In today’s digital age, typing is an essential skill. Whether you’re a student, professional, or simply navigating the online world, efficient typing can significantly boost your productivity and open up new opportunities. Learning to touch type, the ability to type without looking at the keyboard, is a game-changer. This guide will explore the benefits of touch typing and introduce you to effective methods to master this valuable skill.
Why Learn to Touch Type? Unlocking Efficiency and Accuracy
Touch typing offers a multitude of advantages that extend beyond just speed. It’s about working smarter, not harder, at your keyboard.
Increased Efficiency and Productivity
Imagine typing at lightning speed without constantly glancing down at your fingers. Touch typing dramatically increases your typing speed, allowing you to complete tasks faster, whether it’s writing emails, reports, or coding. This efficiency translates directly into increased productivity in your studies, work, and personal projects.
Improved Accuracy and Reduced Errors
Looking at the keyboard while typing often leads to errors. Touch typing trains your muscle memory, enabling your fingers to find the right keys instinctively. This results in fewer typos, cleaner documents, and less time spent correcting mistakes. Accuracy is just as crucial as speed, and touch typing enhances both.
Enhanced Focus and Reduced Fatigue
Constantly switching your focus between the screen and the keyboard can be tiring for your eyes and mind. Touch typing allows you to maintain your focus on the screen and your thoughts, reducing mental fatigue and allowing for longer, more productive work sessions. This streamlined process makes typing less of a chore and more of a seamless part of your workflow.
Boosted Literacy Skills: Reading and Spelling
Surprisingly, learning to touch type can also improve your reading and spelling skills. As you train your fingers to associate keys with letters and words, you strengthen your understanding of letter patterns and word structures. This multi-sensory approach engages different parts of your brain, reinforcing literacy skills in a practical and engaging way.
Benefits for Individuals with Dyslexia and Learning Differences
Touch typing is particularly beneficial for individuals with dyslexia and other learning differences. The multi-sensory nature of touch typing, involving tactile, visual, and auditory senses, can bypass some of the challenges associated with dyslexia. It helps improve phonological awareness and memory, crucial for both reading and spelling.
Introducing Touch-type Read and Spell (TTRS): A Proven Method
Touch-type Read and Spell (TTRS) is an award-winning, multi-sensory online course designed to teach touch typing while simultaneously improving reading and spelling skills. Developed with over 30 years of expertise and backed by research, TTRS offers a structured and engaging approach to mastering keyboard skills.
Key Features of TTRS:
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Research-Based: TTRS is developed in line with language and education research, and its effectiveness is continually supported by new studies. This ensures that the methodology is grounded in solid pedagogical principles.
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Dyslexia-Friendly: The content is structured using word lists from ‘Alpha to Omega,’ a dyslexia-friendly, Orton Gillingham approach. This structured, phonics-based method is highly effective for learners with dyslexia and other learning difficulties.
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Step-by-Step Learning: The course features 24 core levels, each containing 31 modules, with over 4,500 words in total. This progressive structure ensures a gradual and manageable learning curve.
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Writing Skills Focus: Free writing sessions are integrated to help learners bridge the gap between typing practice and real-world writing applications on the computer.
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Highly Accessible: TTRS is designed to be inclusive, with customizable colors, fonts, audio, and designs to accommodate specific reading, attention, and sensory needs.
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Custom Content: Administrators can use the subject creator to add custom spelling lists and lessons, tailoring the program to specific learning requirements or subject matter.
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Gamified Learning: Trophies and weekly targets are incorporated to motivate learners and encourage consistent engagement with the program, making learning fun and rewarding.
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Reporting Features: TTRS provides administrators with tools to track learner performance and usage through results dashboards and a smartphone app, enabling progress monitoring and intervention.
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Maths & Science Modules: Specialized modules focus on maths and science vocabulary, supporting numeracy skills and helping learners master challenging subject-specific terms.
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Multi-Sensory Approach: Typing lessons engage visual, auditory, and kinaesthetic (touch) senses, creating a fully immersive learning experience that enhances memory and retention.
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Optional Tutor Support: An international network of online and private tutors is available for learners who require additional personalized guidance and support.
How TTRS Works: Modular Design and Multi-Sensory Engagement
TTRS employs a modular design and a multi-sensory approach to make learning touch typing effective and enjoyable.
Modular and Bite-Size Learning
The course is structured into 24 levels, each containing 31 modules. These modules are designed to be completed in short sessions, typically taking just a few minutes each. It is recommended to complete 2-3 modules per session, making it easy to fit into busy schedules and maintain learner focus. Immediate feedback and positive reinforcement, including scores based on accuracy and completion, motivate learners and build confidence.
Basic Phonics and First Success
TTRS starts with the basics, teaching learners to touch type, read, and spell the vowels – a, e, i, o, u. Audio accompaniment reinforces the sound-letter correspondence as letters appear on screen, a crucial skill for decoding words in reading. Learners quickly experience their first success, receiving a score and building early confidence.
Phonics, Repetition, and Whole-Word Learning
Level two introduces words grouped by onset, vowel-blend, and final consonant (e.g., fed, wed, led). This method teaches phonics in context while simultaneously familiarizing learners with key positions using on-screen hand guides. Repetition is key to moving words into long-term memory and making typing feel more natural and comfortable. This over-learning approach is particularly helpful for learners with dyslexia, who may experience working memory and processing challenges.
Multi-Sensory Approach for Enhanced Learning
TTRS leverages a multi-sensory approach to repetition learning. Learners hear words spoken, see them printed on screen, and receive visual prompts indicating which fingers to use via the on-screen keyboard. By engaging visual, auditory, and tactile senses, TTRS helps learners harness muscle memory in their fingers and hands to learn spelling and typing simultaneously.
What Users Are Saying About TTRS
TTRS has garnered positive feedback from educators, homeschoolers, and adult learners alike.
“The program is easy to use with clear instructions and performance feedback. It sets a tone for all of our students. More importantly, students enjoy using it. TTRS reinforces letter sounds for those who need literacy help and provides visual and auditory input so even students with severe attention challenges are motivated and self-directed.” – Lisa, Teacher in a small rural school
“They both do one lesson a day. TTRS is the first time they’ve actually enjoyed learning typing and I think it’s because of how they can see their improvements and progress. It motivates them. They love telling me they got a 99% today and showing me the graph that has their scores on the different modules.” – Alle, Homeschooler of two children
“One of the things I like most about the Touch-type Read and Spell Course are the subjects. They have technical terms and definitions from science and math that you can practice typing… He had such a high level of success with the program that I created an account for him.” – Jen, Adult learner and homeschooling mom
“Listening to the words in Touch-type Read and Spell really helps me. I can hear and see the word, so it’s easier for me to pinpoint whatever little thing I’m doing in my mind that’s not working… TTRS is great because it helps me see these issues. Plus, I like it and I actually look forward to doing it!” – Alexis, Adult learner with mild dyslexia
Trusted and Recognized by Leading Organizations
TTRS is recognized and endorsed by reputable organizations in the fields of education and dyslexia.
The British Dyslexia Association
Being a BDA Assured product signifies that the British Dyslexia Association believes TTRS is effective in supporting dyslexia, based on established scientific principles.
The CPD Certification Service
TTRS is accredited by the CPD Certification Service, assuring its learning activity meets Continuing Professional Development standards and benchmarks for integrity and quality.
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award
TTRS is a Skills Approved Activity Provider for The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, recognizing its typing course as a valuable skills development opportunity for participants.
Choose the Right TTRS Solution for You
TTRS offers tailored solutions for different needs and learning environments.
For Home
Learn touch typing and strengthen literacy skills at home, suitable for both children and adults. Learn more
For Homeschoolers
Integrate touch typing into your homeschool curriculum with a focus on spelling and reading development. Learn more
For Schools
Equip your students with essential typing skills and enhance their spelling and reading abilities in a classroom setting. Learn more
Explore the Read and Spell Blog
For more insights and articles on literacy, dyslexia, and learning strategies, visit the Read and Spell Blog.
Read and Spell Blog
Read and Spell Blog
Dyslexia at work: Strategies for working from home
Read and Spell Blog
Disabled Students’ Allowance for Dyslexia
Conclusion: Empower Your Typing Journey Today
Learning to touch type is an investment in your future. It enhances productivity, improves accuracy, and boosts literacy skills. Touch-type Read and Spell provides a structured, engaging, and research-backed pathway to mastering this essential skill. Explore TTRS today and unlock your full typing potential.
