Free Online Typing Courses

The Benefits of Improving Your Keyboarding Skills

Although you may use a computer on a regular basis, you probably haven’t given much thought to the importance of keyboarding skills. Here are just a few of the many reasons why you may want to take the time to learn how to become a better typist:

• Answering and composing email messages often takes up two to three hours of the typical workday. Learning how to increase your typing speed will reduce the time you spend on this task.
• If your office communicates by using instant messaging, chat rooms, or a company intranet, accurate keyboarding skills will make you a much more efficient employee.
• Blogging is becoming an increasingly common way for busy professionals to make a name for themselves in their particular industry. Typing skills can help you quickly compose effective posts for your blog.

Finding Free Online Typing Courses

If you’re searching for free online typing courses, LoveToKnow College recommends visiting the following helpful links:

• Typing Web is one of the most impressive free online typing courses available. There are exercises, games, tests, and statistic trackers provided to help you quickly and easily increase your typing speed.
• Good Typing is a comprehensive keyboarding class featured 27 web based lessons. The course is available in English, as well as French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.
• Custom Typing is a online typing program commonly used by schools and businesses proving keyboard instruction. You can sign up for a four week free individual trial, but a small fee is required for continual access.
• Mr. Kent’s Typing Tutor offers 14 free typing lessons at three different skill levels.
• ABA Soft offers five free typing lessons that each have an accompanying interactive game designed to help reinforce key concepts.
• Typing Tutor has a free online typing test, tutorial, and tips for improving your keyboarding skills.
• Power Typing has 13 free keyboarding lessons and a feature that lets you set goals for yourself for each lesson.

Free Typing Games Online

Free typing games provide an interesting and entertaining way for you to practice your keyboarding skills. For example:

• Free Typing Games has an assortment of fun games for you to play.
• Free Online Games has links to typing games such as “Falling Words” and “Keyball” that are strangely addictive.
• Typing Invaders is a freeware program that teaches typing through the use of an arcade style space invader game.
• Dance Mat Typing is a simple typing game with four different levels.
• Al Bunny’s Typing Class was designed as a game for children to play, but adults may find it useful in improving their typing skills as well.

Typing Tips

To get the maximum benefit from free online typing courses and typing games, remember the following simple tips:

• Adjust your computer so the top of your screen is near eye level.
• Sit up straight. Poor posture is hard on your back and will slow down your typing.
• Do not bang on the keys. Typing requires a minimum amount of force.
• Rest your palms on the keyboard to minimize hand drift and arm fatigue.
• Aim for consistency. When you type, your keys should be flowing constantly instead of stopping and starting.
• Take regular breaks. Even the best typists start to have problems with accuracy when sitting at the keyboard for hours on end. Get in the habit of getting up to stretch at least once every hour.
• Remember that practice makes perfect. Developing your typing skills won’t happen overnight, but you’ll soon see improvement if you make it a habit to practice on a regular basis.