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Where would one normally learn to touch-type, other than high school?
I taught myself to type and don't use all my fingers, and think that maybe changing my technique would help my RSI. (The occupational therapist thought it was worth a try.)
I am having a google fail moment, as various permutations of "touch typing class" "typing class" etc, and my location are not producing anything useful.
I taught myself to type and don't use all my fingers, and think that maybe changing my technique would help my RSI. (The occupational therapist thought it was worth a try.)
I am having a google fail moment, as various permutations of "touch typing class" "typing class" etc, and my location are not producing anything useful.
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Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing is the old classic computer program that teaches it - there's probably updated versions out there now.
Yaaay for editing! I can fix HTML mistakes!
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This looks like it might be useful:
http://www.customtyping.com/
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I learned touch typing in elementary school :-D but had some luck teaching myself to touch type Dvorak with a possibly-similar program for the Mac. (Note that I am not advocating that you switch to Dvorak, unless you want to!)
Try "keyboarding"? Or maybe computer literacy classes would cover it as well?
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Also AIM has spoiled me in that if I can't see the words I'm typing (i.e. transcribing something) I freak out and go verrrry slowly. I need to blindfold myself and practice.)
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But if you want to learn in person rather than online, something like that is probably good.
(I learned on a typewriter, with a piece of paper taped on so that I couldn't cheat and look at my fingers. This was actually quite useful, even if it's probably harder to do on a keyboard.)
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I think for me the trick is that I'm not quite a touch typist. My fingers are in the right place for touch typing, but my eyeballs are always slightly on the keyboard. This means that I can switch easily from Dvorak to QWERTY, but only as long as the keys are labeled correctly.
While I was learning Dvorak, I stuck new labels on my keys. Since then, whenever I get a new computer or keyboard I pop the keys off and rearrange them. This is not an option if you routinely share your computer.
Good luck! (BTW, if you're wondering who I am, I'm a friend of
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Advantages: May help RSI; impresses the hell out of people who see you typing with the 'wrong' keys; fairly easy to change between keyboard layouts.
Disadvantages: Steep learning curve; Windows (if that's what you're using) can sometimes be a bit unreliable about passing your keyboard preferences to different programmes, so you may find yourself suddenly typing gibberish (it's easy to change, so mostly a problem for hidden text such as passwords).
I'd also recommend an ergonomic keyboard, but I think it's probably easier if you learn at least the basics of touch-typing first.
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Typing games, but only if they're fun and/or you reward yourself for playing them; if they're deadly boring you'll never play/practice. Classes with an instructor/typewriter are nice in that there's someone to smack your hands if they catch you looking at your finger instead of the typing cards.
Speaking of: maybe pick up a set of typing practice cards, bound to be dead cheap in used bookstores these days or available at a library. They start you off transcribing pages of asdfjkl; and introduce one or two new letters at a time (e and c! YOU WERE MY BANE) until you get to The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog and such. They are deadly boring but maybe more useful for touch-typing than an onscreen typing game in that you can prop the book up somewhere awkward so that you cannot sneak peeks at your fingers/screen while you're reading what to type. (Blindfolding helps too.)
It's also a good idea to practice on several different types of keyboard, though you should get most comfortable with the one you use most often. I use a split ergonomic computer keyboard at home, which has been more comfortable for me after the forever it took to learn. But now on normal straight keyboards, my typing wobbles all over the place. I wonder how people using international or multilingual keyboards learn to type. (And where did the ¢ go from US keyboards? I miss the ¢!)
Gems of knowledge from typing class 10 years ago that may/not still be accurate: Stewardesses is the longest single word you can type with only your left hand, and lollipop/lollypop is the longest you can type with only your right.
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This is the thing. I took a class and practiced endlessly from a book, but ultimately learned from Typing Tutor software because it had a game where you had to type letters to keep the aliens from nuking your cities. I would do the lessons and practice sessions, but the reason I kept putting my butt in the chair was to kill the aliens.
I tried Mavis Beacon, but still prefer the most up-to-date Typing Tutor. It also lets you choose practice text from a sampling of books, and other stuff.
I *still* practice every time I feel myself getting sloppy, or if I'm daydreaming about switching jobs and having to go on an interview (I'm a secretary). But my favourite game now is Typer Shark (free, the delux version is paid, both available online), which makes me insanely competitive. Like, KILL THE SHARK, FIND THE SHIP, GET THE BARRACUDAS AND THE JELLYFISH AND FIND THE PEARLS IN THE BED OF SHELLS AAAARRRGGHH.
Um. Possibly this is more than you needed to know *g*
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One thing that touch-typing does allow, and which might really help with RSI, is the use of a seriously ergonomic keyboard. As for example, Kinesis (http://www.kinesis-ergo.com/). I've been using their contoured keyboard for fourteen years (everything I've ever published professionally was written on a Kinesis keyboard), and it makes a tremendous difference for me. (I can use a standard keyboard for fifteen minutes max of steady typing before my wrists start to hurt; I still have to, you know, be sensible with the Kinesis, but it is a whole different world.) But the mere sight of the thing sends my friends who don't touch-type into fits and paroxysms.
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Also, you might inquire about a trackball instead of a mouse. This is great for me: http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/mice_pointers/trackballs/devices/166&cl=us,en . Granted, my problems are wrists and shoulders, but I suspect that it would do well for elbows too, since you avoid moving anything but your fingers.
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