Typing Games

Ms. Sapkarov, you type FAST!

Yes, my friends, I really do.

We're reading Rebecca Stead's When You Reach Me in one of my 5th grades and taking notes on the characters at the end of each class. By building these character profiles, we can understand the story better by looking at individual motivation and personality traits. Anyhow, to take notes, I've created a simple SmartBoard file with each character on their own page, and I'll type in students' additions to what we know about the different characters in the story. So, students get to see what I type on the laptop on the SmartBoard in real time (mistakes and all!) -- hence, the above comment about my speedy typing skills.

But do you think I was born a quick-fingered typist? Of course not! I started using a computer when I was in elementary school, and I've used one every day since then.

This is the time to develop good typing habits, my students! Do you know what HOME ROW is? It has nothing to do with baseball, even though it kind of sounds like it... And although it's not the absolute only way to learn to type, it'll definitely help you use more than just your index fingers!

Check out out these typing tutorials and games to practice your own typing skills. Practice, practice, practice, and maybe someday you'll type as fast as I do. :)

Dance Mat Typing by BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/flash/stage1.shtml

Keyboarding Skills by e-Learning for Kids

http://e-learningforkids.org/Courses/EN/K0001/index.html

Typing Resources by Big Brown Bear Software (4 games/lessons)

http://www.bigbrownbear.co.uk/

Text Type by Doorway Online

http://www.doorwayonline.org.uk/texttype.html

Alpha Munchies Typing Game by ABCya!

http://www.abcya.com/kids_typing_game.htm

Super Hyper Spider Typer by Funschool

http://funschool.kaboose.com/fun-blaster/back-to-school/games/game_super_hyper_spider_typer.html

Keybr (practice typing words)

http://www.keybr.com/

Typing Games by Sense-lang (check out Typing Olympic)

http://games.sense-lang.org/