Keyboarding for Grades 1  & 2 : Typing Instructor for Kids:

Students in grades ONE and TWO are introduced to proper keyboarding technique that includes having proper posture, keyboard placement, and hand / finger placement on the keyboard and begin to practice this skill with Speedskin keyboard covers on.  Students in these grade levels perfect the use of home row position while continuing to develop their knowledge of multiple software applications on age appropriate cross-curricular topics of study. 

In addition, students in first and second grades are able to use the colorful, game-based keyboarding program, Typing Instructor for Kids, to learn basic keyboarding skills.  This program follows the National Educational Technology Learning standards, the Common Core Learning standards for ELA as well as both the New Jersey Educational Technology Learning Standards and the New Jersey State Student Learning standards for ELA in writing.  All the lessons include structured touch-typing content, proven methods for skill building, unique keyboarding drills and interactive game-like exercises, age appropriate content, on- screen graphic hand guides, and multiple skill levels.  Kids collect rewards throughout every step of this game-like keyboarding program as they visit distinct lands of Typer Island for lessons, challenges, tests, and games.  They search for treasures, earn points, and add gold and jewels to their treasure box, on a  journey to reach the castle and become the Ruler of Typer Island.  When students reach the castle, additional surprise challenges become unlocked.  Instant feed back is provided to students as they complete each task.  Typing results include Words Per Minute scores (shown as WPM) and Accuracy Percentages.  Kiddos can even select and print an achievement certificate when they have successfully conquered the castle and become the Ruler of Typer Island.

To get a better understanding of how this program works, feel free to take a video tour of the program through the link posted below.  For informational purposes, students can only work on this program within the computer lab in school.  This program is not accessible at home through our school district, as we use a networked version.  However, parents of students in grades one and two wishing to purchase this program for their child to practice with and use at home can do so either by purchasing a downloadable version, ordering the software CD online for less than $20 (https://www.amazon.com/Typing-Instructor-Kids-Platinum-5/dp/B002U0L1BU), or by subscribing to the online version (http://www.typinginstructorkids.com/), in which the child would access a personal account at home.  Note that the online version would be accessible on any computer, including a Chromebook.  Whereas the CD version requires a computer to install the software program on and cannot be used on a Chromebook.

http://www.typinginstructor.biz/tour/tkweb/tour.html