The elementary edition is for grades K-5 and has a colorful keyboard as a feature on some pages. Touch typing on a QWERTY keyboard is taught beginning with the home keys.
The revised edition is for grades 6 and up and is not as visually pleasing since it lacks a picture of the keyboard on each lesson page. This edition teaches kids how to use the tab key and how to make elements of a written paper based on MLA standards. This is a very useful tool- especially for those of us who learned to type some time ago. Plus, it's a great resource on formatting a paper which may be new to a homeschool mom.
The contents are Biblical in nature so students learn verses as they learn keyboarding. Skills specific to computer keyboards are taught such as using the number pad.Cost: Right now on the website there is a special running where you can purchase both of these books for $22. The author also has other products to see including a lesson plan book for the keyboarding class.
If you are going to teach your children touch typing technique, this is a great alternative to web-based programs which are very popular. Students can learn transfer skills which are required if they need to type from a paper or rough draft.
The cost is reasonable for the product and the bonus is the content. So much of what we introduce kids to is interactive which is the advantage of the computer based typing programs. However, I think Ms. Beitel does a good job of providing a product that is easy to use and effective and doesn't require the internet. In addition, the teacher has the option of printing the whole book or a portion at a time for the lesson which are short so you can implement the program in a variety of ways.
3 comments:
How young do you think you could begin using the elementary edition? I want my children to learn to type properly before they learn too many bad habits, but I'm not sure when to start.
Pretty young since the graphics are very nice and easy for younger kids.
However, touch typing I would think requires their hands to be of a certain size for the best successs.
From the author...My four-year-old has been using my laptop and my Blackberry. Yikes! Children as young as four can be introduced to the keyboard but realistically, you want them to start after they are able to distinguish the alphabet. There are special color-coded keyboards made for little fingers which is usually found on special needs websites.
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