The Art of Keyboarding

A skill that lasts a lifetime

Keyboarding is as important of a skill now as it was a generation ago, even with the advent of touchscreens and voice-recognition technology.  Essays, research reports and State testing still require students to enter responses using a keyboard. Students learning to keyboard will find they can be more fluent in expressing thought, able to complete assignments more quickly, and build finger dexterity. While it can be a challenge to find time during the school day, teachers who invest two to three 10-minute keyboarding learning sessions for the next month or two, it will reap significant rewards when students need to type their final documents.

 

Quick Ideas:

  • Check out iPad keyboards to use daily for two weeks to jumpstart learning, then reduce to twice a week
  • Stop by the computer lab if there is an open time slot for students to spend 10 minutes online
  • Encourage typing practice at home (requires computer unless students have their own iPad keyboard to use)
 
Here are two articles with tips to help you get started.