Touch typing method

Alphanumeric keyboard

Using a touch typing technique has many advantages. Your communication with your personal computer will be faster. You will also be able to concentrate on your work more, because your typing will be nearly automatic.

Users without the knowledge of touch typing will constantly be checking key positions and making many mistakes. Looking at the keyboard all the time is also disturbing, because the eyes have to focus on different objects very often. The touch typing method is better for your health, because there is minimum movement of the hands, head and body during typing. Without using this method you could look like an amateur even after several long years experience on the computer.

Within the touch typing method, each finger controls its own set of keys.  Learning is not only about the keyboard use, it is also about the importance of using a correct sitting position, holding hands correctly and using correct techniques for keystrokes, etc.

The computer keyboard is too extensive to use only one base position for the hands, therefore three positions must be used. There are three keyboard sections(alphanumeric, numeric and functional).

Some people with experience `````There is an advantage for people who have experience with finger practicing. For example players of key instruments are used to playing without looking at the keys. This custom is important for touch typing learning. If somebody types with all ten fingers, without correct fingering, then it will be very hard to learn correct touch typing. It is a big disadvantage and it is important to start using the new method without switching to your old typing method. There is no different between left-handers and right-handers. It seams that lefthanded people are usually faster. People with dyslexia may have troubles with touch typing learning.

The touch typing method uses an alphanumeric keyboard which corresponds to the old typewriter appearance. It is very important to use the base position for hands all the time when typing. Fingers should return to the base line after each keystroke.

The base position is defined in the middle row for following fingers:

Fingers are slightly bent during typing. Keys are touched by finger pads and glide from one key to other. Don't try to bend wrist and fingers. Your Index finger should be near to orthogonal to the key rows. Palms cannot lean on the desk or front part of the keyboard when typing. Type only with one finger, and don't move your wrist. Unused fingers should stay in the base position and each finger should return to the base position after use.

Numeric keyboard

We use only the right hand for the numeric keyboard. The left hand will stay in its base position on an alphanumeric keyboard (Keys A, S, D, F and spacebar)

The base position for a numeric keyboard is divided into two rows.

1. Base position for middle row:

2. Base position for bottom row:

The left hand is usually used for the spacebar, TAB, SHIFT and CTRL when a numeric keyboard is used. There is usually a problem with the error correction, because backspace is located out of the range of the base positions. Some keyboards contain a numeric keyboard where the backspace is included in the top right position and then followed by the minus, plus and Enter keys.

Functional keyboard

It is not possible to define a base position for your hand in this case because functional keys are placed in many locations. These keys are not used very often in practice. It is more popular to use the numeric keyboard in the second mode where the keys PageUp, PageDown, Home, End, Insert, Delete and arrows are available. Numbers can be typed with an alphanumeric keyboard; therefore a numeric keyboard should be always switched on for functional keys.

Body posture

To use an old mechanical typewriter is much different from a computer keyboard. Arms are along the body, and they are bent at the elbow with orthogonal angle. Your hands are in the base position, and your fingers are placed on the keys A, S, D, F, J, K, L, ;. Fingers are slightly bent during typing. Keys are touched by finger pads and glide from one key to other. Use movement of one finger only. Don't move your wrist while typing. Don't allow wrists to lean on the desk, because it can invoke permanent damage of your nerve fibre (There is a risk of occupational disease). The whole hand should move minimally

A more detailed description about sitting position is here: Healthy sitting with the keyboard

An incorrect sitting position can create more risk for health then radiation from computer display. Pain in the back can come soon when you sit in twisted position.