The finger position chart at the bottom of this page shows the correct finger positions for alphabetical keys and number pad keys. The keys are color coded to match the color of the finger used to type them. Start with your fingers in the home key position (position shown in the chart), match the color of the finger to the color on the key, use only the finger that matches the color of the key to type that key, return the finger to its home key after each use. Sit up straight, rest your fingers lightly on the home keys, hang your arms naturally at your sides, and use a quick tapping motion to strike the keys. There should be a slight air gap between the palms of your hands and the desk. Resting your palms directly on the desk will slow you down. How to Touch Type

Each finger types its assigned set of keys. No other fingers type these keys. After your fingers learn their assigned keys you won't have to stop to think about which finger to use to type each key, and your speed will increase greatly. For example the left hand index finger types 4, 5, r, t, f, g, v, b, and no other fingers type these characters. It turns out that learning to touch type is like learning to walk or ride a bicycle. By practicing to type correctly each time you type something on the keyboard you'll build up conditioned reflexes for each character on the keyboard. When you think the letter d, your left middle finger will automatically hit that key as it has done so many times in the past as you have trained it. Think of a boxer. If someone takes a swing at him out of the blue, he'll block it instantly with out thought because he has that conditioned reflex. His arm knows what to do with out consulting the brain

At first you'll have to think d left hand middle finger press straight down because it's on the d already. As soon as your finger develops its reflex, it will hit the character that you want as soon as you think of typing it. This is a good reason to learn the correct positions of the fingers and always use them. You could learn to type haphazardly and use the left index to type the d sometimes and then the middle finger some times and then the two fingers will both want to type the d and you'll take longer because a decision has to be made so use the correct finger for the character to be typed each time and avoid this pitfall. While typing the text from the screen, don't look at the keyboard. Feel your way to the key and tap it with the correct fingertip. You want to use a quick tapping motion removing your finger as soon as its actions are registered by the keyboard or you will get multiple letters of that key typed and have to backspace and delete the extras. Learning the positions of the keys without looking at the keyboard will also increase your speed.

You won't be looking away from the screen and loosing your place or away from someone who is talking to you. You can even watch TV while you type or type in the dark. When learning all the positions of the keys on the keyboard, don't worry about hitting the wrong keys, don't look at the keyboard, use the correct finger, tap the key you think it is, watch the screen, and if you hit the wrong key, try again without looking using your knowledge of where the keys are relative to each other. Don't bother fixing your mistakes, concentrate on learning where the keys are by feel, you can fix your mistakes later. After practicing a while you'll notice that you naturally type a progression of keys and then return to the home keys. This is good your fingers know where they are and you will see your speed has improved as well. To learn to use the number pad, Use the same method as above only use the number pad home key positions shown in the chart and the left hand pinky to operate the shift key to use the second functions of the keys on the number pad.

Examples of number pad second functions are Shift + 7 moves you to the beginning of a line. Shift + 1 moves you to the end of a line Shift +. deletes the next character after the curser Shift + 4 arrow left or moves the curser left one character. Shift + 6 arrow to right, moves your curser to the right one character. Shift + 8 arrow up, moves the curser up a line. Shift + 2 arrow down, moves your curser down a line.

Posture Sit with your back straight; you can lean slightly forward. Your arms should hang naturally to your sides with forearms close to being parallel with the floor. Palms of your hands should have a slight air gap between them and the desk top or keyboard pull out drawer. Fingers rest lightly on the home keys and bent in almost half circles ready to strike the keys. When you strike a key, do it with a quick tapping motion and return it to its home key. Don't look at the keyboard while typing unless you're completely lost and absolutely have to. Feet should be flat on the floor.

Posture: Elbows Keep your elbows close in, next to your side. This will accomplish several things. First, with your fingers on the home row keys, you will be able to train your fingers in the correct key reaches. Be relaxed, but don't slouch in your chair. Sit square in the chair with your feet flat on the floor. If your elbows are correctly tucked in, next to your side your fingers then have a more consistent platform from which to reach out and strike the key. If your elbows are not tucked in, close to your side, this places a twist on your wrists which is fatiguing.

Posture: Wrists Wrists should be slightly curved and off the bottom frame of the keyboard. This will minimize the amount of "finger - reaching" required and reduce fatigue. When keying data, your wrists should be sloping upward, at the same slope as the keyboard.

Do not allow your wrists to become lazy as shown. Do NOT let your wrists rest on the desk. This transfer the additional workload to your fingers.

Interactive Typing Games to improve dexterity.

Typing Trivia "Stewardesses" is the longest word typed with only the left hand and "lollipop" with your right. The sentence: "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog" uses every letter of the alphabet. The average person's left hand does 56% of the typing. “TYPEWRITER” is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard. The only 15-letter word that can be spelled without repeating a letter is "uncopyrightable." There are only four words in the English language which end in "dous": tremendous, horrendous, stupendous, and hazardous. No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver, or purple. There are two words in the English language that have all five vowels in order: "abstemious" and "facetious."

Far out Typing Trivia - Typoglycemia Believe it or not, you can read the below. I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid. Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer inwaht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas thought slpeling was ipmornatt