When your child has reached the middle school level, computers will have become quite an important element in their education. No longer are they only using these devices to play math games and goof around on the Paint program. Now, they’re required to sit down in front of a computer and write a paper, do research, or even complete a test or quiz in class. Because of this necessity, good typing skills are absolutely essential for your child to perform confidently in front of the computer. If they’ve started off on the wrong foot with typing or they simply never had the practice they needed – now is the time to get back on the right track.
Not Just for Little Kids
When many parents see a color keyboard, they automatically assume these tools are for little, little kids who have never typed before in their lives. While these items do exist, special colored boards are also made for older kids who have different goals to achieve. These boards don’t use color to teach WHERE keys are, but rather where correct finger placement should be. This will reduce the common phenomenon of “hunt and peck” and can also improve precision and speed when typing.
Practice, Practice, Practice
Even if your child is enrolled in a keyboarding class at school, having a color keyboard at home can help to enforce good habits on a daily basis. Your pre-teen or teenage child probably spends a lot of time on the home computer, so why not turn each and every log-on into a learning experience that will help them both in the school and after graduation? Good typing skills tend to stick with a person, so there’s a good chance they could take what they’re learning now with them to college and beyond. Every time they sit down and see those colors, it will remind them to focus and apply what they’ve been practicing.
Totally Functional
And no worries on your end, either. Just because you’ve purchased a color keyboard doesn’t mean that you’re changing the way everyone has to use the computer. These boards, aside from their strategically colored keys, work no different than your traditional keyboard. They’re not full of different lettering or silly designs, and they can be a great tool for everyone in the family to practice with. By making the switch today, you’ll be helping everyone in the family reduce or eliminate their bad keyboarding habits.