Grade by Grade
B. Foundations of Language · Handwriting, Spelling and Sentences

Touch-Typing and Editing on a Computer

D2.2 D2.6 A1.2About 40 minutes
Learning goals
  • I can sit and place my fingers on the home row keys.
  • I can type letters with the correct finger, without looking at the keys.
  • I can use a word processor to fix mistakes, and I know that spell-check can't catch everything.
  • I can practise a little at a time and track my progress.

Words to know

keyboarding
Typing on a computer keyboard.
touch-typing
Typing without looking at the keys. Each finger has its own keys.
home row
The middle row of letter keys, where your fingers rest: A S D F for the left hand and J K L ; for the right.
word processor
A computer program for writing and editing, like the ones schools use for documents.
spell-check
A tool in a word processor that marks words it thinks are spelled wrong.

Why learn to touch-type?

When you type with one or two fingers, you have to look at the keys, then the screen, then the keys again. It's slow and tiring.

Touch-typists keep their eyes on the screen. Each finger knows its own keys, the way your feet know the stairs at home. With practice, typing becomes quick and smooth, and you can fix mistakes as you go.

In Grade 4 you will begin to touch-type. Don't worry about speed yet. Correct fingers first, speed later.

Get ready to type

  • Sit tall with your back against the chair and feet flat on the floor (or on a box or stack of books).
  • Keep your wrists up, not resting heavily on the desk. Curve your fingers like you're holding a small ball.
  • The screen should be about an arm's length away, a little below eye level.
  • Eyes on the screen, not on your hands.
ASDFGHJKL;left handright handspace bar (thumbs)
The home row. Your fingers rest on A S D F and J K L ;. The F and J keys have small bumps so you can find them without looking. Your index fingers stretch over to reach G and H.

Finding home row without looking

Run your index fingers along the middle row until you feel the little bumps on F and J. Left index finger on F, right index finger on J. Now let your other fingers fall into place: A S D F on the left, J K L ; on the right. Thumbs rest lightly on the space bar.

After every key, your finger goes back home.

FingerLeft hand keysRight hand keys
Pinky (little finger)Q, A, Z, left ShiftP, ; (semicolon), / (slash), Enter, right Shift
Ring fingerW, S, XO, L, . (period)
Middle fingerE, D, CI, K, , (comma)
Index fingerR, F, V, T, G, BY, H, N, U, J, M
Thumbspace barspace bar
Which finger types which letter key. Each finger reaches up or down from its home key and comes back.
Worked example

Let's type the word "fall"

Type fall using touch-typing.

  1. Put your fingers on the home row. Feel the bumps on F and J.
  2. f: left index finger. It's already sitting on F, so just press.
  3. a: left pinky, which rests on A.
  4. l: right ring finger, which rests on L. Press it twice for ll.
  5. Tap the space bar with your thumb. Every finger is back on home row.

fall uses only home row keys. You never had to look down!

Worked example

Let's type a capital letter: "Jake"

Type Jake with a capital J.

  1. For a capital, hold down Shift with the pinky of the other hand. J is typed by the right hand, so hold left Shift with your left pinky.
  2. While holding Shift, press J with your right index finger. Let go of Shift.
  3. a: left pinky. k: right middle finger.
  4. e: left middle finger reaches up from D to E, then comes back home.

Jake: left Shift + J, then a, k, e. Using the opposite hand's Shift keeps your other fingers on home row.

It gets easier

Learning to touch-type feels slower at first than hunting with one finger. That's normal! In a few weeks of short practice, touch-typing becomes faster than hunting. Keep going, and check your progress every week.

Editing with a word processor

A word processor makes editing easy. You can fix mistakes without rewriting the whole page.

  • Backspace erases the letter to the left of the cursor. Delete erases the letter to the right (on most keyboards).
  • Undo takes back your last change: Ctrl + Z (or Command + Z on a Mac).
  • Cut, copy and paste move words around: Ctrl + X, Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V (Command on a Mac).
  • Spell-check often puts a wavy line under words it thinks are misspelled. Right-click to see suggestions.
StartsnowyThe cursor is between w and y.Press Backspacesnoyw is gone (it was left of the cursor)Press Deletesnowy is gone (it was right of the cursor)
The thick line is the cursor. Backspace erases the letter to its left; Delete erases the letter to its right.

Spell-check can't catch everything

Spell-check only knows whether a word exists. It doesn't always know if it's the right word. In I left my mitts over their., the word their is a real word, so spell-check might not mark it, but the correct word is there. Always reread your writing yourself.

A funny-but-true fact

Try this on a keyboard: every letter in lollipop is typed by your right hand, and every letter in sweater is typed by your left hand. Your other hand gets a little vacation!

Worked example

Let's edit a typed sentence

Ella typed: i went skating with my freind. Its fun! Fix it using a word processor.

  1. Spell-check puts a wavy line under freind. Right-click and choose friend.
  2. Spell-check may also fix the small i. If not, click after the i, press Backspace, and type a capital I using Shift.
  3. Now reread it yourself. Its fun means It is fun, so it needs an apostrophe: It's. (Spell-check might not catch this one!)
  4. Read it one more time from start to finish.

I went skating with my friend. It's fun!

Hands-on activity

Home row practice

You need: a computer, laptop or tablet with a keyboard and a blank document. (No computer? Draw a keyboard on paper using the table above, and practise the finger movements on the paper.)

  1. Find F and J with your eyes closed. Rest all eight fingers on home row.
  2. Type each word, saying the finger as you go: dad, sad, all, ask, fall, glass, flask, salad.
  3. Now type them again without looking at your hands. A grown-up can hold a tea towel loosely over your hands as a challenge.
  4. Type this sentence three times: A lad has a glass flask.
  5. One-minute check: type the sentence as many times as you can in one minute. Count the words. Write the number and the date on a paper progress chart.
  6. Try your one-minute check again on 3 different days this week. Remember: correct fingers and no peeking matter more than speed.

Take a short stretch break for your hands and eyes after 10 to 15 minutes.

Your turn

1

Name the home row keys for the left hand and for the right hand.

2

Which two keys have little bumps, and why?

3

Which finger types the letter E?

4

What do your thumbs do?

5

How do you type a capital T?

6

Leo typed We can sea the lake from here. Spell-check didn't mark any words. Is the sentence correct?

7

What is touch-typing?

More practice: warm-up

1

Where should your eyes be when you touch-type?

2

Which finger rests on A?

3

Which finger rests on J?

4

What does Ctrl + Z (or Command + Z) do?

5

Which comes first when you learn to type: speed or correct fingers?

More practice: on your own

1

Which finger types M? Which types P?

2

Type the word fish. Which hand and finger types each letter?

3

Can you type the word were with only your left hand? Explain.

4

Mila typed 60 words in 4 minutes. How many words per minute is that?

5

Why should you keep your wrists up and your fingers curved?

Challenge

1

Write a sentence that uses only home row letters (A S D F G H J K L), with spaces. Then type it.

2

Spell-check suggests changing thier to their. The sentence is I put my boots over thier. Should you click the suggestion? What should you do instead?

3

Make a 5-day practice plan to improve your typing. What will you do each day, and how will you know you're improving?

Check your understanding

Quiz

1.

Which keys are the home row keys for your left hand?

2.

Why do F and J have small bumps?

3.

Which finger presses the space bar?

4.

To type a capital A, which Shift key should you use?

5.

Spell-check didn't mark anything in The dog wagged it's tail. What's true?

6.

What is the best way to get faster at touch-typing?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: The Grade 4 Ontario Language curriculum (D2.2) asks children to begin to develop fluent keyboarding skills using touch-typing techniques, and D2.6 asks them to use a word processor to edit texts. Grade 4 is the beginning: accuracy and correct fingering matter far more than speed.

How to help at home:

  • Set up a comfortable spot: feet supported, screen at about arm's length, wrists not bent.
  • Short, regular sessions (10 minutes) work best. Many free typing programs exist; choose one your school recommends, and supervise any website your child uses.
  • Encourage "no peeking." A cloth loosely over the hands is a fun challenge.
  • When your child types schoolwork, have them reread it aloud. Spell-check misses homophones (their/there, its/it's) and correctly spelled wrong words.

Common difficulties:

  • Hunting with two fingers because it feels faster at first. Explain that touch-typing will overtake it with practice.
  • Looking down. Remind them to find F and J by feel.
  • Trusting spell-check completely. Show an example where spell-check picks the wrong word.
  • If your child has no computer at home, a paper keyboard still builds finger memory, and public libraries in Ontario often have computers available.