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Starter Pack - Intensive CourseImportant - please read1/2023The time required to learn to touch type effectively depends onsomeone's age, the amount of additional practice they do and theirnatural ability (pianists have a natural aptitude for instance).To get a great result, students need to invest approx. 10 - 12 hours oflessons plus the same again in practice at home (which can take placeafter the course has finished). You really get out what you put in. This week's course is a fantasticintroduction to learning all of the keys.Students with a specific learning difficulty may take longer to reachtheir goal. Everyone goes at their own pace and as well as having accessto the programme for one year following the course, we also offerfollow on courses if required.How long does it take to learn?Welcome to our intensive one week course. Your tutor is lookingforward to working with you to help you achieve a great result. Pleaseread every page of this guide so you know exactly what you need to do.

1/2023Touch typing is learning to type quickly without looking at the keys – atthe moment you might be hunting and pecking at the keys and aftercompleting the course you will be able to type without looking at thekeys. Your speed will increase with practice. You will belearning to type by touch so your brain will know where your fingersneed to go without you even thinking! It's like magic and will be one ofthe best skills you ever learnt!What is touch typing?Watch the video!This is an example of someone typing at 60wpm. This takes months ofpractice. To learn the skill, you need to start typing at 10wpm or lesswith your fingers barely moving. Only when you are fully competent,will you be able to pick up speed whilst maintaining a high accuracy.

Read through this pack carefullyA pair of headphonesA keyboard coverBuy some velcro stickersA computer or laptop Separate screen if using a computerA suitable workstationA full size keyboardZoom installed with screen sharingA printed hand guide (attached to email)A printed ‘memory maker’ sheet (attached to email)Software login to handWhat you will need to do (or have) before thecourse starts...Carry on reading through this pack to find out more.

Our tutors are patient, kind and understanding.Our tutors will guide your child through their lessons, giving advice,set new lessons and offer support and encouragement throughoutthe course.We will demonstrate the keystrokes to your child before they learnnew keys to avoid mistakes. We will ensure your child has regular breaks for optimum learning.Lessons will be set for your child each day so that they can copewith the workload.All advice is individual for your child.Parent/Child & Tutor RelationshipTutorPlease read all supporting literature and important informationBEFORE the course starts.Make sure your child has their velcro stickers and cover for theirhands.Please support your child and offer praise and encouragementthroughout the course.Please be patient with their progress and don't try and rush themthrough their work. Ensure they have a quiet environment to do their practice and asuitable workspace. Ensure they do their practice regularly and complete their practiceby the feedback day.Parent/Child

Computer programmeThe programme is browser based on any PC with internet accessincluding iPad (with a separate keyboard attached). The login is shownon your email. Please note that you should not use www. to login as thiswill not take you to the correct account. The URL is:typeit.typingclub.com. Laptop v separate keyboardBear in mind that if you are using a keyboard with 'flat' keys - e.g. a mackeyboard it is more sensitive than a traditional school 'clunky'keyboard. If you want to use a keyboard like this - they cost about£10.00 on Amazon. Click here for a link to buy. Having a separate keyboard will also allowus to use your webcam to check your finger positioning. But don’tworry if you only have a laptop at home. If this is going to be what youare using every day, you will get used to it. You will need a slightlydifferent-sized cover for a laptop. ScreenTry and use a large screen for the best learning experience. Adjust yourscreen brightness to suit you.Before you start - check your equipment

Let's make the most out of our learning sessions. Get to your studyspace a few minutes before the Zoom class and make sure your internetconnection and computer are working.HeadphonesPlease use headphones during the lesson because it means we don'thear any background noise or your software noises which can bedistracting for others in your group. You can test out the sound to makesure they work in Zoom before you start by launching Zoom and clickingon ‘New Meeting’. This is a good way to test out your settings tomake sure you are happy with the setup.Quiet EnvironmentPlease ensure that you are working in a quiet environment withoutdistractions or too much background noise. You will need to listencarefully to instructions. If there is too much background noise it canbe very hard for the tutor to hear you. (See other notes in Zoom policyabout your workplace setup.)Velcro stickersOn every keyboard there are two little bumps on the F and J keys. Theyare called the home row keys and our fingers always go back to thesetwo bumps. To make them easier to find we ask you to buy some fluffyvelcro stickers. You will need about 10 of them. You can buy them fromAmazon. If they don't arrive in time, use blue tack instead. Before you start - check your equipment

Safety First - Check your setup at home

Where is my Zoom link?You will find your Zoom link in your email. Using ZoomInstalling Zoom - how to avoid problemsWe advise you to download the free Zoom desktop client(programme) onto your computer rather than run it from yourbrowser as it causes problems with screen sharing.CHECK FOR ZOOM UPDATES: If you already have the Zoom desktopclient installed, you can check for updates by signing in, clicking onyour profile picture and clicking ‘check for updates.On Macs, there are some settings you need to change to ensurescreen share is operational. You can google how to do this. Pleasenote that we will not have time to do this when the lesson is takingplace, so please take the time to check this before the lesson starts.How to join the Zoom Classroom – just before yourlesson.Click on the link emailed to you and save it in your browser.Click on ‘Join with Video’Click on ‘Join with computer audio’. You may wish to check youraudio first before you start.Make sure your name on screen matches the one on your bookingform otherwise we may not let you into the meeting. You canrename yourself in Zoom.Wait to be let you into the meeting. At the top right of the Zoom screen, you will see 9 little dots whichallows you to switch between Gallery and Speaker view.For the purposes of our lessons, please stay on the Speaker view soyou can clearly see any instructions.

At some point in the lesson you will be asked to share your screenso that your tutor can watch you do your typing. Do not do this until instructed.The screen share button can be found at the bottom of your screen.It’s highlighted in green, so you can’t miss it. You then need to selectthe programme in the browser. (Do not tick the ‘share computersound’ box).When you are typing, you may find it easier to minimise the videowindows on the right hand side of your screen (showing other users)so they don’t distract you from your typing. You will see 3 different bars – click on the second option which willshow your tutor. I would like you to keep this on so you can see anyinstructions that need to be given.You will need to listen carefully to any instructions. Sometimes there is a delay between sound and video so listen outcarefully. IF IT'S NOT WORKING - IT MAY BE BECAUSE YOU NEED TO DOWNLOADTHE ZOOM DESKTOP CLIENT OR YOU DON'T HAVE THE LATESTVERSION INSTALLED.Zoom - Screen Sharing

Never ever look at the keys or down at your fingers.If you do look at your fingers then what you learn will be stored ina different part of your brain and you won't ever be touch typing automatically. Use a box or light towel to coveryour hands every time. A box is best. See next page on how tomake one BEFORE your first lesson. If your hands are covered you willnot be tempted to cheat yourself and look.Keep your elbows in and by your body otherwise your fingers won’tbe in the right place on the keys. To do this push your keyboard orlaptop away from you so that you can rest your forearms on thedesk and move your elbows close to your body. (THIS IS SOIMPORTANT AND WE SEE THIS AS ONE OF THE MOST COMMONERRORS).Keep your fingers curved and relaxed. If they are not curved yourlittle fingers might fall off the keys.Try and move just your fingers – not your wrists.Don’t rest your wrist on the keyboard.Use your finger pads to strike the keys, not your fingernail. It helpsto keep your nails short.Don’t keep all your fingers stuck rigidly to the keys but make sureyou put your fingers back on the home keys.Type the keys gently - they should barely make a sound.Things that can affect your accuracyNo peeking!

Making a keyboard coverYou can make your own cover from a cereal box, shoe box or anycardboard box. At our centres, we use a box made of foam board andstuck together with wood glue. It’s really easy to make and quitesturdy. You can buy foamboard from Hobbycraft or on Amazon. Butyou can easily make a cover from a box.Making a cover for a SEPARATE keyboard The box has a top and a short side and a long side (at the back). Youmight have to cut a small notch at the back for keyboard wires. Approx Size: 330mm (length) x 200mm (width) x 100mm (height)Optional: Use some felt or other material to cover the front of the boxfixing it on the underside of the box. Helps to avoid peeking under thebox! Making a cover for a LAPTOP keyboardYou will need to change the design for a laptop keyboard – just 2short ends and a top. Some may find that the cover is difficult to usewith a laptop because the height of it obscures the screen. Make sureit is tall enough so hands don't touch the top but not so deep that youcan't see the screen.Here are a few solutions: Use a separate keyboard plugged into the laptop. This optionmeans the laptop can be raised up on a couple of books so thatthe cover can be easily used and not obscure the screen. It alsogives you the chance to add velcro stickers without worryingabout taking them on/off especially if the laptop is shared byother members of the family. If you don’t have a separate keyboard just use a tea towel or lightcloth over your hands. Don’t worry about the piece of felt on our box. We have it as anextra deterrent to “peeking”.

Keyboard cover for a separate keyboardWatch the video about using a cover

Finger positioningRemember to keep your fingers on the home row keys, especially thehome keys which are the F and the J keys. Make sure you put a Velcro sticker on these two keys so that yourfingers can easily find them when your hands are covered. If you go back to these home row keys every time you reach for a key,you won’t go wrong. Every time you strike a key and move a finger – go back home, straightaway.Watch the video about finger positioningDyslexic/dyspraxic students - note for parentsIf your child is severely dyslexic or dyspraxic, it may be necessary todo without a cover so that you can check the fingers are not movingaround too much. In some cases, children that are really struggling may find it beneficialto use colour stickers on the keys and their fingers to match thecolours used as part of the software. You can buy colour stickershere. We will give you some feedback on this so don't worry.As the course progresses there should be less of a need to look downespecially for the ‘easier’ keys.

The lessons have to be completed in the order in which they appear. As the lessons are completed, your tutor will unlock further lessonsbut only if you have reached the minimum 95% accuracy required. If you find any of elements of the course difficult or your tutor hasasked you to repeat lessons because of lower accuracies, you may notlearn all of the letters in 1 week. If you don’t manage to finish learningall of the keys in time, don’t worry, you can practice yourself at theend of the course or join one of our follow on courses.The lessons follow in a sequential order starting with: Home Row Top Row Type Test 1 (home and top row) Bottom Row Paragraph practice home/top rowShiftParagraph typing with shiftType Test 2 all keysAll lessons have been set up so that you will see your real accuracyand speed when you have completed a lesson. Make sure you arelooking at the REAL accuracy, not the adjusted accuracy. This gives you instant feedback and allows you to see what errors youhave made. You will be asked to repeat any lessons where you getunder 95%. Most lessons will ask you to do this automatically.The Lessons

The Typing ProgrammeWe use the Typing Club portal to host our lesson plans which havebeen modified and new content created by us. It is NOT the freeprogramme so make sure your child doesn't log into this by mistake.There are a number of accessibility options on the programme thatwe can set for your child if required. These include different fonts,font sizes, screen backgrounds.If your child has dyslexia or dyspraxia, we can also set up a colouronscreen keyboard for them. This will help them match their fingersto the keys more easily. PLEASE PRINT - Stick to the top of their cover (copy of this is attached to your email)To work alongside the colour keyboard guide, we ask you to print outthe hand guide below and stick this to the top of their cover. Thishand guide is attached to your email for printing. If your child doesnot have a specific learning difficulty, you may choose not toprint/use this.

Our Very Important ‘Memory Makers’PLEASE PRINT - Required for your first lesson. Stick tothe top of your screen (copy of this is attached to youremail)Watch the video about ‘Memory Makers’These are SO IMPORTANT to learn off by heart. We will go throughthese during your first lesson, but start learning them now.They are words (sometimes nonsense words) that makeup acombination of keys and if you say them out loud as you strike thekey it helps your brain to remember.How do they work?The brain learns the finger movements by word association. Each‘Memory Maker’ is associated to three or more keys, so rather thanlearn where 26 letters of the alphabet are, you just have to rememberand say out loud just 8 words. It's less stress for the working memory.

How To Say The ‘Memory Makers’AQAA Key (pronounced Aqua)SWSS Key (pronounced Swoos)DEDD key (pronounced Dead)FRFF key (pronounced Froof)Go HomeG and H keysJUJJ key (pronounced Judge)KIKLOLL key (pronounced Lol)K key (pronounced Kick)PINKYP and semi colon key

How To Say The ‘Memory Makers’STRETCHMake sure you have a velcroon this key. It's a stretch.TRIANGLEBecause the F, T and G keysmake a triangle shape moveyour finger diagonally acrossROCKETImagine your finger is goingstraight up like a rocketUMBRELLAImagine you are putting upan umbrella with this fingerNever MindHelps you remember whichway around they goVery BottomHelps you remember whichway around they goA word of warning: if you choose NOT to use the memory makers it maytake you longer to remember the keys.

Speed and AccuracyTo develop strong key-stroking skills you’ll have to trade off speedfor accuracy or accuracy for speed. Both are important but at thestart your focus should only be on accuracy.If it is below 95% - you will be asked to repeat the lesson. Remember - aim for accuracy before speed. In the early stagesyou should ignore your speed and focus solely on accuracy.There’s no point having a high speed if you have to keepcorrecting your work – sort of defeats the object!Watch the video explaining about speedYou may want to race to the end of the course as soon as possible,but touch typing takes time and there are no short cuts! If your typing speed and accuracy skills are not well developed youwill not be able to progress through the programme. So take yourtime and all the practice will soon pay off.Patience is a virtue!

Common problems to watch out forHere are some of the problems we see regularly and we share themwith you because it may help you to know them in advance. Don'tworry - your tutor will give you advice and support.Typing too fast – affects accuracy. Slower is better when starting.No more than 10-15wpm.Not using the ‘Memory Makers’. If you try and remember all 26letters of the alphabet by where they are on the keyboard, youare going to find it HARD! You only have to learn 7 trigger words!Missing velcros - don't forget to buy/put them on!Not doing enough practice – if you don’t practice, your brainwon’t retain the information!Not watching the onscreen videos on the program - if you don'twatch and practice, you may use the wrong fingers (we see thisall the time!).Fingers not returning to the home row keys after you strike a key– this means your fingers are flying around the keyboard withoutknowing where to go!Getting the G and H keys mixed up - remember the words GOHOME.Getting the I and O keys mixed up. Use the words KIK and LOL tohelp you remember.Hitting the R key instead of the T key Use the word ROCKET toremember the R and TRIANGLE to remember to go diagonallyacross.Going to the U key instead of the Y key - don't forget to stretchwith your right index finger.Using the index finger to type the C key. You should be using yourmiddle finger.Keeping the on-screen keyboard instead of turning it off for thepractice lessons.REMEMBER - SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE!

Most important things to remember....To get the best out of course - USE THE MEMORY MAKERS TO HELP YOUR BRAINREMEMBER THE FINGER PATTERNS.Other tips:Make sure you are sitting comfortably with feet on the floor andthe desk in line with your belly button.Keep your elbows tucked into your body so your fingers staysquare on the keyboard.Only move ONE finger at a time on the keyboard – the otherfingers do not move.Whisper keys - Another effective tip to master the top row keys,and any other ones, is to whisper the name of the key when youhit it.Don’t be disappointed if you make mistakes. Learning to typetakes time and decent practicing. Just repeat repeat repeat.GO SLOW SLOW SLOW: - it’s so important to go slowly whenlearning otherwise you will make lots of mistakes.

Have you made a keyboard cover?Have you got velcro stickers or blue tack?Have you tested the software? (just login/don'tcomplete any lessons).Have you checked you have the updated version ofZoom and screen sharing is enabled?Do you know the Zoom link to use? (it's in youremail).Have you printed the hand guide and memory makersheets?Have you made sure the workstation is well set up?Do they have headphones to use?Has your child had a good night's sleep?Final Checklist

The boring...but quite important stuffZoom Policy: Parents/carers and students are reminded that for the duration of thesession the space in your home where the session takes places is public and will be audibleand visible via your camera. With respect to particular behaviours, language and dress-code,that space should be regarded as equivalent to a school classroom.By completing a booking form, Parents/carers have given prior consent to their child takingpart in the Type IT! Touch Typing course delivered through the Zoom Education Platform,and agree to the following code of conduct:Parents/carers should ensure their child's name is correctly entered in the Zoom profilebefore starting the session.Parents/carers should be nearby when the lesson takes place, but are not expected todirectly take part in the lesson unless their child is very young and has been advised todo so.Parents/carers should announce their presence to the tutor at the start of the lesson.If a parent/carer is not present on the first day of the lesson, then the lesson will beterminated by the tutor. The pupil may then re-join once an adult is present.Other children are not allowed to be present during lessons.Students should receive lessons in a shared family space and preferably not in astudent's bedroom, unless there is no alternative.Parents/carers should maintain an 'open door' policy during lessons.Students and parents/carers should know how to act if they have any concerns withregards to a tutor or other Type IT! staff member. Concerns should be sent towendy@touchtypeit.co.uk.Students should be dressed appropriately for a lesson, wearing clothes suitable forbeing seen in public.Parents/carers must also adhere to the expectations of dress and setting.Language must always be professional and appropriate during lessons, including anyfamily members that may pass in the background. Any untoward behaviour and theperson will be removed from the Zoom room.Please ensure your child: Keeps their microphone muted when asked to. Keeps their video camera switched on throughout the session. Does not to share session IDs and passcodes via the internet. When screen sharing they should be careful only to share the computer programme, not any other personal data.Situates themselves so that their webcam is not pointing towards a window. This willhelp to make their video stream clearer.They should be sat at an appropriate desk with a suitable chair for working.

On day 1 they will meet the rest of the Zoom mates. they will be split into small break-outrooms with their allocated tutor. We will aim for them to have the same tutor each day.During every lesson, we will make sure that the children know what they have to do, explainanything that they don’t understand, and make sure they are using the right fingers for thekeys. It’s important that we make the lessons enjoyable and also motivate them to do well. Every child goes at their own pace so although their group will start together, they may wellend up working on different lessons. There is no pressure put on any of the students if theyworking on prior lessons compared to the others in their group. Without us being able to check their finger positioning, we are expecting them to be able tofollow our visual instructions using our cameras. This is why it is helpful to have a parentpresent for the first session. Using screen share we will be able to see what they are typingand give them support on how to improve.They will be given a little bit of practice to do at the end of each day to consolidate whatthey have learned that day. No more than 20 minutes. The Software - you should now have a link for the home user copy of the software. This isincluded in your fee. Please ensure you know the login to the programme so that your childcan practice each day. Please note that this login is for the person enrolled on the course.Do not let anyone else in the family use your account. You will have access to the programfor a further 3 months once the course has finished.I would recommend that where possible your child uses a full-sized keyboard (as we doin the lessons). Don’t worry if you only have a laptop at home as your child will soon getused to using both. Covering the hands – THIS IS REALLY IMPORTANT!! - the only way to learn to touch typewithout looking at the keys is to cover the hands. Make sure you have made a cover to useat home.What will my child learn in one week? - the time it takes for your child to learn to touchtype effectively depends on a number of factors; age, natural ability, and any additionalpractice they do during the week. Some children (perhaps those with learning difficulties orthose that find it difficult to focus or to find time to practice) may take longer to reach theirgoal. Others will work quickly without having to repeat lessons. Every child is encouraged togo at their own pace. All children will learn the home row and most of the top row keys.Many children start on the bottom row, and some finish learning all of the keys includingshift, and punctuation. It tends to be our older students that are touch-typing paragraphsconfidently by the end of the week.Info for parents...how the course works...

Please support and encourage your childLearning to touch type requires a lot of hard work and dedication. We will show yourchild the finger positioning but the end result and speed is dependent on theamount of effort they put into their practice once the course has finished.Please make sure they are not peeking at their fingersIf they are peeking, they won’t be learning. Please ensure they use keyboard cover ora light towel to cover their hands and are not looking underneath at any time.Missed Lessons/Refunds Policy: If your child is ill on any of the days, we can set someadditional work for them to do once the course has finished. We cannot carry over anydays missed through absence.Children with learning differences e.g. dyslexia, dyspraxia, dysgraphia: Our sessionsare group lessons based on one tutor to a maximum of four students. Therefore yourchild should be able to work independently and not require one-to-one support. Forthose who are very young, and have severe learning or concentration difficulties, it isvery important to consult with the course leader before booking your child on thecourse. Private one-to-one lessons might be the better option. If we find that your childis struggling with a class lesson, we will discuss this with you and offer you an alternativesolution.

The Small Print DisclaimersThird-Party Software DisclaimerAny links to third-party software that are passed on to you from us are provided “as is”without warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied and such software is to be usedat your own risk. The use of the third-party software is done at your own discretion and riskand with agreement that you will be solely responsible for any damage to your computersystem or loss of data that results from such activities. You are solely responsible for adequate protection and backup of the data and equipmentused in connection with any of the software we specify, and we will not be liable for anydamages that you may suffer connection with downloading, installing, using, modifying ordistributing such software. No advice or information, whether oral or written, obtained by you from us shall create anywarranty for the software.Additionally, we make no warranty that:The third-party software will meet your requirements.The third-party software will be uninterrupted, timely, secure or error-free.The results from the use of the third-party software will be effective, accurate or reliable.The quality of the third-party software will meet your expectations.If errors or problems occur in connection with a download of the third-party softwareobtained from us, they will be corrected.The links to third-party software and the related documentation made available to you aresubject to the following conditions:The software could include technical or other mistakes, inaccuracies or typographicalerrors.At any time without prior notice, we may make changes to the links pointing to third-partysoftware or documentation made available on the third-party’s website.The software may be out of date, and we make no commitment to update such materials.We assume no responsibility for errors or omissions in the third-party software ordocumentation available from its website.In no event shall we be liable to you or any third parties for any special, punitive, incidental,indirect or consequential damages of any kind, or any damages whatsoever, including,without limitation, those resulting from loss of use, lost data or profits, or any liability,arising out of or in connection with the use of this third-party software.

Our tutors are friendly, highly experienced and here to help your child learn to touchtype and have fun! Some of our tutors have attended one of our courses, so knowexactly how to get you through the course with a fantastic result! Our tutors are fullytrained and have an Enhanced DBS certificate and adhere to our Tutor ZoomSafeguarding Policy. Please ask if you would like to see any of our policies andprocedures or copies of DBS checks.The Type IT! TeamWe look forward to meeting you!