Big news everyone! We have just released a brand new version of the Typing.com platform!
We have a brand new system of character avatars and achievements that motivate students to practice more as they unlock cool prizes and levels with each key they type!
New introductory videos have been introduced into the lessons to help students understand the importance of typing in their lives, correct posture and more!
Read on below to for some descriptions of the biggest new updates, or jump right in and see it for yourself:
Avatars that Level Up + Corresponding Skins
One of our users’ favorite features has been the ability to personalize your typing lessons by choosing a skin. Now, these skins just got a major upgrade.
When you pick a skin, this not only changes the look of the site, it also gives you an awesome new avatar to represent you.
The more letters you type the more experience points your avatar gains. Type enough and you’ll level up your avatar to something even cooler!
New Achievements to Unlock
Just like in a game, as you type you will be able to unlock achievements for typing speed, accuracy, characters typed and more!
The more you type the more achievements you will unlock!
Introductory Videos
Fun, new animated videos have now been added at the start of lessons to help teach students the basics of proper posture at the keyboard, why typing is a such a valuable skill, and more…
New Lesson Screens
You’ll now find three different screens for lessons designed to reinforce repetition and to visually remind you of where keys are located on the keyboard when learning new keys.
This will make it even easier and faster to start typing quickly and accurately.
Accessing the New Site
Ready to check out these new features for yourself? Click the button below to get on the inside:
In all of these, the key to true creativity is in lettings your ideas simply flow.
For many students, however, it can be hard to “flow” when typing on the computer, because they are too busy trying to find the right keys on the keyboard.
Thus, one of the main reasons behind why we teach students to touch type is to enable them to type without looking down at their fingers or thinking about them. Basically, the goal is to be able to type as you think!
Only then can you really begin to unleash the creativity.
To help students practice their typing skills and explore their creativity, here are some fun creative writing prompts to use over the summer (or any time).
Creative Writing Prompt Ideas
1. Write a Fantastical Fiction Story
Scholastic Story Starters is a fun online tool to help students from grades K – 6 jump into creative writing. Students start by choosing a theme such as adventure or fantasy. They then pull a digital lever that randomly generates a creative writing prompt by giving them a format, character, and scenario. (i.e. Write a thank you letter to a humble explorer who saved your spaceship.) The prompt possibilities are endless and an easy place for kids to get started!
2. Write the Backstory to an Interesting Image
Choose a thought-provoking, perplexing, or interesting photo or piece of art and ask students to generate a piece of writing based on what they see. You can give as much or as little structure as you like. Maybe students need to write a dialogue between the two people in the photo that explains what’s going on.
3. Write an Answer to a VERY Open-Ended Question
Provide students with creative writing prompts or story starters. There are tons of these online to choose from. Here are a few of our favorites:
If you could, would you want to visit the moon? Write a speech convincing your classmates to agree with you.
Imagine you were 20 feet tall. Describe what life would be like.
Describe your ideal life when you’re 30 years old.
Where is your favorite place in the world? Describe it and tell why you love it.
Imagine you had a hundred dollars, but you couldn’t keep it. You had to give it away to a person or charity. Who would you give it to? What would you want them to do with it?
Invent and describe a new food.
What would you do if 300 mice had just gotten out of their cages in a pet shop where you worked?
What would you do if you could travel into the past?
Invent a monster and describe it. Tell where it lives, what it eats, and what it does.
Think about an incident that happened to you and exaggerate in the telling. Make it into a tall tale.
What law would you like to see enacted which would help people? How would it help?
Be a building you know well. Talk about your life and memories.
If you could go somewhere where you’ve never gone before, where would you go and why?
Is there a machine you feel you could not live without? Explain.
What is it like to go shopping with your mother?
If you had to escort a visitor from outer space for a 30-minute tour of your community, where would you begin and end?
I really hate it when my mother/father/sibling…
It started out as an unusual Monday morning, when I…
If you could be a character in any book, TV show, or movie, who would you be and why?
What would be your ideal job when you grow up? Explain.
Regardless of how you set your students up to get their creative writing juices flowing, throughout it all, encourage students to only look at their computer screens, as the best writing comes from uninterrupted thought. So, get creative in thinking about how you can develop and reinforce these two essential skills in your classroom!
Students with More Computer Experience Score Far Higher on Online Testing
Students today need to master technology skills more than ever.
Computer skills are essential for 21st century communication, research, professions, and socializing.
When it comes to students in schools, though, there’s an added perk to having computer skills that is often overlooked.
Improved test scores!
States and districts across the country are increasingly transitioning standardized tests from paper to computers. In the process, they’re finding that students who log more computer time tend to perform better on these tests.
Keep reading for the inside scoop on these findings and some strategies for boosting computer literacy for students.
More Computer Skills = Higher Test Scores
It makes sense that students who are more adept on computers are likely to score better on computer-based tests.
Kids who used technology both in and out of school did substantially better than those who didn’t.
In recent years, these findings have led many middle and high schools to implement more technology use in classrooms.
Considering the direction that standardized tests are heading, though, these computer skills are important for students in lower grades as well.
Many states are now using online testing platforms starting in third grade!
In order to give all students the opportunity to do their best work on these exams, schools need to build tech literacy well before middle school.
Strategies for Boosting Computer Literacy
Even our school’s youngest students can benefit from having structured computer time to get familiar with this powerful tool.
While even something as simple as playing online games or chatting with friends is a great introduction to computers, students will get the most bang for their buck if computer time is purposeful and academic.
A great place to start? Typing, of course!
For standardized tests students as young as third grade are asked to compose typed essays under time constraints.
In order to ensure that students are able to get their best thoughts down before time runs out, knowing how to type with speed and accuracy is imperative.
Having students spend even just 10-15 minutes per day on a typing program such as Typing.com can make a huge difference come testing week.
Don’t have time in your class schedule for typing? Consider making Typing.com an option for early finishers. Or, assign 10 minutes per night of typing homework.
Another way to get students comfortable with computers is to complete at least one assignment per week on the computer.
There are plenty of useful websites that teachers can use to assign readings and accompanying questions to students.
NewsELA is one of our favorites as it allows teachers to alter the reading level of current events articles to meet students’ needs.
Teachers can print these articles for students. Nonetheless, having kids do their reading on the computer is good practice for testing, college, and the workplace beyond.
Encourage students to take notes, or use the digital annotation software available to make sure they are practicing active reading strategies, even while reading on the computer screen.
Incorporating strategic computer use into your weekly lessons is a quick and easy way to prepare students for computer-based tests and (more importantly) the work world beyond.
Teachers are constantly striving to prepare students for a job market that is increasingly competitive.
Regardless of what profession your students want to pursue, they’ll likely be competing with candidates from across the country and even around the world for the job.
Given these circumstances, the more ways they can prove that they have all the skills for the job the better.
One of those skills that applicants sometimes overlook? Typing, of course!
While it might not even be listed as a job requirement, typing is an increasingly important professional skill in nearly all sectors as more and more communication becomes digital.
So what’s the best way to show prospective employers that you’re a top-notch typist? Read on to find out!
Typing Speed Requirements for the Workplace
Whether you’re looking to pick up a freelance job during the summer or preparing your high school students to apply for an afterschool gig, increasingly you’ll find that typing speed matters in many fields.
For everything from journalism to data entry, to transcription or secretarial work, having a high WPM is a huge benefit.
To put things into perspective below are a few professions with their average required typing speeds.
Secretary or receptionist: 65 WPM
Legal or administrative assistant: 70 WPM
Medical Transcriptionist: 70 WPM
Data Entry: 75 WPM
Court Reporter: 200+ WPM (court reporters use special keyboards to reach these breakneck speeds!)
Even if you aren’t looking for work in one of these fields, touch typing proficiency is a great skill to show off to future employers.
It not only suggests that you’re an efficient worker, but also that you’re capable of turning in accurate and error-free deliverables.
Displaying Your Typing Credentials
If you’re looking for a way to show off your touch typing skills to prospective employers, we’ve got just the ticket.
On Typing.com, you can take a timed typing test that will measure your WPM and accuracy.
Before you start, either login or create an account with Typing.com.
Then, go to the typing test portion of the website and choose between taking a 1, 3, or 5 minute test.
The test is free and easy to take. You can even take it multiple times if you don’t perform as well as you’d like the first time.
Once you’re done and satisfied with your speed, click on the print certificate button.
The website will automatically generate a beautiful and verifiable certificate that includes your name, WPM, accuracy rate, and the date of the test you took.
There’s even a link at the bottom of the certificate that you or prospective employers can use to verify your results.
It’s then up to you how you share this certificate with interested parties.
Some users have attached a PDF copy of this certificate to their LinkedIn profile or to job applications.
Some teachers have printed their certificate and included it in their teaching portfolio.
It’s definitely a good idea to include your typing speed in the skills section of your resume, especially if you’re looking for jobs that require a lot of computer time.
Printing a typing certificate is also a great way to celebrate student growth at the end of a school year!
No matter what stage you’re at in your professional career, it’s always fun to show off the fruits of your labors.
A girl named Lucy recently asked me how she could motivate her parents to learn how to touch type.
Since computers were much harder to come by when parents were in school, many haven’t learned proper typing habits.
Sure, pecking your way through an email will suffice for basic communication. But it’s never too late for adults to benefit from improving their typing skills.
And as a bonus, if parents take an interest in improving their typing skills, it can be a great opportunity for extending student learning at home.
For once, children can be the teacher as they monitor parents on proper form and finger placement as they get started.
If you think your students’ parents could benefit from or would be interested in improving their own touch typing skills, consider the following steps for setting up a family-friendly typing program.
Introduce Typing.com
One of the best aspects of Typing.com is that it is free and available to everyone!
As long as you have a computer and internet connection, you can access high-quality and engaging typing lessons and be on your way to proficient touch typing in no time.
For parents who are interested in improving their typing skills, send home a quick one-pager explaining how to set up a Typing.com account.
If there is a lot of interest amongst parents, you could even host a kickoff night in your classroom.
Invite parents in and help them set up their own accounts. From there, students can model how the lessons work and give pointers on what proper typing form looks like.
This is a great opportunity to build investment in typing skills for the whole family.
Make Progress Tracking Fun
Just because parents are older than their children doesn’t mean they can’t benefit from the same fun and motivational factors when it comes to improving their typing skills.
Once you have interested parents set up with Typing.com accounts, consider sending home some resources to keep them invested.
Families can post this mini-race track on the refrigerator and each family member can track their WPM.
This is a fun way for parents and students to beat each other’s highest WPM and will encourage more practice at home.
Play Together!
Once students and parents have the basics down, typing can quickly become a fun family activity.
Parents can also create Nitro Type accounts and race with their kids and even other parents.
Send home instructions on how to create an account and set up a friends race.
You could even host a Nitro Type tournament once per quarter where students and parents face off against each other.
When it comes to computer skills, typing is just the beginning. I like to think of typing as a gateway skill that opens the door to becoming more tech literate.
Just like their with their students, mastering typing for parents is the first step to building their abilities in word processing, internet usage, and any number of other computer applications.
Using computers in the classroom is a great way to increase engagement, help students learn to use technology, and make your life easier as a teacher. In order to maximize the benefits of using technology in the classroom, it is important to have clear rules and expectations for appropriate computer use. Instill these habits in students from day one, and you’ll not only make your life easier, but you’ll help your students become responsible users of technology.
Handle computers with care
Classroom computers are an investment that you and your school want to last. Teach kids how computers should be handled and how they shouldn’t be handled, and make sure students know what the consequences are for not treating computers with care.
No food or drink
The only thing worse than Hot Cheeto grime on a keyboard is an upturned water bottle. Students should never have food or drink anywhere near computers. A food-free workspace will keep computers clean and safe.
Leave your computer how you found it
Using computers is a privilege. To earn that privilege, you must leave a computer and workspace in the same state it was in when you found it. If your students are using a laptop cart, this means putting the laptop in its assigned spot and making sure it’s plugged in.
Surf safely
Part of being a responsible user of technology is only accessing appropriate sites at given times. Before sending kids off to work, set very clear expectations about what sites they should be accessing for an assignment. It is also useful to post a list in the classroom of sites that are always off-limits (sorry, Facebook).
Keep your files organized
Don’t let a student’s desktop become the digital version of his hectic book bag. Set aside a few minutes at the beginning or end of working on an assignment to ensure that students are saving unfinished work somewhere that they will be able to find it next time.
Respect others
You should never type something that you wouldn’t say out loud to someone. Whether it is through email, messages, or on a classroom message board, students need to maintain the same respectful tone that they would use in verbal discussions and interactions when communicating online.
Log off
Logging off is like the digital version of cleaning up after yourself in the classroom. Students need to leave the computer ready for the next user. Logging off is also important to make sure that student work and accounts stay private.
Don’t change settings
From upside down screens to giant cursors, if there is a setting students can change on a computer, they will find it. Nip the problem in the bud by explaining to students up front that they must leave the settings on their computer exactly as they found them.
Print only when necessary
Students tend to go print-crazy if given the power to do so. Set very clear expectations at the beginning of the year about when it is and isn’t appropriate to print something out.
Work quietly
Oftentimes computer work, whether it’s working on typing skills or writing an outline, requires independent concentration. Let students know what volume they should be working at to ensure that everyone is able to work without distraction.
Forbes Magazine recently published an article that revealed that women hold only 27% of all computer science jobs.
While some might argue that women are merely prone to be less interested in computers and technology, history tells a different story.
In fact, many of the first software engineers in our country…were women!
So how did we come to consider computer science as a career path for boys, but not girls?
History of Women in Computer Science
Ada Lovelace designed the first computer algorithm for a proposed computer in 1843, thus becoming the first computer programmer.
A century later during World War II, Hedy Lamarr invented the technology that laid the foundation for wireless signals such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Soon after in 1946, a team of six women developed the basis of software programming while working on ENIAC, the first general use computer. While their contribution was essential to the project, the women didn’t receive an invitation to the dinner celebrating the completion of ENIAC.
Through the 1960s, society continued to think of computer programming as “women’s work”. People saw it as a clerical job much like being a secretary.
Eventually, though, society realized that computer programming is challenging work requiring extensive skill and critical thinking.
With this realization came the notion that computer programming was a prestigious job that warranted higher salaries. Soon enough more males were joining the ranks of computer engineers.
Over the course of a decade, men came to dominate the industry, pushing women out of their former roles.
Sadly, this has left us where we are today, where fewer women pursue careers in computer programming and technology.
Getting Girls Into STEM
STEM refers to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. In recent years there has been a growing body of research seeking to figure out why so few girls pursue degrees and careers in STEM fields.
It appears that one cause is the way that boys and girls play. The toys and games that children play with can mold their interests and eventually career paths.
While boys might play with blocks or puzzles that require problem-solving when girls play with dolls it can nurture their compassionate instincts.
In schools, teachers often see that girls start out just as strong in math and science as their male counterparts, but lose interest as they get older. Providing girls with great STEM teachers and mentors can keep them on track to keeping these career paths open.
Luckily, society is taking note that we are not fostering the potential that girls have to become revolutionary computer scientists or engineers.
There are a growing number of non-profits, camps, and programs that seek to develop these skills and interests in girls.
Do you find that girls are less interested in computers than their male peers at your school? If so, what do you do to help foster this interest in all children? Leave your comments and ideas below.
When you’re a kid, your body seems impervious to pain. Think of a child who can easily do a split without having intentionally stretched in her life. It’s hard not to miss those days before sore feet, neck cricks, and back pain set in.
For adults, very few don’t know what those pains feel like. According to one survey, 8 in 10 adults report suffering back pain, and for those who work desk jobs, more than half report the same.
Though you might expect manual labor to be more taxing on your body, for some people, extensive sitting and keyboard work can be even more damaging–especially if you have poor typing posture.
That said, spending a significant amount of time behind a computer is not an automatic precursor to back pain or wrist strain. A lot of it comes down to your posture at the computer.
Typing posture might not be the most exciting topic out there, but it’s one that can make a significant difference in your comfort and quality of life. Especially as we spend more and more time behind computers.
Proper sitting posture at the keyboard even increases your typing speed and accuracy. If you’re a teacher or parent reading this, know that teaching your kids the proper posture early on could save them a lifetime of pain. Let’s find out what proper typing posture looks like!
What is proper typing posture?
If you have poor posture, the great news is that good sitting posture can be achieved easily, prevent a lot of strain on your body, and help you improve your typing speed and accuracy.
Feet and Legs
Make sure you sit up straight with your feet flat on the ground. Avoid tucking your legs beneath you or extending them forward.
Arms
Adjust your chair and keyboard height so your elbows are at a 90-degree angle and your arms are close to your sides. Your arms should be hanging in a relaxed posture. If your shoulders are hunched toward your ears, raise your chair height or lower your keyboard to maintain an optimal arm’s length.
Wrists and Hands
Maintain a neutral wrist position; try not to arch your wrists up too high. Keep wrists straight and fingers curved over the keys, with thumbs hanging near the spacebar. Your wrists should be floating above and parallel to the keyboard. Avoid the temptation to settle your wrists onto the wrist pad; that’s for breaks between typing, not when you’re actually pounding the keys. Even then, rest the palms of your hands on it–not your wrists.
Head
Keep your eyes focused on the words you are typing. If you’re typing a copy of a document, and you find yourself turning your head back and forth from copy to screen, work on improving your touch typing skills. Adjust the position of the copy so you can see it without tilting your head excessively.
Repetitive Strain Injuries
Repetitive stress injuries (RSIs) are various conditions caused by repetitive motions that place too much stress on a joint. Many RSIs are related to computer usage. In children, RSIs are often the result of heavy computer or video game use, texting, playing musical instruments, or certain sports.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Carpal tunnel syndrome is one type of repetitive stress injury (RSI). Symptoms can include wrist pain, tingling, and numbness of the hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome is not always caused by typing itself, but by repetitive motions that can inflame the nerve in the forearm.
If you are experiencing pain or signs of injury that are related to keyboard use, try setting up a keyboard tray, a keyboard pad, or an alternative curved keyboard. Make sure you check the position of your chair and the height of desks, keyboards, and monitors to make sure your body is aligned properly.
Quick Tips: Workstation Ergonomics
When it comes to ergonomics and typing, it’s important to choose equipment and furniture that offers the right support and encourages proper body alignment. Well-designed furniture, combined with correct typing posture, can prevent fatigue, discomfort, and the development of RSIs.
If your desk setup is all wrong, you won’t be able to comply with the recommended typing posture. It’s worth a little extra time and money to make sure your workstation is as comfortable and efficient as possible.
Chair
Start by choosing an office chair that has a height adjustment and support for your lower back. If it has armrests, make sure they don’t impede your ability to let your arms hang relaxed at your sides while you’re typing.
Desk
Next, consider keyboard height. Placing a keyboard on top of a desk often makes it too high up for proper typing position. Consider a desk with an adjustable keyboard tray. If your desk doesn’t have one, you can often purchase and install one as an add-on.
Monitor
Adjust the keyboard tilt to what feels comfortable for touch typing. Many people prefer a keyboard that’s tilted slightly (by extending the legs on the top, back of the keyboard).
The screen should be at a height so when you’re looking straight ahead, the top of the screen is approximately level with your eyes. If it’s too low, raise it up by propping it on a book or two.
Keyboard & Mouse
You want your mouse and keyboard to be as close together as possible, with the alphanumeric part of the keyboard centered on your desk. Your hands should be level with your elbows (or slightly lower) and your hands and forearms should form a straight line. Avoid bending your wrist sharply upwards or downwards to type. Try swapping out your mouse with a trackball for extra comfort.
Normal keyboards have function keys that are placed on the side or top of the keyboard in rows or columns. An ergonomic keyboard is often designed with function keys that are arranged in a circular format. Look for a curved or split design for hands and wrists, which will help your palms turn slightly toward each other in a more natural, pronated position.
It is recommended to take a 5-minute break after every 30 minutes of continuous activity. Stand up, stretch. In fact, if you grab a glass of water on your break, you get bonus healthy points for keeping yourself hydrated as well.
We know that not all of these adjustments we’ve recommended can apply to the “one size fits all” workstations found in most schools and offices, but a few quick and easy changes can help ensure that you and/or your students are comfortable as they type.
How to Use Emojis and Emoticons the RIGHT way in the Classroom
In the 1990s, the use of pagers was very common amongst Japanese teenagers.
Despite their popularity, these pagers were far from perfect.
In Japan, written communication is traditionally long, personal, and full of emotion and goodwill. Pagers, which only allowed for short messages, were causing a good deal of miscommunication between users.
Realizing this, Shigetaka Kurita, an employee at one of Japan’s largest pager providers, came up with the idea to let users access visual symbols to represent some of the emotions they couldn’t capture in short messages.
And thus, the emoji was born!
The word “emoji” comes from the Japanese words for “picture” (e) and “character” (moji).
In the 20+ years since their invention, the emoji family has grown to include over 2,000 images! 2017 saw the addition of an additional 69 emojis including a mermaid, dinosaurs, and broccoli.
Fun with Emoticons
Students love using emojis, even to a point that it makes teachers cringe.
That said, emoticons (the older cousins of emojis) can be a useful way for students to practice typing punctuation marks.
For a fun typing activity, you can challenge students to practice advanced punctuation and symbols by typing emoticons such as these: 🙂 🙁 😀 😛 ;-)
Start kids off practicing advanced symbols with this lesson and then have them practice typing a list of provided emoticons.
You can make the activity more creative by challenging students to create their own emoticons to represent different emotions or words using the punctuation marks they’ve learned.
The Great Emoji Debate
Today, emojis are a ubiquitous part of daily communication for children, teens, and adults alike.
Many sociologists and communication experts allege that emojis allow us to communicate more successfully through digital means.
Much of the meaning you get from talking with someone in person comes from their gestures and facial expressions. This aspect of communication is lost in the visually devoid world of texting, and emojis pick up the slack, making digital communication more precise.
That said, there are plenty of more formal instances where you shouldn’t use emojis.
Most teachers can sympathize with having received an email or message from a student that is plastered with emojis or emoticons.
This emoticon exercise could be a great opportunity to talk to students about the appropriate use of emojis and emoticons in informal versus formal communication.
What’s your policy for when students can and cannot use emojis or emoticons in their writing? Leave us a comment below sharing your take.
Happy typing! 😀
How to Integrate Your Class’ Typing Accounts with Clever
Keeping track of student passwords is one of the most frustrating parts of using online learning platforms.
You’re bound to spend the first half of learning time logging students in and resetting passwords.
Talk about a headache.
Luckily, the ed tech sector has the perfect solution: Clever.
For those who are unfamiliar with this miracle tool, Clever is a third party integrator that allows students to use one single username and password to login to any number of learning platforms.
Once students are logged into a computer through Clever, all of their learning platforms are just a click away, no passwords required.
Think it can’t get any better? Think again.
Clever is free for schools to use and is relatively easy to set up.
Read on to find out how.
Setting Up Clever
There are two different ways that you can integrate your class accounts with Clever. The route you take depends on whether or not your school already has a Clever account.
First, if your school already uses Clever, you should have access to a school-wide dashboard where you’ll find an icon for Typing.com.
Clicking on this icon will direct you to a digital form. Once you fill out the form, someone will contact you to help you integrate your accounts.
Not sure where to find this dashboard or what your school’s Clever status is?
Check with someone from your school’s IT or digital curriculum team to get the info you need.
If your school does not currently have a Clever account, you can go to Clever.com and click on the “Get Started with Clever” button on the homepage.
From there, you can fill out a simple form that will automatically contact your district administrator with your request to use Clever.
If you know who your district administrator or IT Director for your school is, you could also reach out to them personally and tell them you’d like your school to have a Clever account.
Chances are, anyone working with technology in schools will already know about Clever. 60,000 schools are currently using the product with new schools signing up every day!
Sure, setting up Clever accounts will take a little work on the front end, but just imagine all the valuable learning time (and headaches) you’ll save once students can access their typing lessons password-free!
