2. Finger positioning
3. Beginning
4. How long will it take for me to manage typewriting?
1. Spatial requirements
Work desk- the surface of the desk should be matt,
- arms resting on the desk should be at right angle in the elbows,
- the hold on the mouse should be relaxed,
- the mouse should be within arm’s reach.
- height-adjustable seat,
- adjustable backrest,
- armrests.
- upper edge of the screen should be at your eye level,
- perpendicular at your vision direction,
- LCD screen – high ergonomics – does not flicker, sharp image, almost none undesirable emission.
2. finger_positioning
Classic finger positioningHow can you write using all ten fingers? In order to write with the touch typing technique without looking on the bigger part of the PC keyboard – not unlike the typewriter keyboard – that is the alphanumeric partial keyboard, it is necessary to keep the hands in the base position which allows the fingers to move over the partial keyboard without looking. This finger position on individual keys is called base position. This is the finger position in the middle (home) row:
left hand | right hand | ||
---|---|---|---|
little finger | A | little finger | ; |
ring finger | S | ring finger | L |
middle finger | D | middle finger | K |
index finger | F | index finger | J |
thumb | space bar | thumb | space bar |
Starting position and tactile marks
You take the starting position by putting your fingers on the keyboard according to the table above. On the F and J keys you can find little bumps – tactile marks – which help you to get oriented on the keyboard. Index fingers are positioned on them in the starting position. While typing, you press the keys above and below the starting position as indicated in the picture. Fingers which are not currently used for typing should rest on the keyboard – of course, they should not press it, just touch. Another possibility is that they can be positioned slightly above the keyboard.
Basic principlesThe first principle is that when you press a key which is not in the middle (home) row, the hand does not deviate from its base position, only the finger moves. It is a useful principle, however, when touching keys located further, it is practically impossible to keep to it. So you should not overdo it with this principle, especially in the beginning of the learning. But it is very useful to practice putting the hand immediately back in the base position.
While typing a major character, SHIFT key should be pressed by the little finger of the opposite hand. This principle is very useful and I recommend it.
Space bar should be pressed by the hand which is more available at the moment. I prefer left hand, but this might be just my force of habit. In your case, it might be quite the opposite.
USE LITTLE FINGERS. Just like in the picture! Remembering my early learning days, this principle turned out the hardest to keep for me. In the beginning it will be very slow and hard, but do not be tempted to press for example “2” by the ring finger because it seems easier. Keeping to the “little fingers” principle will surely pay off in the future / for example you can write in your CV that you know how to typewrite with ten fingers and not only eight :-) /
BACKSPACE. Back when I learned to type on the typewriter, there was a principle of not getting back to the mistakes and continue writing. I, personally, recommend keeping to this principle while learning 10 finger typewriting as well. Of course, it is necessary to correct mistakes when you write some important documents /and it is better to do so as soon as you notice it/ but ignore mistakes while practicing if possible. I remember being tempted to correct even the slightest mistake immediately. In the case of using backspace, it is important, however, to put the hand back immediately in the base position.
3. Beginning
What do you need in the beginning?- to have a certain goal and a reason for getting started,
- the desire to learn typewriting,
- to find time for regular practice,
- it is convenient to begin with the easiest exercises on this site,
- DO NOT TRY TO TYPE FAST AT ONCE! Type slowly but CONTINUOUSLY. The time between pressing keys should be regular,
- do continue with new keys and exercises only after having well completed the previous ones.
- BE PATIENT!
- DO NOT TYPE FASTER UNNECESSARILY AT THE COST OF MAKING MORE MISTAKES. If you speed up and the number of mistakes increases significantly, try to slow down again.
- BE PATIENT ALL THE TIME!!
- The speed will come around if you practice regularly and consciously.
- SO I WISH YOU LOTS OF PATIENCE AND I HOPE THAT YOU WILL LEARN TO TYPEWRITE WITH ALL TEN FINGERS, ALSO WITH THE HELP OF THIS SITE!
4. How long will it take for me to manage typewriting?
This is surely individual for everyone. Also, the question is what does one mean by ten finger typewriting. While for some people it is sufficient to type without looking, someone might set a goal of a certain number of characters per minute.
From my point of view, as a computer user without the need to break time records in typing, it took me a few months to learn typewriting and I have gone through following phases:
- 1. week – enthusiasm for learning of something new…
- 2.-3. week – learning the positions of each letter and character
- 4.-8. week – practice, practice, practice – 2 hours a day approximately
- 9. week – the urge to quit trying because even without looking at the keyboard, I did not speed up
- 10. week approximately – BREAKTHROUGH – I don’t know if it is the general rule, but in my case it happened basically overnight – suddenly, there was the speed I had been waiting for
- from 10. week until now – constant practice – but this is something different… every time I write on a computer I use all ten fingers to stay in practice
I am not an especially talented person, you can certainly learn faster and better than me!