Keyboarding, Reviews, Word study/Vocabulary

A Typing Website With a Twist

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This how-to-type website doesn’t get enough exposure so I’m doing a quick overview of pros and cons and how to use it. If you’re looking for a good typing program to engage your students during summer school or next school year, this is an excellent choice:

KidzType is a free comprehensive approach to learning keyboarding. The ad- and distraction-free interface provides not only practice drills but quick links to grade-appropriate keyboarding games (including popular ones from DanceMat Typing). It’s easy to get started and just as easy to use making it the perfect tool for busy teachers and students who have lots to do besides keyboarding.

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KidzType also has a link where students can access a wide variety of keyboarding games to mix in with the tests.

How to get started

KidzType requires no log-in but you’ll want to register to keep track of the Certificates of Achievement and individual progress through wordlists.

To get started, simply open the website and login if you have an account. Select the length of time for the test (between one and five minutes), the grade level, and the word list (this changes by grade level but includes subject-specific words, drills, and more). You’ll see an uncluttered easy-to-understand screen that shows what you’re going to type and tracks progress. There’s also a keyboard with the letter highlighted (which can be hidden) and hands with the correct finger selected.

As you type, the program displays speed, WPM, and accuracy. When done, you get a summary of keystrokes, right and wrong keys, error rate, and gross speed:

Pros

As students work, KidzType provides skills-based reminders on how to keyboard and why accuracy is important. That makes it a good tool for typists, no matter the grade, who haven’t engaged in a comprehensive typing course before. In fact, each test is prefaced with hints on the correct way to type: Always Sit Straight. Make Sure Monitor Is Right For Your Eyes. Place Hands. Never Look At The Keyboard. These used to be part of most typing programs but many have dropped them.
Though all typing is timed, students can use the lists to drill keyboarding skills, paying attention to the timer only for assessment purposes. In this way, the program will alert them when their typing time is up and it’s time to move on.

Educational applications

There are a lot of ways KidzType can fit your class needs:

Students learn to keyboard best when they mix up rote drills, tests, and games. With KidzType, students have easy access to all of these.
Because the tests are between one and five minutes, KidzType is excellent for warm-ups and exit tickets. Just have students click through to the test you’ve chosen (or they’ve chosen) and the time limit. When finished, they’re ready to move on to the next activity or leave class.
Students earn Certificates based on typing speed and accuracy. These can be used as a class assessment to chronicle student progress.
If you use the same speed test website over and over, this is a nice change for students.

Here’s a under two minute video on the highlights of this fun, effective typing program:

–Image credit Deposit Photo

Here’s the sign-up link if the image above doesn’t work:

https://forms.aweber.com/form/07/1910174607.htm

“The content presented in this blog are the result of creative imagination and not intended for use, reproduction, or incorporation into any artificial intelligence training or machine learning systems without prior written consent from the author.”

Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, CSTA presentation reviewer, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, contributor to NEA Today, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.

Author: Jacqui

Jacqui Murray has been teaching K-18 technology for 30 years. She is the editor/author of over a hundred tech ed resources including a K-12 technology curriculum, K-8 keyboard curriculum, K-8 Digital Citizenship curriculum. She is an adjunct professor in tech ed, Master Teacher, webmaster for four blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice, CSTA presentation reviewer, freelance journalist on tech ed topics, contributor to NEA Today, and author of the tech thrillers, To Hunt a Sub and Twenty-four Days. You can find her resources at Structured Learning.