dysTalk Keyboarding Program What Is Best For Child With Dyspraxia - Dyspraxia - Forum - dysTalk

Hello,

My 8 year old son has Dyspraxia. He is still keyboarding with the one finger and needs to become proficient at keyboarding to help off set his struggles with written output.

Can any one recommend a really good Keyboarding program? - we have tried a couple - some way to complicated or designed for non dyspraxic child.

31/05/2011 05:34:59
Tara Lyon

We have tried the Mavis Beacon course which is visually brilliant and very easy to follow. However my 13 year old has never mastered touch-typing no matter how hard he has tried. I am beginning to wonder whether this is just not possible for him. It means he has to have a mental image of the keyboard planned out in his mind without looking down at it. I am questioning whether the disorganisation of mind which comes with dyspraxia means that this is just not possible for some dyspraxic children. I will be asking about this at his next developmental check.

23/06/2011 20:26:41
Lytchick (Member)

My 11 year old son was diagnosed with Dyspraxia 1 year ago, his written speed is very slow and writing labourious. His school and I have worked hard to get him touch-typing & word processing before his transition to secondary school. We started by using Nessie fingers which we found brilliant even if a little young for him but started him off correctly, and its great fun, with games & rewards.We then used BBC dance mats online (not so good for him). We are now using sumdog, (download online), games based maths, to increase his speed around the keyboard, he can play against other children, so its competative aswell, slightly older and good for boys. He is now up to 38 wpm and is able to compute short essays and homework is now done and presented in a reasonable way( when he remembers what homework he has got)!! we do have to keep at it or he slows right down again but with perserverance we seem to be getting there.

We were able to have an IT tutor for 1/2 hour per week to teach him computer skills which has been really helpful for him and helped him focus, & for us as she knows what programs are available to teach touch-typing & keeps him going in the right direction.

He struggles with not looking at the keyboard but we feel that this will come in time when his speed and confidence increases so for now we just focus on getting him typing with speed and correct finger positions.

29/06/2011 17:46:26
SarahBromige

My 11 year old son was diagnosed with Dyspraxia 1 year ago, his written speed is very slow and writing labourious. His school and I have worked hard to get him touch-typing & word processing before his transition to secondary school. We started by using Nessie fingers which we found brilliant even if a little young for him but started him off correctly, and its great fun, with games & rewards.We then used BBC dance mats online (not so good for him). We are now using sumdog, (download online), games based maths, to increase his speed around the keyboard, he can play against other children, so its competative aswell, slightly older and good for boys. He is now up to 38 wpm and is able to compute short essays and homework is now done and presented in a reasonable way( when he remembers what homework he has got)!! we do have to keep at it or he slows right down again but with perserverance we seem to be getting there.

We were able to have an IT tutor for 1/2 hour per week to teach him computer skills which has been really helpful for him and helped him focus, & for us as she knows what programs are available to teach touch-typing & keeps him going in the right direction.

He struggles with not looking at the keyboard but we feel that this will come in time when his speed and confidence increases so for now we just focus on getting him typing with speed and correct finger positions.

29/06/2011 18:45:45
Margie8