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typing
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My boys (9, 11, & 12 ‘age’) all have been doing typing with Mavis Beacon for over a year and a half. The program is nice, they like it and don’t complain about how they are taught or what they need to do per the program. I have them practice 10 minutes a day Mon – Thurs.
That said they are just not getting it? With Mavis you have to get 25 wpm and they can’t. Also, when you are typing you are typing words in the world not just letters all mixed up. I know there is a point to this I am sure. But I’m wondering if it’s to hard for them to to do the letters mixed up? If they take there time and look only at the screen they can get all the letters correct but can’t pass the 25 wpm.
What would you do? Suggestions? My only thoughts have been to take the worlds that you can do and have them just practice on there own? But how do I monitor that? With Mavis I can look at the progress. I can’t watch 3 of them for 10 minutes a day everyday. What would you do? Misty
No answer for you here, but we’re going through the EXACT same thing… My boys are 13 and 11 and have done MB for about 7-8 months…I’m really not seeing much improvement. I had them do a scripture from the one mentioned recently–ScriptureTyper (?) and I was unpleasantly surprised at their typing skills (or lack thereof!). After this morning, I’m thinking of taking them off MB but not sure what else to use…
I’d love to hear other’s responses.
I would say it is a boy thing. Are you watching to make sure they are not watching the keyboard?
I wouldn’t make them have a goal of 25wpm. I would just have them make a goal of getting better each month.
We use a fun program. I cannot remember off hand. But, it has more games and stuff. I think it is more fun and easier to use then MB.
Which Mavis Beacon are you using? We tried the Mavis Beacon for Kids version and found it wanting….”too easy,” “too boring,” and such comments were coming from the kids, who are 12, 11, and 10. I think it was this site that recommended using the adult version, so we switched to that when it became available from our library. We’ve used it for a few months now, and everyone seems happier. You really have to spend some time at the beginning getting your muscles coordinated with the various keystrokes, but it doesn’t seem to take long before the program has you typing actual words. There are some games built into the lessons every so often as well.
Sue
My kids are still too little to start typing, but I am familiar with Mavis Beacon as that was what was used as part of the computer lab curriculum at the school where I used to teach (I taught 6th grade at a private school for 4 years before I had kids.) I would agree with Oakblossoms not to try to make the goal of 25wpm. A goal of steady progress would be better. When I was teaching I would take down the kids WPM at the start and again at the end of each term – and if I saw progress – even if it was from 9 to 10 WPM I gave them a good effort mark. (Not that you have to give marks, but that was all my expectation was for them.) The other thing is that I think that while typing programs are helpful for getting started with typing, once you are familiar with the keyboard and just needing to build fluency, it would be better to type things “for real”. I never took a typing class, and my typing speed was never that great until I went to college and started having to crank out 2 page essays several times a week. Doing that much typing was really what helped my typing speed, not playing a lot of games. I would suggest having them type up some of their written work, or give them copywork type passages for typing practice – things of interest to them. I think in some ways typing games like Mavis Beacon are sort of like phonics: a means to an end, not an end in themselves.
For what it’s worth…
Jen
We use Typing Tutor 10 with the girls – this works on XP. There are games to reinforce typing skills which I have found really help the kids gain speed and proficiency in a painless way. My youngest, who has just turned 10 in January, has enjoyed this program for a couple of years, and started out at around 12 wpm is now able to do 32 – 35 wpm, upon occasion she can get 44 wpm. The older girls are able to type at 65 wpm or better consistently after using this program for 3 years.
If you want more specifics, please ask. 🙂
Ok.. so to add or question: My boys when you look at the progress only have like 2 very well known keys. Also the 25wpm is not my standard per say it’s the Mavis way and it will not let you pass until you get that. Which is really where the problem is. They are sick of the same keys everyday for weeks or even months.
So would the suggestions be: have them type things themselves and see how they are doing and as long as they are not looking at there hands just keep that up until they are doing a pretty well times thing? Should I drop MB for now and go back to it once they are happy with there skills?
And MB has some games and my boys love those also. Should I just encourage games for awhile and not so much the “typing” letters? Thanks for the suggestsion
Blue J: where did you get Typing Tutor? Do you have to have the internet to use it? Also, Oakblossom – do you know what program you are using? We are using the adult MB just to answer that question! Thanks
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