IMPORTANT NOTES FOR UNIT 4: KEYBOARDING

Important Notes for Unit 4: Keyboarding

 

Model for and teach students the proper body posture for effective keyboarding. Students should have the following posture:

• Sit straight up in chair
• Back straight
• Feet flat on the floor
• Arms parallel with the keyboard
• Wrists low but off keyboard
• Fingers curved and upright
• Eyes focused on copy

 

Refer to the fingers as such: index (L1/R1), middle (L2/R2), ring (L3/R3), pinky (L4/R4) and thumb (RT). Teach up to four letters per class meeting using oral instruction and/or keyboarding textbook. Use keyboarding software to supplement instruction. Space ONCE after all punctuation marks. Numeric keyboarding and numeric keypad instruction should only take place if time allows.

 

Ongoing timed writings are necessary to improve speed throughout the entire course. To calculate net words a minute (NWAM), subtract errors from gross words a minute (GWAM) with the formula GWAM-errors=NWAM. You should spend no more than seven weeks on keyboarding instruction. Continue to have students perform timed writings throughout the school year. Students should strive for 30 NWAM by the end of the school year.