One of the most challenging typing techniques to learn is touch typing, a relatively recent addition to keyboarding curriculum. It’s slow and confusing at first, and if you’re used to typing faster but with less technique, it will feel like you’ve slammed on the brakes.
So why should you learn this skill, when using your index fingers and Alexa’s voice-to-text technology feel so easy? Many experts agree that touch typing is efficient, accurate, and more physically comfortable than most other methods of typing. Once you’re used to it, it’ll feel like you never typed another way.
When touch typing, your fingers rest on the middle row of your keyboard. Every finger is assigned a portion of the keyboard, using the “f” and “j” keys as guides for your index fingers (note the little bumps on those keys to remind you where they are!). Once you’ve sufficiently practiced the skill, you’ll be able to use muscle memory to type long expanses of text without looking down.
It feels counterintuitive to not look at the keyboard, when all the letters are right there to look at! But in the long run, you’ll type faster and more accurately when you can trust your fingers to locate the keys, and you’re less likely to get neck pain from looking up and down.
If you’ve learned to type, you’ve probably tried the trusty method of “hunting and pecking,” otherwise known as the two-finger or Brady method. There’s something secure about typing this way, because you can confirm easily after each keystroke that the letter you selected is the letter you got. However, this method is slower, less accurate, and can cause strain to your body, because it invites poor posture for your hands and neck. It’s a lot harder to type well when you’re battling tendonitis!
Learning touch typing can feel like an impossible task, especially if you have many years of typing behind you.
At first, your typing speed will drop – a lot. You could drop from 40WPM to 15 in a heartbeat. When you’re used to the immediate gratification of knowing that your fingers have found the right key, it’s hard to accept the blind feeling of using your other fingers and not your eyes. However, with practice, you will get used to it, and eventually your fingers will take over. When you see the benefits to your posture, speed, and accuracy, you’ll see why we at Typesy emphasize touch typing so much.
If you want to learn this technique, Typesy is a great method – learning to touch type can be monotonous, and Typesy breaks it up with games and other interactive learning methods that keep you engaged while strengthening your abilities. We believe strongly that touch typing will save you from painful tendonitis and inflammation. This is why both our classic and interactive curricula focus on touch typing. To learn more about our available courses, follow this link.
Check out Typesy Community and exchange ideas related to touch typing, keyboarding, learning, technology, and Typesy program itself. Login with your Typesy Account here: https://community.typesy.com/