If you don’t know how to type you are at a disadvantage. It is essential to learn to type faster, which often can be found for free online. In many professions it can be challenging to keep up with your assignments if you can’t type at a fast pace. I have known people who have had to retire early because they couldn’t keep up with patient notes as the world shifted from written notes to computerized logs. It is also useful to be able to type quickly so that your fingers can keep up with your thought process and get your ideas onto the page before they are forgotten.
First of all, it is important to note that no matter how good you are at your improvised typing method (two finger typing or using all 10 fingers but in improper positons), you will never be as fast and accurate as you could be if you learned the proper finger positioning. Keyboards have been specifically designed to optimize speed and accuracy if they are used properly.
LEARNING THE CORRECT POSITIONING
On the keyboard you will notice there are two raised bumps, one on the F and one on the J. These bumps are to help you keep your fingers in place without looking. Your left index finger should be placed on the F and your right index finger should be placed on the J. Your left middle, ring and pinky fingers go on the D, S, and A respectively. This should feel like a natural placement for them to rest. Your right middle, ring and pinky fingers should rest on the K, L and ;. Your thumbs should be in the air, out of the way. Their only job will be to press the space bar.
Practice using your eight fingers on the keys where you have aligned them. Go back and forth typing asdfkl; until you feel comfortable with the placement of these fingers. Your pinky should be used to hold down shift any time you would like to type a capital letter. I personally use the shift on the left hand side of the keyboard. Practice doing capital letters and also practice adding spaces (remember to use your thumb for the space bar).
Once you have mastered the main keys, begin practicing with words that contain other letters. There are many online programs listed below to help you practice your skills. Using the rest of the keys should come naturally if you are being careful to always return to the correct resting position and to not move your fingers too far away from this resting position. You do not have to use the exact right fingers for each key, but you should not be using a finger that is more than one away from the suggestions. This will help keep your hands in position.
Suggested keys for each finger
- Right Pinky – Q, A and Z
- Right Ring – W, S and X
- Right Middle – E, D and C
- Right Index – R,T, F, G, V and B
- Left Index – Y, U, H, J, N and M
- Left Middle – I, K and ,
- Left Ring – O, L and .
- Right Pinky – P, ; and /
The pattern of diagonal lines formed by the keys each finger is responsible for can also carry on to the numbers and symbols above once you are ready to move on to more advanced levels of typing. Don’t include this upper row until you are efficient at typing the letters.
Aside from the technical rules you should follow when learning to type the other key point is that it takes a lot of practice to become accurate and efficient. When learning to type you are consciously thinking about where to place each finger. Your brain is working hard and it takes awhile to process what letter you would like to type, think about where that letter is located on the keyboard and then carry out the action of pressing it. Once you practice over and over and over again a brain region called the cerebellum takes over and you begin to type automatically without conscious thought. Once you reach this level you will be very quick and should be pretty accurate.
There are many online games and lessons you can do to practice when you are first learning the proper technique. However, once you have the basics the best thing to do is just to type as often as possible. I learned how to type back in the day when everyone was on AOL Instant Messenger. Spending every night talking to friends online helped me to master my typing skills. Try using Facebook chat, Gmail chat or any other online messaging system to practice. Your skills will improve rapidly!
In this image the finger tips are color coded to correspond with the keys each finger is responsible for. The highlighted row in the middle is the resting position. (Image taken from
www.typing-lessons.org)
Here are some online programs to help you learn and practice
Typing Web – This is a very useful site that provides lessons with visuals to show you the correct patterns for your fingers. It then provides games to practice.
Free Typing Games – This site provides free games and lessons to learn and practice your typing skills.
Sense-lang - This site provides games to play, such as musical games, races, and many others.
Fun to Type - This site provides fun games to help you practice.
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