Recommendations for using the program at home
We understand that during periods of widespread school closures, many parents have been supervising their children’s touch-typing lessons at home.
What follows are some basic tips for using TTRS, including setting up a learning station, tailoring settings, offering feedback on typing skills, establishing a routine, and additional activities you can try. If you need more guidance, you can always visit detailed help pages using the links below.
Setting up a workstation
TTRS can be used on a desktop computer, laptop, or iPad. If you choose to run the program on a tablet, we recommend using a wireless keyboard as opposed to the on-screen keyboard. Learn more about equipment.
Choose a designated place where your child will work on TTRS
Make sure they have working speakers or headphones for the auditory component
Ensure the chair and table/desk are at the right height so your child’s wrists are not pressing against any hard edges. The screen should be at eye-level. Learn more about posture and seating.
Some families like to put up a poster showing the home-row hand position. Others print certificates of achievement and hang these on the wall to motivate learners. Depending on your child’s motor skills and dexterity, some putty to use before typing can help get the hands ready.
Checking the program’s settings
One of the most important things you can do is to sit back and observe your child typing and then consider adjusting the program’s settings to help suit their needs.
Here are some things to consider:
-Are the chosen text and background colors too similar? Text, copy-text, and background color can be changed.
-Are they finding the font difficult to read or the voice hard to hear? There are different fonts and voice options available.
-Would they benefit from having the words read out individually or hearing audio for the whole line at once? There are different audio play options.
-Is the spelling correct for their country of origin? UK and US spelling are both available.
-Is hearing the backspace key read aloud causing frustration? It can be turned off.
-Are they scoring 80% or higher before moving on? In order to master the material, it’s important for learners to achieve a minimum accuracy. We recommend they repeat a module until achieving 80% accuracy.
-Are the dictation modules too difficult? They can be turned off.
-Are the modules too easy? Any module can be made into a dictation and admins can unlock levels so children can work on more advanced modules.
-Are they typing on the line below when it would be better for them to overtype the words (or vice-versa)? There are different typing options available.
-Are words disappearing and then having to be typed twice? This means Remember-and-Repeat is turned on, but it can also be turned off.
-Is the applause at the end of a module distracting? It can be turned off.
These and more settings can be adjusted from inside a student’s login or by visiting a student account through your admin login. Learn more about TTRS Settings.
Offering feedback on typing skills
The first modules in the TTRS course are training modules that provide instruction on how to place the hands on the keyboard and use different fingers to type designated keys.
Throughout the course, on-screen hand-guides provide visual cues, so a learner can avoid looking down at their hands. However, you may find from observing your child that they need additional reinforcement or help with typing technique.
Here are some things to consider:
Do they know the home row position (the base position where their hands go before they begin typing)? You might consider printing some visual guides to hang up around the house or teaching them to feel for the raised bumps on the F and J keys to get their hands in position.
Are they returning to the home row position between typing keys? They may need you to remind them to do this. Some parents have made a video that focuses on their child’s hands while they are typing. Having them observe what they are doing can help troubleshoot difficulties with returning to the home row position.
Are they finding certain keys or letter combinations difficult? They may just need encouragement as it can take time for new movement patterns to feel comfortable. You can try putting putty on certain keys to provide a touch-based guide for tricky letters. If a key is not getting easier, you can create practice modules using the Subject Creator to help your child target the letter or letter combination(s) they are struggling with.
Are they looking down too often? You can encourage your child not to look down by covering their hands with a towel or a cardboard box with holes cut in it for the wrists. Some families have also put stickers on the keyboard to block out the letters.
Are they doing well? If your child seems to be doing well, you may want to remove the on-screen hand guides. We typically recommend doing this after Level 3, but you can decide to do it sooner or later based on your child’s typing progress. Learn how to remove on-screen hand guides in this article.
Are they making many mistakes? Remind them that accuracy is more important than speed. You can remove speed from the results that are reported at the end of each module. This option is available in Settings.
TIP: If you’d like help offering feedback on typing technique there are a number of virtual TTRS Tutors available. You can book hourly online sessions with them. Learn more.
Establishing a routine
Touch-typing is a skill learners acquire gradually, through regular practice. This means relatively brief practice sessions that occur on a daily basis are generally more effective than longer sessions which are spaced out across the week.
Set up a schedule and mark the days on a calendar when your child is expected to do a typing lesson. This can be every day, providing sessions are relatively brief (20-30 minutes to begin). We recommend a minimum of 2-3 sessions a week. Some parents like to provide a calendar so children can mark off when they’ve completed a session. Download a checklist to print and put up.
Let them work independently if you can. You may wish to observe TTRS at the beginning, but for most parents, it is possible to give your child some space and let them work on the program independently. TTRS will open to the last completed module automatically and there are no graphics to distract them from their learning.
Keep track of how many modules they do in a session. You can set weekly goals and targets based on how many modules they are able to complete with a score of 80% or above.
Keep track of how long they are on the computer. When a child has been working at their typing for too long, they may become tired and make more mistakes. This can be demotivating, so it’s best to observe them and then agree on a time or module limit for their sessions.
Consider when you schedule typing. Typing may be a good activity for the start of your school day as it heightens the chance children will make use of their new typing skills while doing other work on the computer. However, it’s important to ensure learners have a break from the computer before beginning another virtual learning activity.
Additional activities we recommend
Subject modules - There is a range of mathematics, English and science subjects available to your child which help with everything from rote learning of arithmetic facts to mastery of hard-to-spell key vocabulary words and concepts. You might have your child try 2 main course modules + 1 subject module in a session, or work on the main course and subject-based modules (which are quite popular with learners) on alternate days. You can preview subject content from your admin login. Choose something that supports the mathematics or science learning they are doing in other parts of their school day, or create your own subject and draft custom modules. Learn more about TTRS Subjects and how they map to the UK or US curriculum.
Spelling lists - As an admin, you have access to a Subject Creator. You can use this feature to add your child’s spelling lists as typing modules, so they get practice with words in a multi-sensory way. You can also create modules of words your child frequently misspells, to support spelling skills. Learn more about creating subjects.
Free writing - TTRS has a free writing feature that allows learners to choose a timed session in which they can create original compositions on the computer. The familiar interface and ability to view typing and spelling performance stats at the end of a session, make this a great tool for completing written work from other parts of the school day. You can view your child’s written work and print it from your admin login. Learn more about free writing.
Keeping them motivated
Results, stars, and trophies - Children collect stars as they complete typing modules, and trophies as they pass milestones. You can view results and trophies and offer praise at any time. Learn more about module stars.
Certificates of achievement - These can be generated inside the program when a level is completed and provide a tangible result of the work your child is undertaking and the progress they are making. Learn how to generate certificates of achievement.
Free writing - Print and display a piece your child has written on the computer using their new typing skills!
Online Honor roll - You can email us to have your child’s name added to an online honor roll we have on our website.
We hope this overview guide helps. Don't forget to let us know how it's going. We’d love to hear more about your child’s typing journey. You can share pictures on social media with the hashtag #USINGTTRS