Re: Is 1st grade too early for keyboarding?

Lance Eggleston (legglest@buffnet.net)
Sat, 3 Aug 1996 02:11:57 EDT

>> The principle at our elementary school (which only has K-3 grades) has
>> decided that next year, all but the kindergarten classes will do
>> keyboarding for 20 minutes once a week, then a second class during the
>> week will focus on word processing for 30 minutes.
** big snip**

We start all our students on computers in K, both for applications,
exploration and formal keyboarding instruction. The goal is 20 wpm at 90%
accuracy by 3rd grade. Most of the students easily make this goal, many go
way beyond it and they have no trouble with the "big" keyboard.... 'cause
they see it as that's the way it is. It IS amazing to see these little
tykes touch typing with such speed and accuracy, but it's not difficult for
them to do... it does require time and practice, so the classroom teachers
must accomodate.

Keyboarding is the basic skill to use the computer for most other purposes,
so teach the correct methods to the kids early. Adults tend to WAY
underestimate what children can learn and do.

Just my opinion.

lance

Lance Eggleston
Director of Instructional Technology
Hamburg Central Schools
5305 Abbott Road
Hamburg NY 14075 USA
legglest@buffnet.net