Teaching focus � touch typing

There are many advantages of teaching touch typing to children and adults with learning difficulties or disabilities.  Firstly, touch typing is an increasingly important skill in this age of computers. Correct touch typing enables people to word process quickly and accurately. This is particularly important for learners with literacy difficulties, as they can then access features such as spell checkers, editing facilities and specialist programmes, such as TextHelp. Learners with literacy difficulties benefit from being allowed to use word processors or laptops in class or for homework.

Secondly, touch typing is a fine motor and motor planning activity.

Most children with learning disabilities also have a degree of fine motor

immaturity. Dyspraxic children have particular difficulty with fine motor skills, as well as a difficulty with motor planning. These children benefit particularly from touch typing since it develops these important neurological aspects. It is not unusual to find that a child who has completed a touch typing programme also has greatly improved handwriting! This is because fine motor control has improved so much.

Thirdly, and possibly most importantly, learners develop a kinaesthetic

memory for spellings. Kinaesthetic means 'movement' and a learner will develop a memory for the movement involved in typing a word, much as a pianist develops a memory for the movements involved in playing a piece of music. This 'by-passes' some of the key difficulties that dyslexics have with spelling and enables them to cope more quickly and confidently with written language. Many dyslexic learners have reported that they can

spell when they type, but not when they write.

Personally, I teach all my pupils over 8 years of age to touch type and

strongly recommend it to parents whose children have been assessed.

It is also a very appropriate and effective approach for remedial

literacy/special needs teaching in schools, provided that the right software is used. There are now a number of schools in the Christchurch area which automatically teach touch typing to pupils having literacy problems.

Type to Learn is a very comprehensive, specialist American programme. It teaches pupils to type whilst reinforcing spelling, grammar, composition and punctuation skills. Although it is designed for learners with learning disabilities, it can be used across the board, with both children and adults.

Type to Learn has been used successfully by over 15 million pupils

worldwide since 1985. It is suitable for home use as well as for schools. The programme is diagnostic and will identify when a learner is having difficulty with particular keys. It then provides additional practice as necessary until the pupil reaches the required standard to continue.

There are full teacher facilities, including the ability to adjust vocabulary level and provide extra practice.

This article is from the Learning Staircase Newsletter.  If you are interested in reading more articles or information or finding out about educational resources and games or educational assessment and programmes check out http://www.learningstaircase.co.nz