Learning to touch-type
It is good posture to look at the screen rather than to peer at the keyboard. Here are some ideas about different ways to learn touch-typing.
Good posture? Yes. If you look down at your keyboard, your head hangs and those muscles down your back have to hold it up. Our head is heavy and the muscles concerned are not designed to maintain such a position for a long time. So, whilst the odd peek downwards is fine, it is better to type with the head up, looking at the screen, which means touch-typing.
There are two basic requirements to learning touch-typing: you must want to do it, and you must be persistent – "a little and often" is better than massive effort not followed up. Changing and getting used to a new keyboard is an ideal time to start.
You should not be surprised if there are days when it goes swimmingly, which is encouraging, and some days when it is disastrous, which tests your mettle. The latter tend to be when you are under pressure, tired, or simply sitting in the wrong position.
There are several ways in which you can learn touch-typing.
1. Teach yourself
This is not particularly difficult. Every keyboard has a little raised mark of some kind on the F and J keys. These are where your index finger should come home to roost.
Sit at your keyboard, look up and ahead of you, let your upper arms hang vertically with the forearms and hands in the right position (as shown by the Etcom training which you have surely had), wrist off the wrist-rest while you type and, if your fingers are on those keys, you can start.
Without looking at the keyboard, type absolutely anything short, such as your name or address (leave postcodes for the moment) trying hard to remember where the keys are. Go on until you get it right – this may result in a page of unique and surprising variations on your name that may be memorable!
But eventually it will come right. Then try something else such as the alphabet or “the quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog”, until it all works.
2. On-line
There are various sites where you can work on-line and follow exercises. An example found through Google is Custom Typing.
3. Install a typing programme on your computer
From the variety available, this is clearly a very popular option. Software can be downloaded or bought on a CD. A favourite is Mavis Beacon (£25.00, try Amazon), other examples are http://www.tenthumbstypingtutor.com which is less than £20.00 and http://www.tenthumbstypingtutor.com $25.00.
4. Quickie courses
Some companies run very short courses and can apparently achieve very quick results. For instance, Happy Computers, (www.happy.co.uk) London, one day course £240; for details of the course, see this link.
5. Longer courses
Training is available in a formal training environment in many places, especially local Colleges. They do tend to be wrapped up with secretarial training – good old role-playing living on. A search of local facilities will certainly show something.
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