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Where to Start When Learning to Type

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Ready to up your typing game? Good call as this is one of the most important life skills you can master. And in today's online world, it couldn't be easier as there are a variety of online free typing lessons to get you rolling. For those still mired in hunt and peck, there are beginners typing practice modules. If you already have a few basics, look into free typing speed practice programs to take your skills to the next level. There are even games to help you learn while hunting down space aliens, and programs specifically designed for kids too. Read on for tips that will have you typing like a pro in no time.

Begin with the Basics

If you're reading this, you are probably still typing by sight - most likely with one finger, maybe two. But no more hunting and pecking. Your first lesson is to learn the concept of "home base". Not the dusty canvas bag base of little league fame, but an important row of keys centrally located on the keyboard. This row of keys begins with A on the left. Home base will be the place where your fingers always lightly rest. From here you navigate the rest of the keyboard but always return to home base.

With a light touch and curved fingers place your left-hand pinky on the letter A, your left ring finger on S, your left middle finger on D and your left pointer on F. Your right-hand pointer rests on J, your right middle on K, your right ring finger on L and your right pinky on the colon and semicolon key. Thumbs rest on the space board. You may space with either thumb. Your left pointer will naturally reach one key over to be responsible for G and your right pointer will the do the same with H. Your right pinky has a very important early role to learn as well. He will be responsible for tapping the Backspace key in the upper right of the keyboard as you have errors to correct.

Now, back to home base. See how natural this feels? Note that there are even raised bars on the F and J keys to always bring you back to the comfort of home.

Form Matters

It's easy to fall into bad typing habits that can cause muscle soreness and even injury if continued. When you sit down to begin your typing practice lessons, maintain a straight back with feet on the floor. Adjust your chair or desk area to provide a 90-degree angle at your elbow as you reach the keyboard. Your arms should be near your sides and your shoulders should be relaxed. If you feel you are scrunching your shoulders up, raise your chair. Keep fingers relaxed and curved over the keys and avoid the temptation to rest your wrists on the keyboard.

Prepare with the Right Learning Aids

A great tool for beginning typists is a color keyboard. It's easy to switch out your old keyboard for a new keyboard that has the keys colored to indicate finger placement. This allows you to see at a glance which fingers will be responsible for every key on the keyboard. Just google "colored keyboard" and a variety of choices will appear from Amazon, Walmart and others. While higher priced keyboards are available, those priced in the $25 to $40 range are perfectly acceptable for this learning purpose. Lesson Board from Chester Creek Technologies produces an affordable model. There is even a large key version for children.

Online Teaching

There are a variety of online free typing lessons programs. One of the best is Ratatype. This free online service offers training, typing tests and also a professional certificate upon completion. Ratatype also offers a group module in their training that is designed for teachers that want to train their students.

For keyboarding instruction for kids, one of the best online programs is Free Training Tutorial. Specializing in early childhood education for a variety of subjects, this program is used by homeschoolers and in-school teachers alike. Each typing lesson component is specifically designed to capture a child's interest.

Along with basic keyboarding instruction, Free Training Tutorial also provides arcade-style games that allow kids to learn while having fun. "War of the Words" has them type letters as they appear on enemy ships. Typing the letter destroys the ship to the child's delight. Another fun learning game is "Excuses, Excuses." Centered around a teacher who has grown impatient with her students for not turning in homework, the kids type excuses to their teacher such as "lost it" or "aliens." Through the game, they get practice in both key memorization and speed. You see, not answering quickly will further perturb the teacher, and end in a loss for the student.

Speed Development and Typing Tests

As you progress in learning the keys and practice, your speed will naturally increase. Don't rush it. Mastering accurate touch typing is much more important. But when you are ready, try a free online speed test. Measuring your words per minute (WPM) these tests are available in one-minute to five-minute programs.

Typing Test.Com has a free one-minute typing test and even a warm-up exercise to prime you for your best. Just as you would warm up before beginning a serious exercise, Typing Test.Com provides a "motoric warm-up" where you rest your hands on the keys and flashing stars pop up. Press the starred key and a letter is revealed. So, you not only warm up your fingers but engage your brain as well. Or stay right within your learning module. Both the Ratatype and Free Training Tutorial programs outlined above have speed tests when you are ready to test your WPM.

Relax and enjoy your learning. Those fingers will be rocking the keyboard in no time.