Guest post by Adam Fort, an education strategist at Ratatype
Many fields of work require fast, efficient typing to complete tasks in short spans of time. If you find yourself having trouble improving your typing speed in order to match up with the competition, do not fear. There are online typing tutors available that provide programs and exercises that can help you truly master the art of the keyboarding. Below are five of them you might want to check out:
- Keybr. Specializing in touch typing, this site makes use of statistics and algorithms in order to find the best lessons for your existing skill set. It measures the individual speed with which you strike each letter on a keyboard in order to create typing exercises that work on your weaknesses. The lessons progress slowly based on your improvement, adding more easily readable, randomly generated letters and words in wider varieties as you become a better typist. Your progress is shown to you in charts and tracked with a calendar for timely lessons. Aside from that, the site supports a few different languages and keyboard formats so that you can learn regardless of your device or native tongue.
- The Typing Cat. A variety of different typing courses is available here. The lessons range from the standard basic and advanced courses to learning typing based on HTML 5, EcmaScript 6, and CSS 3 examples. The tutor also supports multiple keyboard formats and is designed to work alongside certain Internet browsers. Each exercise is designed to help you type faster, improve accuracy, and increase your productivity level. You can even choose to create custom courses to suit your personal needs, or make use of those created by other users.
- Ratatype. This site makes an excellent tutor, as it focuses on mastering the skills you already have in place in order to make you type faster and more accurately. There are lessons provided that focus on increasing current typing speed in addition to programs that teach you how to touch type. Together, these two elements make for the ability to type fast without so much as glancing at the keyboard. In addition, there are options available for you to challenge your friends or utilize the site to teach a group of students. Alongside these features, the tutor includes a comprehensive guide on correct posture, finger positions, and finger motion that will help improve your technique, alongside general tips on typing speed. Here, let’s get you started: take a typing test to find out how quickly you can type, and earn yourself a free certificate upon completion!
- Typing.com. This typing tutor aims for a more educational experience, with its programs geared towards teachers and students who want to improve their accuracy and speed. However, you don’t have to be in school to make use of its features. The program is suitable for users of all ages, and works by introducing letters of the keyboard in each exercise at varying levels of difficulty. You even earn badges along the way to add to your motivation. The site boasts over 2 million users per week, and has testimonials that claim positive results. With that being said, the demographic of the site means that the exercises can seem more juvenile at times.
- Typing Club. Aimed at improving touch typing, this typing tutor provides an engaging interactive experience while you learn, and can be used by students and teachers as well if required. It includes a guide to proper hand placement on the keyboard, and each lesson must be repeatedly practiced until a full five star score is achieved. Each lesson focuses specifically on a few letters and offers levels, badges, stars, and similar rewards to encourage users to progress further and stay on track. The tutor also offers a playback option, where you can look back on your previous attempts and analyze your progress.This website is also a Google for Education Partner.
Remember, when learning any new skill, practice makes perfect. These sites are designed to provide you with that aforementioned practice while teaching you new techniques and adding to your skill set. Not sure where to start? Take a typing speed test (like the one we mentioned earlier), set a goal for yourself, and just keep trying to reach it. Go on, give one a try, and become a better typist today!
BIO
Adam Fort is an education strategist at Ratatype. This project helps children and adults to learn touch typing via online typing tests and lessons. Adam is in charge of developing the proper typing lessons and exercises for typists who want to improve their typing speed. He also has a commercial pilot’s licence which he is extremely proud of.