This We Believe About Keyboarding

This we believe about keyboarding in Utah's public schools:
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1. In this technologically advanced age, every student should have the opportunity - and actually be expected - to develop solid keyboarding skill.
(Solid keyboarding skill is comprised of perfect technique and a minimum keyboarding speed of 40 WPM with 90 percent accuracy.)
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2. Solid keyboarding skill can only be developed if proper keyboarding technique is utilized. Perfect keyboarding technique includes the following:
  • Body is centered with the keyboard.
  • Back is straight.
  • Chair is placed the proper distance from the keyboard so that elbows hang at the sides of the body.
  • Feet are placed for balance.
  • Fingers are curved and resting on home row keys.
  • Both thumbs are resting on the space bar.
  • Only one finger at a time leaves the home row to "reach" or "curl" for another key.
  • Wrists are lifted slightly off the keyboard.
  • Hands stay still while keying.
  • The correct finger is used to strike each key.
  • Eyes stay on the copy, not on fingers.
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3. Students in Utah's schools should be introduced to proper keyboarding no later than the 3rd grade. Proper keyboarding should be reinforced in 4th and 5th grades. Intense keyboarding instruction to build speed and accuracy should be provided in 6th or 7th grade.
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4. All computer users should input information at a speed that is at least two and a half times the speed of hand writing.
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5. Creativity and composition are, in reality, thwarted by inefficient use of the keyboard.
(Adapted from Nebo School District's "This I believe about keyboarding in Utah's public schools".) 
Links:
Keyboarding Home
This We Believe About Keyboarding
Why Teach Keyboarding?
District Keyboarding Program
          Keyboard Chatter
          Keyboard Craze
          Keyboard Connection
          Keyboarding for Kids
          Keyboard Mastery
          Keyboarding Activities
Tips for Keyboarding Success
Keyboarding in Brain Boosters
​5th Grade Keyboarding Assessment
Keyboarding Core Curriculum
Literacy and Keyboarding
​USOE Keyboarding Website
Documentation:
USOE Keyboarding Movie
Middle School Stand-Alone Schedule
Middle School Embedded Schedule
Keyboarding Data for Middle Schools
Middle School Keyboarding Curriculum Comparison
Keyboard Images/Handouts
Colored Keyboard
Colored Keyboard Finger Families
Colored Keyboard Finger Families
Black & White Keyboard
Blank Keyboard
Black & White Keyboard (Windows)
Laptop Keyboard (Windows)
Black Keyboard (Chromebook)
White Keyboard (Chromebook)