Learning to Touch Type (one of my resolutions)

  • Thread starter Deleted member 49549
  • Start date
D

Deleted member 49549

Guest
One of my pet peeves has been my inability to touch type. Despite been sat in from of a computer for the best part of 20 years, my typing still requires me to look at the keyboard for about half the time and only use a few fingers.

So for those who have been in a similar situation to me, how did you learn to touch type and unlearn all your bad habits?. I will quite happily spend 30 mins each day over the coming months to learn, but was wondering whether me using the keyboard poorly for the rest of the day will cause a lot of problems.
 
Sounds simplistic but having a pic of the key board on the monitor and looking at it instead of where your hands are in relation to the keys.
Keep your index fingers resting on F and J and just pracice practice practice.

We used to type the same phrases over and over...then moved on to copying text.

It was I suspect easier on a typewriter than a computer keyboard though...not as sensitive.
 
I tried to learn but gave up when I did a words per minuite test and realised that i was pretty fast with my three finger technique anyway (that is both index fingers plus hitting the space bar with my right middle finger)

I supose technically i am touch typing as i look at the screen not the keyboard, but i CBA to learn to do it propperly
 
Im in pretty much the same, boat - can type reasonably well, but nowhere nearly as quickly as some of my colleagues. Also, in my current job I am typing much more text (rather than spreadsheet work), so a good technique will help me. It is just a pain unlearning everything I have been doing over the last couple of decades...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I learned many moons ago, decades....I liked the games that you have to help you improve the speed when touch typing. Just got to ensure you do it properly and don't want to 'win' the game, you got to 'win' touch typing....

Something like Tux Typing is free and worked for my children...
 
I learnt to type fast using a software programme called something like 'Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing'. You learn how to correctly place your fingers etc and develop you technique/speed using a series of games the programme has.
 
If you can persevere with learning, it really will revolutionise your workflow if that involves typing a lot of text.
It's impossible to spot-type at anywhere near the speed of touch-typing.
 
I, too, like to think I'm quite adept at touch typing, like for instance - not once am I looking at the keyboard while typing this.

However, I think you can get those special ergonomic curved type keyboards that "forces" you to type in the "correct way" but I wouldn't get one for myself. You should see the various different angles when I "sit" (more like as a bundled up lump) on the computer chair.
 
I can type pretty quickly half looking at the keyboards half at the screen,
using a few fingers, certainly not in the correct style or fashion though,
I think Ian probably summed up the "problem" for me too.

Ian D J said:
. You should see the various different angles when I "sit" (more like as a bundled up lump) on the computer chair.
Click to expand...
 
I can type blind with 10 fingers quicker than Siri and Cortana can decipher my voice :)
 
I type reasonably well without consciously looking at the keyboard, most of the time, but I can't type 'properly' or touch type. I suppose word processing software has also made things much easier for those of us who just need some sort of competency, and don't have to type as part of our job.

Has anyone had any experience/success with dictation (voice to text) software? I tried it years ago when the output usually resembled something from an Enigma machine, but I haven't used the recent versions.
 
i learned at school, it was a long time ago now so couldnt tell you what program we used.

otherwise its one of those things that takes a load of practice. index fingers resting on the bumpy keys (F and J) and gradually teach yourself the location of the other keys in relation to those.

if you other think it then i find it all goes to pot. changing keyboards doesnt help either, switching between my dell keyboard at home and my cherry keyed Corsair at home is a right pain.. :D

ive got a bit lazy over the years and i rely a lot on spell check for capitalisation as you can probably tell.
 
I'm a slow two finger typist! I have to look at the keys as I'm typing rather than the screen but usually pick up my typos as I go rather than relying on bloody spell checkers! Hate the autocowrecked feature on my phone and tablet.
 
neil_g said:
i learned at school, it was a long time ago now so couldnt tell you what program we used.

otherwise its one of those things that takes a load of practice. index fingers resting on the bumpy keys (F and J) and gradually teach yourself the location of the other keys in relation to those.

if you other think it then i find it all goes to pot. changing keyboards doesnt help either, switching between my dell keyboard at home and my cherry keyed Corsair at home is a right pain.. :D

ive got a bit lazy over the years and i rely a lot on spell check for capitalisation as you can probably tell.
Click to expand...

Fortunately I now have the same keyboard at work as I have at home. so that will make things easier. This is one of those things that I know will be of great benefit, but an absolute pain at the same time!
 
Get yourself one of the typing tutorials that teaches you where to place your fingers and which fingers should be used for which letters.

Keep at it and before long muscle memory will kick in and you'll be flying.
 
neil_g said:
i learned at school, it was a long time ago now so couldnt tell you what program we used.

otherwise its one of those things that takes a load of practice. index fingers resting on the bumpy keys (F and J) and gradually teach yourself the location of the other keys in relation to those.

if you other think it then i find it all goes to pot. changing keyboards doesnt help either, switching between my dell keyboard at home and my cherry keyed Corsair at home is a right pain.. :D

ive got a bit lazy over the years and i rely a lot on spell check for capitalisation as you can probably tell.
Click to expand...
I must admit that I found it easier on the old heavy IBM PS/2 keyboards. To me the last of the proper keyboards.
 
I learned to touch type well with Typing Study :) They provide 15 lessons, typing games and also a speed test to check your progress. I really enjoyed learning there, because they also teach how to do it correctly, not only fast. You may check yourself. Btw, they also offer dvorak and colemak keyboard layouts.
(http://www.typingstudy.com)
Let me know what you think :) I hope it will be useful for you too.
 
I trained as a SH typist at school, they thought it's what us girls should do :(
Started my working life as a copy/audio typist with a solicitor and hated it, went onto
receptionist and then secretary/PA to one of the partners, which meant I could throw most
of the menial stuff at the typing pool ;) while I spent more time in court with my boss.

Have to admit that although I can type with all fingers I still tend not to these days :D
I did do a refresher thing with one of those teach typing programs when I came back to a keyboard via a PC
 
I'd Echo Mavis Beacon's Touch Typing Tutor.
Though, it did take a second attempt before it all started to come together.
 
neil_g said:
i remember those, they used to make a really satisfying clunk/click on key press :D
Click to expand...

A guy in work has a mechanical keyboard, I pity the poor sods that have to share his office - the loudest bloomin' keyboard I've heard!
 
PS have downloaded this app - Typist

It appears to have consistently good reviews, all I have to now is to use it!
 
My non touch typing annoys me like crazy.

My main annoyances are: my thumb hits the space bar between words before Ive finished the word.,
Trying to type 'from' *always* comes out as 'form'
Whenever I want use inverted commas around a word the first one always comes out a s a 2 instead of the commas. :mad:
I invariably hit two keys instead of the one I am after when not looking.

Thi sis wha tthe aboce look slike uncorrectedL

My main anjnoyances are:L
my thumbhitz the spac ebar between workd sbefore Ive finished the word
Trying to typr form aleways come sout a sfform
etc etc

Most of my time is spent going back through the text and correcting stuff.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top