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Learning to keyboard is not easy.  It will take lots of self discipline and patience.  Sometimes it takes weeks to show just small improvements.  If you look at keyboarding as a skill that can be mastered with lots of practice you will do fine.  One key factor to mastering keyboarding is good technique.

Correct technique is the most important skill any beginning typist can learn.  Speed and accuracy are all built around good technique.  Therefore you will be given a technique grade every two weeks.  The grade will be based on the following five areas:  (Please copy areas I and V  in your notes)

I.  Memorize the letters by not looking at your hands while typing.  (40 points)
II.  Feet flat on floor.  Hips touching back of chair.  Back straight and sitting up tall.
III.  Fingers curved.  Arms close to body.  Wrist straight and not touching keyboard
IV.  Begins typing immediately.  Has sheet out each day.   Works entire time.
V.  Strikes keys with proper finger & then returns fingers to homerow keys
 
 

Keystroking:
Correct key stroking.  You must use the correct finger to stroke each letter you are typing.  Keep fingers curved.  Don't look at your hands to type.  Home Row Position.  You should always return your fingers back to home row after you have reached for a key.

Position:
Posture.  You should sit straight up but lean forward slightly from the waist.  Feet should be placed firmly on the floor.  The body should be about a hand span from the front of the keyboard and centered opposite the J key.  Keyboard:  Pull keyboard to the edge of the computer desk.

I will try and walk around the room each day pointing out where you need to improve and encouraging those who are practicing good technique.  The most important thing you can do is to learn the correct keystroke for each letter we are practicing.

There are a total of 19 lessons in MicroType Multimedia.
 

Each day when you come into class you are required to type the entire required amount of time (10 - 20 minutes depending on the day's AKS's).  You will not have to record your scores because MicroType Multimedia will do it for you.

Grading Scales for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades: (Please copy your grade level in your notes)
 
 

After lessons 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 there is a typing test for you to take.  Each test note card is color coded and labeled at the top.  See me for instruction on where to take the test in MicroType.

To pass the test students in:
6th grade must type with ? gwam with ? or fewer errors
7th grade must type with 25 gwam with 3 or fewer errors
8th grade must type with 30 gwam with 3 or fewer errors

Write down your score on you typing sheet, MicroSoft Excel, or a blank sheet of paper.  Keep track of each lesson's score as follows:
Lesson 1:  32 gwam 2 errors
Lesson 2:  33 gwam 3 errors
etc...
 

** A good rule about speed and accuracy:  "The more accurate you are now, the faster you'll be later!"