The Left Handed Typing scheme is probably the most effective way for someone to type who can only use their left hand. It is based on work between myself and an OT at Motherwell college – all done by telephone. We never actually met.

Here is a young girl using it for the first time. You can see that the stickers on the keys match the colours on the sheet of exercises. She is using only the central row of keys. Howver, soon she’ll have the stickers on all the letters.  For the first sessions, it’s a good idea to have the stickers on your nails as well.

This scheme definitely works!

At last, the chocolate mouse!  (and keyboard)

Users can practise the lists of words with Doorway Speller  using the keyboard  an on-screen keyboard.

The lists of words to practise are, on average, about 10-12 words long. There are based an work done by Isabel Middleton, Learning Support teacher at Howdenburn Primary School. The words have been categorised into  five levels; A,  A-B, B, C and D, following the Scottish National Curriculum 5-14.

It is expected that this software will also be available from a website so that pupils can be set spelling homework that they can practise on-line.

For schools in Scottish Borders, to find out more, please send an email to; pwhittaker at scotborders dot gov dot uk

It does not stop there. The keyboard short cuts or keypress combinations, used to control computer functions can be accessed this way. Look at this list for combinations which can be very useful, and easier than using the mouse for someone with motor difficulties.

It is best to choose the option to have the above symbol on the desktop taskbar, so that you can see that it is working. This tell the user that CTRL and SHIFT have been pressed.

The other keys are; ALT and The Windows Key.

A very useful combination is ALT and F4 to close the current window. Much easier than using  a mouse for some users.

• Touch typing is a motor skill. If you look at your hands you will be learning a different skill; typing with your hands in the right position, but still looking at the keys
• The main problem with touch typing is that it is a long process and loses its impact if the learner is using a hunt and peck method to type work in the meantime.
• You need the following; a good piece of touch typing tutor software; plenty of intensive practice; motivation to keep on using the skill.

A good TT computer program has; good notes explaining the rationale; a good on screen layout that prompts the correct key-press; a strucured set of exercise that lead from placing the fingers on the home keys to the use of the whole keybaord.

One piece of software that is recommended is English type. It acts as a very good tutor. It also explains well in text and audio why you should not look at your hands. It is available from http://www.englishtype.com

The BBC has an on line typing tutor;
Dance Mat Typing;
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/

This has a good ‘about’ sections which should be essential reading. The presentation is gimmicky and cluttered, but it’s free and on-line so does not need installing on your computer or network.

A tip – really good touch typers type at a steady rate. The temptation for some learners is to type too fast. They tend to rush through the parts they can do easily and then slow down for the trickier parts. The best way is to learn to type slowly but evenly as if to a beat. As you practice you can speed up. Accuracy, not speed, is the important issue when you start learning.

Touch typing for all pupils?
If a class is learning to touch type, they need to have sufficient experience, which means a cluster or network of computers to use. They also need to keep away from using the keyboard for other purposes. This is the hardest challenge!

It seems that we are able to predict pupils’ likely success with touch typing by pretesting them on a simple handwriting speed and neatness test. Quick and neat writers are likely to work quickly through the exercises. Slow writers with poorly formed letters are likely to struggle with touch typing.

revised  9.9.2007

This is a method that I developed for a hemiplegic girl who is now a very fast typist. She started using it at about the age of eight. She leaves anyone in her class well behind when she types. I believe we have a duty to teach such pupils an efficient method such as this one. Picking it up by hunting and pecking, is for a one-handed user, likely to lead to the adoption of an inefficient system. I actually observed this in a girl a little older who came to our authority – about age 15, who did not have the benefit of having been taught a system.

This is not a touch typing method. Pupils will need to look at the keys.

This was devised for a young user. A numbered version would be more suitable for an older user. However, getting started young is the answer!

Left Handed Typing – Sheet 1

Left Handed Typing – Sheet 2

Left Handed Typing – Sheet 3