Typing My Name and Short Sentences
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What you will learn
- 1Sit at a keyboard with good posture and place your fingers on the home row keys
- 2Use the Shift key for capital letters and the space bar between words
- 3Type your name and a short sentence accurately
Mini Lesson
Typing is a skill — and like riding a bike or playing an instrument, it gets easier the more you practice. Starting with good habits now will save you a lot of time as you grow up. Let’s learn the right way to sit, find the keys, and type your very first sentence.
Step 1 — Sit with good posture
- Sit up straight — back against the chair, feet flat on the floor.
- Keep your wrists level — not resting heavily on the desk.
- The screen should be at eye level — not too high or too low.
- Elbows bent at about 90° (a right angle) and close to your sides.
Step 2 — Find the home row
- The home row is the middle row of letter keys: A S D F — J K L ;
- Your left hand rests on A, S, D, F. Your right hand rests on J, K, L, ;.
- The F key and J key each have a small bump or ridge you can feel — these are your anchor points that help you find the home row without looking.
- Your two thumbs rest lightly on the space bar.
Step 3 — Reach for other keys
- Each finger is responsible for the keys in its column. Reach up or down from home row and return to home row after each key press.
- Use your left pinky to hold the Shift key when typing a capital letter with the right hand, and your right pinky when typing a capital with the left hand.
Step 4 — Type your name and a short sentence
- Start with your name — press Shift + first letter for the capital, then type the rest normally.
- Press the space bar once between every word — not twice.
- Check what you typed before moving on. Accuracy first, then speed!
- Short practice sentence: I can type.
Words to know
Type
To press keys on a keyboard to make letters appear
e.g. I type my name with my fingers on the home row.
Keyboard
The part of the computer with letter and number keys
e.g. I look at the keyboard to find the letters.
Home row
The middle row of keys where your fingers should rest
e.g. My fingers start on the home row.
Posture
How you sit while you work
e.g. Good posture keeps my back straight.
Shift
A key you hold to type a capital letter
e.g. I hold Shift to type a big A.
Ask yourself: "Where are the home row keys? Which key do I hold to type a capital letter? What does the bump on the F and J keys help me do?"
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