TTRS helps develop the typing and literacy skills of children, young people and adults who have difficulties with reading, writing, and spelling. At the same time, it increases their level of confidence, self-esteem and motivation as learners.
Dyslexia-friendly
The platform does this by teaching the keyboard in a unique "dyslexia-friendly" way, and by following a structured literacy program using wordlists from the textbook Alpha to Omega, by Dr. Beve Hornsby, Frula Shear and Julie Pool, which is based on the work of Orton and Gillingham.
The wordlists are designed specifically for children with learning differences and closely mimic the normal pattern of phonological language acquisition.
Multi-sensory
One of the reasons why TTRS is so successful, is it goes back to basics. Students see groups of words on screen, hear them read aloud and type the corresponding keys. The multi-sensory approach helps learners engage with the material and ensures learning is more likely to "stick."
Letters are also voiced aloud as they are introduced, making the course accessible to students whose literacy skills are at the most basic level.
Automaticity
The first words introduced in Level 1 - wed red fed led - soon start to become automatic with practice. This automaticity is an important element for building success.
Students who struggle with the process of handwriting may do so throughout their lives, but they may well be able to achieve automaticity in typing.
Words flow through the fingers without the student having to consciously think about them. We call this "finger memory" or "muscle memory" and it can be an especially helpful tool for students with dyslexia who struggle with inconsistency in their spelling.
Repetition
Repetition is used to support correct placement of the fingers, as part of the touch-typing tuition. It's important for student to look at the screen and not look down at their hands. The more they type a word, the more the movement patterns become familiar and they can develop automaticity.
Incremental steps
New keys are introduced throughout the first three levels of the course, along with uppercase letters and basic punctuation. Words are introduced in incremental steps and administrators can consult module descriptors in their course interface to see which phonics and spellings patterns are being taught in a particular module.
By teaching material in a step-by-step and modular way, the course aims to help learners achieve high scores, which enhances self-esteem and motivates them to go on with a CAN DO attitude.
Research-based
TTRS has been in used as a typing and literacy solution for over 30 years. In that time, a number of research studies have been undertaken to help us develop the product and refine the approach. You can learn more here.