Elementary
Building A
Strong Foundation
Introductions
Name, school, position?
When is keyboarding taught?
Timeframe?
Who teaches initial keyboarding?
What is Keyboarding?
• Who Needs Keyboarding Skills?
• When Should Keyboarding be
Taught?
• Who Should Teach Keyboarding?
• How Should Keyboarding
Instruction Be Delivered?
What is Keyboarding?
• Touch Control of Keyboard
• Proper Techniques
• Speed and Accuracy
• Formatting
Integrate
Keyboarding should be an
integral part of the total
education of every
student.
Keyboarding is
a cumulative
skill.
When Should
Keyboarding be Taught?
• Prior to word
processing
use
• No earlier than
fourth grade
Who Should Teach Keyboarding?
A Teacher Not Software
• Team Business and
Elementary Teachers
• Provide Training to
Elementary/Computer
Teachers
The Role of the
Keyboarding Teacher
• Teach keyboarding by touch
• Teach proper technique
necessary for successful and safe
keyboarding
• Inform students and parents
about repetitive stress injuries
• Teach correct posture and work
station adjustments so that the
risks of RSIs are minimized
The Role of the
Keyboarding Teacher
• Promote the lifelong value of
the skill of keyboarding to
colleagues and administrators
so that:
– Appropriate time is scheduled
– Funds are allocated for computer
equipment, adjustable chairs and
desks
– Students’ achievement are
recognized by the school
Methodology
• Traditional Method
• Herzog Method
• Opposite hand – same
finger
What Equipment
Is Needed?
• One machine per student
• Appropriate furniture
• Portable keyboards vs.
computers
Laptop Considerations
• User type
• Posture
• Dimensions
• Weight
How Should Keyboarding
Instruction Be Delivered?
• Teach technique
• Accuracy will come
• Don’t give letter
grades
Cengage Learning’s
Speed Expectations
Hours of
Instruction
15 - 18 Hours
30 - 35 Hours
45 - 60 Hours
Speed
Expectation
15 - 18 wpm
25 - 30 wpm
30 - 40 wpm
Rodriquez’ Results
Grade Duration Minutes Per
Day
GWAM
Results
K–3
19 days
30 min.
6-10
3–5
20 days
35 min.
10
3–5
45 days
35 min.
15
6–7
20 days
20-25 min.
18
25 days at 25 – 30 minutes/day is
recommended
Voice Recognition
Karl Barksdale
• Get students to 25 wam using
30-second timings and good
technique
• Dragon NaturallySpeaking or
Dragon Dictate for the Mac
• www.speakingsolutions.com
Keyboarding Steps
Goal Setting
Posture
Keystroking
Space Bar Technique
Home Keys - "asdfjkl;"
Practice Lines
y y yj yj lay pay y yj dye sky play
Practice Lines
J Ja K Ka L La Jake Lakes Hal
Composition
Opposites
stop
white
Things that
bread
movies
?
?
Go Together
?
?
Composition
Alphabet Composition
What Is Your Favorite?
Crazy Phrases
Composition
Auto-Bio-Poem
Completing Sentences
Adams Middle School,
North Platte
NeSA Writing Assessments
• Starting in 2012, 8th grade and 11th
grade writing assessments will be
keyed at a computer
– Students can compose by hand but will
be asked to key the document online
• Taskforce will study the possibility
of having students keyboard the 4th
grade assessment
Teacher Endorsements
• Business teaching endorsement
used to be 7-12 but that has changed
to a 6-12 endorsement
• New Rule 10 allows any 7-12
endorsed teacher to now teach in
grade 6
• Thus, any business teacher is
endorsed to teaching keyboarding in
grades 6 – 12
Preview Software
Grades 3 – 6
• EduTyping Jr. (online)
• Type to Learn (online)
• Keyboarding for Kids
(online)
keyboardingonline.com
• MicroType
Preview Free Software
• Take 5 minutes to review one of the
online resources on page 10 of the
Strong Foundation booklet
• Be prepared to share pros and cons
Scope & Sequence
• K-12 Examples
• Middle-Level Keyboarding
Best Practice - This & That
– http://www.education.ne.gov/B
MIT/pdf/tnt/2011/summer.pdf
http://www.education.ne.gov/bmit/
curriculum/keyboarding.html
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•
•
•
•
Model Scope and Sequence
Columbus Public Schools
Omaha Public Schools
North Platte Middle School
Scottsbluff 8th Gr. Technology
Proficiency Assessment
• Westside Community Schools
Resources
Nebraska Department of
Education Learning
Technologies
(402) 471-3503
Brent Gaswick
brent.gaswick@nebraska.gov
“If students can get to 20 wam,
they won’t forget how to
keyboard although they may
need additional brushup.”
Mary Rodriguez
Lawrence, Kansas
“Get students to 25 wam using
good technique and then teach
them to voice type using voice
recognition.”
Karl Barksdale
Provo, Utah
What We’ve Learned...
• Teach prior to heavy use of word
processing
• Technique and accuracy are more
important than speed
• Don’t give grades
• Students need to be able
to see their progress
What We’ve Learned...
• Integrate with Language
Arts
• Composition at the keyboard is a
workplace expectation
• Plan with middle school and
secondary business teachers
Reflection
• What have you heard?
• How do you feel?
• What are you going to
do?
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