Who needs touch typing?
This skill is required for:
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Journalists / copywriters;
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Editors;
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Translators;
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Programmers;
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Secretaries;
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Transcriptionists;
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For those who work with databases.
But touch typing is not limited only to a narrow range of professions. It is needed for everyone who works with a computer, which is more than 60% of the global population. This skill will make your life easier. Whether it's writing a paper, creating a text for website promotion, translation or anything else, touch typing increases the speed and efficiency of work. If you don't care about speed, blind typing will still help you. It reduces eye and hand strain and increases worker’s value in the eyes of superiors.
Blind typing is useful to learn from childhood. It develops literacy, fine motor skills, helps to memorize words better and teaches computer skills. Some American schools, for example, have compulsory touch typing lessons. It is never too late to master blind typing. And in old age, it is even healthy.
Typing speed
Typing speed is a universal measure of how fast you type. Accuracy also affects it — how often you hit the right keys. It can be measured in either number of characters (cpm) or words (wpm) per minute. The average typing speed for the standard two-finger method is 30 wpm or 150-200 cpm.
Touch typing speed
The ten-finger method allows you to type almost twice as fast. The record speed of typing in the usual manner is around 50wpm, and in touch typing — more than 200. But only exceptional masters achieve such skill. People who do not work with texts professionally can hit up to 60 wpm. Amazing, right? The average score of the ten-finger method is greater than the record for the two-finger method.
You can check your typing speed on special sites. Many of them immediately offer touch typing lessons.
How to type faster?
If you want to increase your typing speed, learn the ten-finger method. This can be done using special keyboard simulators. We have compiled a selection of typing courses for you so that you can choose one for yourself. The key to learning touch typing is to stay motivated:
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Find the right typing tutor. Each of them has its own characteristics — not only in the external design, but also in the content: they offer different approaches to learning, lessons and texts. Motivation often disappears in the first three lessons, when all you do is press two letters in sequence. To avoid this, choose the training simulator that is just right for you. There are different edutainment options on the Internet. It is important that the interface is user-friendly and the design is pleasing to the eye.
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Look at someone else's example. A great motivator is watching someone show a cool skill. It always gives people the desire to learn how to do the same. Pay attention to how your friends who already know the blind method are typing. If you don’t have live examples, watch a YouTube video to get inspired.
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Activate your competitive spirit. Such an attitude always increases motivation. Your best bet is to find another person with whom you can compete for typing speed and accuracy.
To type even faster, practice, but do it right:
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Don't look. A common mistake novices make is looking at the keyboard. To avoid this, cover the keys. You can tape them, swap them or even buy a Das Keyboard, where there are no symbols.
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Determine your rhythm. Hitting the keys steadily also improves typing technique. You get used to one rhythm and work in it.
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Use difficult and long texts. This way, you increase not only speed, but also accuracy and endurance.
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Set a timer. Imagine that you are an athlete before a competition. Speed-type and see the results. After each new record, treat yourself to stay motivated.
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Learn hotkeys. They will allow you to work with documents without using a mouse: copy, paste, add a link, and so on. This increases the overall working speed and reduces the strain on the hands.