We are going to practice the Space Bar. The Space Bar is the long key at the bottom. Where is the Space Bar? [the long key at the bottom]
• We are going to practice hitting the Space Bar. Don't forget to use the end of your right thumb if your are right handed or the left thumb if you are left handed. Quickly hit the Space Bar as many times as you can until I tell you to stop. Ready? Do it. [wait 10 or 20 seconds & check the students]. Stop.

Practice: Enter Key

• We are going to practice the Enter Key. What symbol does the Enter Key have on it? [Arrow]
• The Enter Key makes the cursor go down one line. What does the Enter Key do? [makes the cursor go down one line.
• Remember, when you hit the Enter Key with your right pinky, keep your other fingers on the J,K, and L keys. Once you hit the Enter Key, return your pinky to the semicolon key.
• Hit the Enter Key as many times as you can until I tell you to stop. Don't forget to keep the other fingers on their keys. Ready? Do it. [wait 10 or 20 seconds & check the students]. Stop.

Practice: A key

1. Now take out your workbook and put it on your right side. Turn to lesson 2. We are going to practice the A key.
2. Put your fingers on the keyboard correctly. Remember that the left index finger goes on the "F" key with the bump and the right index finger goes on the "J" key with the bump. The middle fingers, ring fingers, and pinky fingers go on each key next to the index finger. [pause, check students]. Don't forget to put your writing thumb above the space bar.
3. We are going to practice the A key. Follow along in your workbook. You will try to make what you type look like your workbook.
4. When I say the letter "A" or the word "Space" press the correct key. Make sure you keep up with me and DO NOT correct your mistakes.
5. Ready? [read the following line pausing between letters, say the space for the space key]

   aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa aaa

6. Now practice on your own for 2 minutes. Say the letters as you type them. Ready? Do it. [check student work]

New: The S key

1. We are going to practice the S key. The S key is next to the A key.
2. Put your fingers on the keyboard correctly. Remember that the left index finger goes on the "F" key with the bump and the right index finger goes on the "J" key with the bump. The middle fingers, ring fingers, and pinky fingers go on each key next to the index finger. [pause, check students]. Don't forget to put your writing thumb above the space bar.
3. We are going to practice the S key. Follow along in your workbook. You will try to make what you type look like your workbook.
4. When I say the letter S or the word Space press the correct key. Make sure you keep up with me and DO NOT correct your mistakes.
5. Ready? [read the following line pausing between letters, say the space for the space key]

   sss sss sss sss sss sss sss sss sss sss sss sss sss sss sss

6. Now practice on your own for 2 minutes. Say the letters as you type them. Ready? Do it. [check student work]

Lesson 3

Objectives

1. Reminders
2. Practice: Space Bar, Enter Key, A key, S key
3. New: D Key

Reminders

1. Today we will warm up by practicing the A, S, Space Bar, Enter Key
2. You new key is D.
3. Don't forget to practice at home or at school 1-2 times per day for 5 to 15 minutes each time.
4. Open your word processor if you don't already have it open.
5. Flip your workbook to lesson 3.
6. Put your index fingers on the bumps on the keyboard and the rest of the fingers next to the index finger. [check students]

Warm Ups

1. You are going to practice Line 1. Don't forget - DO NOT correct your mistakes.
2. Now practice on your own for 2 minutes. Say the letters as you type them. Ready? Do it. [check student work]

New: The D key

1. We are going to learn the D key. The D key is next to the S key.
2. Put your fingers on the keyboard correctly. Remember to put your index fingers on the bumps on the keyboard.[pause, check students].
3. We are going to practice the D key. Follow along in your workbook for lesson 3, line 2. You will try to make what you type look like your workbook.
4. When I say the letter D or the word Space press the correct key. Make sure you keep up with me and DO NOT correct your mistakes.
5. Ready? [read the following line pausing between letters, say the space for the space key]

   ddd ddd ddd ddd ddd ddd ddd ddd ddd ddd ddd ddd ddd ddd ddd

6. Now practice lesson 3, line 2 on your own for 2 minutes. Say the letters as you type them. Ready? Do it. [check student work]

Authors and contributors

This Wikicurriculum has been written by (please add your name here if you are a contributor in order to comply with licensing):

• Harriska2 (Contributions)