Elementary_Keyboarding

 TTL4 Training Manual [|TTL4 Teacher Management Website]

= = =Keyboarding Overview=

tocDoes Type To Learn teach keyboarding skills? This is the question most frequently posed for elementary teachers. Keyboarding is one skill that is most often overlooked in the elementary classroom, yet it is just as critical as learning basic math skills or basic reading skills. Students are using the computer at a very early age, and will develop poor keyboarding habits as they grow older. These habits are very hard to break. Keyboarding is a skill that we need to take a closer look at, and we must consider it to be just as important as all other basic skills young students need to learn. Is Type to Learn the answer? It's a great start, but it's not the answer. **Students need to be monitored, corrected, and encouraged**. Keyboarding is a developmental skill over a period of time. If students are left in front of the program without supervision, they will break away from the proper technique that needs to be reinforced. In teaching the keyboarding basics, teachers should emphasize technique, not speed and accuracy. And it's OK for students to go through a level several times. Students think it's about speed, teachers think it's about speed. It's not. It's all in the technique when developing keyboarding skills. Once the technique is developed, then speed and accuracy will begin to develop on it's own. Developing good technique is very much similar to playing a musical instrument.media type="custom" key="2871289"

__Good Keyboarding Target Zones__

 * 1) Accuracy
 * 2) Eyes on Screen
 * 3) Posture
 * 4) Finger Positioning
 * 5) Speed //(Assessment of words per minute should be based on individual student improvement)-// //[| http://www.typingtest.com/]//

//**Good Articles for keyboarding:**//
 * //[|Keyboarding Technique Checklist]// //-Print this out and use it with your class!//
 * //[|Education World- Teaching Keyboarding? When? Why? How?]//

//**Handouts For Students**//

 * [[file:Technique.pdf]]
 * [[file:Colored_Keyboard.pdf]]
 * [[file:black_white_Keyboard.pdf]]
 * [[file:blank_Keyboarding Chart.pdf]]

//[[image:SUN88308.jpg width="243" height="243" align="left"]]TYPE TO LEARN 4 (Grades K-5)//
//TTL4 is a software program used in the LMSD elementary schools to help students learn keyboarding skills. This program moves students through animated sequential skills-building keyboarding instruction. Each keyboarding lesson is wrapped into an integrated presentation of demonstration, review, practice, and testing.

Type to Learn 4 is __NOT the single tool in teaching keyboarding skills__. TTL4 does help support basic keyboarding skills, however, students must be given opportunities to APPLY these skills into authentic word processing activities.

What makes students successful in TTL4 is whether __student progress is monitored__. Students should always be monitored while practicing keyboarding skills. Type to learn should not be viewed as a game kids play, but rather a learning tool requiring constant encouragement, with strict enforcement.

1. Proper sitting position: upright with good posture and feet on the floor 2. Fingers on HOME keys with arched hands 3. Eyes on screen, not on keyboard 4. Correct finger strokes 5. Work toward accuracy, not toward speed//
 * Students should always be encouraged to do the following when keyboarding:**

//Getting the Students Started...//
//**Need to ADD a student to TTL4?**//
 * 1) First make sure the student is enrolled in the LM School District
 * 2) Check with your building secretary if you need the student's username and password
 * 3) Simply ADD the student to your class list in the TTL4 program
 * 4) DO NOT contact the helpdesk as they will redirect you to your building administrator
 * 5) Each building has an administrator. Check with your principal if you need to contact your building TTL4 administrator.

For further Information on the use of Type to Learn 4, refer to the USER GUIDE located in your building with your building administrator

For technical problems (Freezing, Crashing, students getting locked) with the TTL4 Program, feel free to contact the [|LMSD Helpdesk].

Manage Setting for Teachers/Students
Teachers can also edit, delete or add students into the system. Visit [] and enter the code 106071.

Adjusting Student Settings
Teachers can go into both of these programs and adjust the settings to individualize the program for certain students. Teachers can make the program easier so that a students can get through the levels with less frustration, and teachers can adjust the levels for those students who find it easy to "fly" through the levels, making it more challenging. **Again, the best way to keep kids challenged is to monitor them while keyboarding**.

Teachers can also print out copies of the students progress and forward it to the teacher in the next grade, use it in a teacher-parent conference, or use it to conference with a student.

**Keyboarding Extensions**
Here are some simple keyboarding activities for kids beyond Type To Learn. Monitor, monitor, monitor! Students need to be monitored ALL THE TIME when keyboarding. Use the Target Zones, mentioned above...
 * Type your full name and address
 * Type your entire family’s name
 * Write a paragraph about your favorite vacation
 * Type your weekly spelling list
 * Type a list of words pertaining to a topic you are studying in Science or Social Studies

**Web-Based Resources : **

 * 1) Typing Games- http://www.typingtest.com/games/default.asp?m=1
 * 2) Keyboarding Practice- http://www.davis.k12.ut.us/cjh/appliedtech/Business/Keyboarding/Index.html
 * 3) Typing Test- http://www.mrkent.com/kb/kbtest.htm
 * 4) Cool Breeze Typing Test- http://www.coolbreeze.co.uk/guide/games/typing%20test/
 * 5) Keyboarding Clue Game- http://teachers.net/lessons/posts/1656.html
 * 6) Type2Learn Practice - http://kids.learn2type.com/NewUser