Touch-type Read and Spell (TTRS) Classic is designed to teach touch-typing while building core reading and spelling skills through a structured, multi-sensory approach. This user manual covers posture and health recommendations, initial system setup, lesson walkthroughs, and custom settings to support diverse learning styles.
Posture guidelines
When practicing touch-typing, maintaining good posture helps prevent fatigue and long-term strain:
Seat adjustment: Ensure feet sit flat on the floor or on a footrest. Avoid pressure on the underside of the thighs; there should be space between the leg and the edge of the chair.
Upright posture: Sit upright without curling the back or hunching the shoulders. If stiffness occurs, take a short active break and adjust seating positions. Feel free to download this posture poster as a reminder.
Arm and wrist alignment: Keep wrists flat to avoid strain. Adjust keyboard height or use wrist supports if needed.
Relaxed finger positioning: Curve fingers gently over the home keys with wrists straight. Light key presses are sufficient—there is no need to strike the keys heavily.
Monitor alignment: Place the monitor or computer screen[ at eye level to prevent neck strain.
Regular breaks: Shake out hands and massage forearms after each module. If pain, tingling, or numbness occurs, stop typing immediately and take an extended break.
Short sessions: Practice in short, frequent increments (10 to 30 minutes) rather than long, extended periods.
Launching TTRS Classic
Double-click the TTRS icon from your Desktop and press any key to continue.
Enter the user number (assigned sequentially, starting from 1001).
You'll be brought to the Membership Card screen.
Press ENTER on the main module screen to launch the assigned lesson.
Preparing for the first module
Choose a quiet room free from distractions.
Confirm that seating, posture, and hand positions match the recommended guidelines.
Set a clear duration for the session before starting (never exceeding 60 minutes).
Work establishing a routine—short, consistent practice (10–30 minutes daily or several times per week) produces the best results.
Key teaching and learning points
Home row placement: Position left-hand fingers on A S D F and right-hand fingers on J K L ;. The G H keys should remain visible between the hands ("Good Hands").
Key indicators: Locate tactile bumps on the F and J keys to place fingers without looking at the keyboard.
Finger movement: Keep fingers resting lightly on the home keys, moving only the designated finger to strike a key before returning to the home position.
Thumb usage: Rest one thumb lightly on the space bar and keep the other thumb out of the way.
Important: Before starting Module 1, users are prompted to complete the TTRS Training Guide. This initial training is essential for learning how the TTRS program works—specifically understanding correct finger placement and identifying the Home Row keys (A S D F / J K L ;) before moving on to full exercises.
Module walkthroughs (Level 1)
Level 1, Module 1: Vowels
Introduces A, E, I, O, U to build familiarity with English vowels and basic typing hand position:
Type letters according to on-screen prompts using designated fingers (e.g., left pinky for A, left middle for E).
Press the Space bar using the chosen thumb when prompted by the thumb icon.
Use the Backspace key (right pinky) to correct any errors immediately.
Aim for scores of 95% or higher (95–99% indicates Excellent; 100% indicates Perfect).
Upon completing a module, a summary window displays key performance statistics to track learning progress.
Press Enter to proceed to the next module. You can also choose to retake the module or exit the program.
Level 1, Module 2 to 4: Forming words
Introduces multi-letter patterns and full words (e.g., fed and red):
Strike one key at a time, returning each finger to its home key before moving the next.
Maintain visual focus on the screen rather than looking down at the physical keyboard.
Level 1, Module 5: Dictation
Every 5th module serves as an auditory dictation exercise:
The a
udio plays the target word without visual text on screen.
Level 1, Modules 6 to 7: Accuracy practice
Focus entirely on accuracy rather than speed.
Ignore the Words Per Minute (WPM) display during early stages; speed naturally builds as accuracy improves.
Level 1, Module 8: Capital letters and punctuation
Shift key: To type a capital letter, hold the Shift key using the pinky finger of the opposite hand typing the letter.
Full stop (.): Drop the finger adjacent to the right pinky down to the bottom row to type a period.
Customizing program options
Access settings by selecting the Options tab (or typing O on the main screen).
Screen Layout
On-Screen Aids (Hand guides)
Adjust visual typing prompts (such as animated hands or colored key guides) to assist with finger placement and keyboard navigation.
Adjust visual typing prompts (such as animated hands or colored key guides) to assist with finger placement and keyboard navigation.
Moving hands and letters: Displays full keyboard with animated finger guides (recommended for beginners, Levels 1–3).
Moving hands without letters: Animates finger movements over a blank keyboard display.
Traffic light / Still hands: Displays colored hand prompts without a full keyboard layout.
Just a keyboard: Displays a static keyboard without hands (recommended for dictation modules).
Blank screen (Half / Full): Removes visual aids to verify independent touch-typing skills (recommended after Level 3).
Error Display
Customize how mistakes appear on screen—either as a red asterisk (*) or as the actual incorrect letter typed.
When a wrong key is pressed, the error is shown in red.
Display * for the error. Here a red asterisk appears instead of the wrongly typed letter. Use the backspace key to go back and type the correct letter.
Display the error. Here the letter which was pressed incorrectly is displayed. Use the backspace key to go back and type the correct letter.
Copy Typing
Switch between standard two-line layout (copy typing ON) or single-line overlay color change (copy typing OFF / shadowing).
There are two different layouts for the words you are typing on the screen. For both options, you can choose the colors of both the original letters and the letters you are typing, as well as the ‘page’ color from the Options menu.
Copy typing on. Here is a line of words on the screen, and you type your words underneath. This is the usual layout for typing programs.
Copy typing off. Here there is a line of type which changes color as you type. This option is sometimes known as shadowing. With this option, you have the advantage of looking just at the word you are working on and do not have to shift your eyes from one word to another, thus reinforcing spelling.
Changing Font
Customize font type (e.g., Sassoon, Arial, Comic Sans) and text size.
Font Face. You can use any suitable fonts which are installed on your computer. For school-age students, the recommended font, to begin with, is Sassoon, but other easy-to-read fonts are suitable (Arial, Comic Sans), especially those with the a in the form found in children’s reading books.
Font Size. You can choose between two different font sizes. Many younger students or visually impaired students may find the larger font size the easiest to use.
Remember and Repeat
Hide target words after they are shown, requiring learners to type them from memory. By default, this setting is off.
Off. Here the word to be typed is shown and then typed, and the program moves straight on to the next word.
On. Here the word to be typed is shown and then typed. It then disappears, and has to be typed from memory. You may want to use this option when you begin to reach words you find difficult to spell. If you cannot remember what the next letter is, press F5 to view the word, then press the SPACE BAR to get back to the typing screen and back space once to realign the typing point.
Changing colors
Page Color - Adjust the background color of the typing screen to improve contrast and reduce visual strain.
The Default Color. This is blue
Selecting Another Color. You can select another one by clicking on Page Color and selecting a different color and then clicking on OK. We recommend that you try different combinations until you find one that enhances readability.
Copy Text Color - Change the color of target words and typed text to customize visual contrast.
The Default Color. This is white.
Selecting Another Color. You can select another color by clicking on Copy Text Color and then the color that you want. Next, click OK.
Hand Color - Change the display color of the on-screen hands.
The default color. This is yellow.
Selecting another color. You can select another color by clicking on Hand Color and then the color you want. Next, click on OK.
Finger Tip Color - Customize the color on finger tips to clearly indicate which finger to use for the next key.
Membership Card
Displays a quick overview of account activity, including the last module completed, high scores, and total high-accuracy achievements.
Old Hands and Keyboard
Toggle between the updated high-resolution keyboard guides and the classic lower-resolution display layout.
Hand Prompts & One-Handed Typing
Two Hands (Default): Displays both left and right on-screen hands
Left Hand Only: Adapts on-screen visual prompts and finger guides specifically for single-handed typing using the left hand
Right Hand Only: Adapts on-screen visual prompts and finger guides specifically for single-handed typing using the right hand
Other Options
Sound Settings
Beep on Error: We suggest that you set the beep on your machine to a friendly sound if you are going to turn this option on. The default beep is rather aggressive and off-putting, particularly for younger students.
Not Ticked (Default): There is no beep to tell you that you have made an error
Ticked. The computer indicates that you have made an error by beeping.
Praise
Not Ticked (Default): No sound when achieving high score
Ticked: Crowd cheers for 90-94%, 95-99 and 100% scores at the end of each completed module.The computer indicates that you have made an error by beeping.
Speech Settings
Speech On
Ticked (Default): The program speaks the word to be typed. In the early modules it says the letters when the fingering for them is being learned.
Not Ticked: There is no speech. Some people prefer to have the speech off during the early modules, especially with younger children
Speak Space / Speak Backspace: The program will speak the word Space (between words) and Backspace (if there is mistake) respectively. These are not ticked by default.
Setting: When the program voices the words to be typed, it can do this with one word or more at a time.
Speak One Word : Default option - speaks one word at a time.
Speak three Words: Here the next three words to be typed are spoken.
Speak whole line: Here the words to the end of the line are spoken aloud.
Gender: For the USA version, currently, there is only a male option available.
Words Per Minute (WPM)
Words Per Minute (WPM) scale: The scale on the left-hand side shows Words Per Minute. It can be set to show different ranges as your speed increases (i.e. Up to 30 wpm, 50 wpm or 70 wpm). However, it is unlikely that you will need to increase it as you will be learning new words throughout the course, which will inevitably slow you down. Only when you are typing sentences is your speed likely to increase.
Show WPM Score:
Not Ticked (Default): Hides the Words Per Minute display during lessons. Keeping WPM hidden is recommended for early levels so learners remain focused entirely on accuracy and home-row finger placement.
Ticked: Displays a real-time WPM meter on the left side of the screen. This allows advanced learners who have mastered accuracy to monitor and gradually build typing speed.
Levels
Changing Levels. You can change levels by clicking on the Levels button at the top of the screen. There are 24 levels, and you can either select the one you want with the mouse or select it with the arrow keys and press OK.
Training
Automatic training allows each student to learn at his or her own pace. We recommend leaving this on. Click on the Training off button to turn the training off.
Dictations
Every fifth module is a dictation module, where there are no words showing on the screen, and you hear the word and then type it. The four previous modules are the learning modules where you learn how to type the words in that section.
Dictation and Learning Modules. On the modules screen you will see an icon of a speaking man beside each dictation module. There is no icon beside the learning modules.
Changing from a Dictation to a Learning Module. You can turn a dictation module into a learning or regular typing module by clicking on the Dictation button at the top of the modules screen. The speaking man icon will disappear.
Looking at the words in a module. If you wish to see the words in a module go to the modules screen and highlight the module you wish to examine by clicking on it once, or by using the arrow keys. Now click on the View Lines button at the top of the screen.
View Lines
View Lines allows you to display guide lines on the typing screen, helping learners focus on the correct position and alignment of the text as they type.
Double-tap a word to hear its audio and pronunciation.
History
To see your history go to the modules screen and click on the History button at the top of the screen.
History details
Displays the user's progress for a selected level, tracking total time logged, high-accuracy milestones, and visual performance graphs.
Graphs Tab
Generates a visual bar or line graph mapping your accuracy and typing speed performance across the selected level.
Navigating Levels: Use the Level dropdown in the top-left corner (or press the + and - keys) to view history for different levels.
Graph Data Options: Toggle the dropdown to switch between displaying
Percentage Correct (default) and
Words Per Minute (WPM) metrics.
Printing Graphs: Click the Print button at the bottom right of the screen to print out a full-page or half-page copy of your performance graph.
Statistics Tab
Displays a detailed log for each completed module, including the date and time stamp, level, module number, accuracy percentage, and total time spent.
Statistics: View a detailed numerical log for each completed module, including the date and time stamp, level, module number, accuracy percentage, and total time spent.
Printing Option: Click the Print button to generate a physical copy or PDF report of your statistics summary for your records.
Click the Print button at the top of the Modules screen to print a complete list of words for all dictation modules within the selected level.
Membership Card
Displays a quick summary of account progress, including the last module completed, highest score of the day, and total achievement milestones (95–99% Excellent and 100% Perfect scores). Note: The N.H box is checked when on-screen hands are hidden.
Quitting the Program
Click Quit on the menu bar, then press Esc twice to completely close the application and return to the desktop.
Keyboard Shortcuts
You can navigate and control TTRS Classic using your keyboard instead of the mouse.
Navigation & Screen Controls
Esc (Escape): Instantly return to the Main or Modules screen from any menu.
Underlined Menu Keys: Type the underlined letter on any top-menu button to activate it directly (e.g., press O for Options).
Modules Screen Shortcuts
L: Open the Levels screen.
D: Toggle the selected module between Learning and Dictation mode.
O: Open the Options menu.
V: View the contents of the selected module.
H: Open the History screen.
Q: Quit your current session to allow another user to log in.
History Screen Shortcuts
+ / - Keys: Cycle forward or backward through the levels.
Take some time to explore the program and adjust the available options to create a learning experience that works best for each student.
If you experience any issues or need help using the program, please contact our Support team for assistance.