While some people are born with a keyboard under their fingertips, others suffer from simple words. If you’re in the latter category or somewhere between classes, don’t worry; some effective typing techniques can help you get better at typing speed.
Achieving high speed and high accuracy will definitely take daily practice. In the end, the result is worth it. This article will introduce you to the best typing techniques and tips on applying them.
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Touch Typing Techniques
Touch typing is an important technique for learning to type fast. This is a technique for developing muscle memory in the fingers and is done by incorporating various other typing techniques.
Muscle memory
By practicing typing regularly, you can use your fingers to remember where the letters on the keyboard are, and you can type without looking at the keyboard.
No looking at the keyboard
First, you need to look at the keyboard, but the need to watch the keys as you type decreases over time. Others will say that looking at the keyboard should be avoided at first, but you should only do so after you have learned all of the keys on the start line.
Three stages of learning touch typing
Learning to use the keyboard is a three-step process: first, you learn the home row of your keyboard, follow it until you know where each letter is, and easily navigate without looking at your keyboard. Second, you need to master the rows above and below the home row, the number rows, and incorporate the special characters and uppercase letters. Lastly, practicing what you have learned in real texts.
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Typing Techniques: The Home Row
The “home row” is the most important part of the keyboard. This is one that you (or rather your fingers) will know by heart after a few typing practice.
Structure
The home row is the row starting with the Caps Lock key, and if you look at your keyboard, you will see two small bumps or lines on the “F” and “J” keys (depending on your keyboard).
Position
This is where the index fingers should be positioned. For your left hand, your other fingers should rest on the keys to the left of the “F” key, and on your right hand, on the keys to the right of the “J” key.
Movements
Your pinky fingers should rest on the “A” and “,” key when doing this. Your thumb will move over the space key, and you can use either one to press it.
Take some time to familiarize your fingers with this position and to learn the buttons in the home row. Practice this typing technique for several hours each day until you can press all the keys on the start line without looking at the keyboard.
To make this easier, you can look for one of the many writing tools available online to help you practice your home row. Once you are comfortable with the button placement and see your fingers automatically move to the button you want to press, you can move on to the next step!
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Typing Techniques: The Top Row
Position
Place your fingers in the default position of the home row and check the keys on each finger. “F” is the “R” key, “J” is the “U” key, and so on. Each finger should reach for the keys directly above it and start to remember this position.
The only exception is your index finger. Not only should you be able to access the “F” and “J” keys, but also the “G”, “H” keys, and the keys directly above them. This is because your index is the most mobile, and it is easy to cover a large number of keys.
Try this typing technique until you memorize the top row and home row. Use this technique on larger texts, and you will see how much you have improved.
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Typing Techniques: The Bottom Row
The bottom row is the easiest row to master because all of your exercises have used your fingers too much for typing movements and are slowly developing your muscle memory.
Now each of your fingers has to learn the keys directly below. Practice, and practice more because this is the last stage of your training. Now that you’re happy with your progress and can type most of the regular words without looking at the keyboard, it’s time to try typing with texts.
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The Numpad Typing Technique
Your numeric keypad has a small bump on the number 5. This will help you find the position of your hand without looking down. Start by placing your middle finger at number 5.
This naturally puts your hand in the correct position, such as the 4th index finger, the 6th ring finger, and your thumb on 0. The little finger is in charge of the plus sign. This position is the starting point. Your fingers then should type the following:
- Index finger: 7, 4, 1
- Middle finger: 8, 5, 2
- Ring finger: 9, 6, 3, .
- Pinky: -, +, “Intro”
- Thumb: 0
Conclusion
To learn typing quickly and efficiently, touch typing is the best! Any other method of typing that involves looking at the keys will be too slow. This may not be the easiest typing technique available, and it may not be the fastest to learn, but the results are definitely worth the hard work.
This article was created by Jen, a writer, and blogger of LifeStyleConvo & UrbanHouses, who worked as a full-time content creator. She is a writer by day and reader by night.