Last month I was in the computer lab typing up a project when I felt a pair of 7th grade eyes staring at me. I laughed and told her I was sorry to be distracting her from working on her science fair project. She replied, "Wow, you type so fast!" I have heard this from many students and every time I share with them that taking the time to improve my typing skills (in my case I took a typing class in high school, gasp... on a typewriter, and took it seriously) was one of the best things I have done as a student. The obvious first result was I could, and still can, get my work done faster and more efficiently. Also, having good keyboarding skills also helped me earn spending money throughout college, and even after doing temporary work. Now, nearly two decades later, in an economy where jobs are often hard to find but in a world filled with technology, computer skills, including typing, can only be more of an asset to our students as they continue their education and branch out to the working world.
Here are a few sites featuring typing games and activities that students might enjoy:
How would I incorporate them into my classroom? First, I would make the links available on my website, so students could get to them easily both inside and outside of our building. Second, I would share them with parents so they know they exist and encourage them to have their children spend some time practicing their typing skills. And third, I would remind students, during visits to the computer lab or while working on classroom computer assignments, that if they finish their work with some time to spare, that these websites are on the "approved" list; students will be engaged in an activity of value for those last few minutes and a fun one at that!
