Typing used to be something that only those interested in office or administration jobs needed to learn. Now, it’s a must-have skill for everyone, no matter what industry you are in. Computers are a major part of our world, and using them efficiently is key for your career.
Many people can type, but what about learning how to type faster? Having a good typing speed can help you stand out and can be necessary for the next step in your career.
Academy of Learning Career College typing courses can help you increase your typing speed so you can excel in any career. Looking for complete training in other skills so you can start a new career? Check out our wide variety of quality career training. Meanwhile, here is how you can learn how to type faster:
Learn How to Type Faster
If you have a slow typing speed and are looking to improve, there are many ways you can learn how to type faster. In fact, with a bit of time and effort, anyone can improve their typing speed.
The goal is to reduce the effort put into typing. That includes making it easier for your fingers to move on the keyboard and reducing the stress your body feels after long periods of typing. Here are some ways that you can improve your typing speed.
1. Know your keyboard
Getting to know your keyboard is vital if you want to type faster. It can slow you down when you have to look back and forth between the screen and the keyboard often. If you’re able to reduce or even eliminate how often you’re watching the keyboard, it can make you a faster typist.
That’s where the touch typing technique can benefit you. This method of typing helps you to memorize the keys so your fingers can find the correct letter without you even looking at the keyboard. Good typists know their keyboard so well that they can even be looking away from the screen while they type and still get it done right.
2. Use proper posture
Another essential tip to help you type faster is to use proper posture. This will reduce the stress on your body and avoid fatigue, two things that can slow you down when typing. A good posture for typing is to have your back straight and supported by the back of your chair. You should bend your elbows and rest them on the desk or table. Your feet should both be flat on the ground.
When placing your hands on the keyboard, be sure that your wrists are able to arch over the keyboard, as this is the best posture to allow your fingers to move quickly over the keys.
Put your left index finger on the F key and your other index finger on the J key. Many keyboards have a raised line or indicator on these keys so your fingers can find them without you looking. The rest of your fingers should fall on the other keys in the middle row or what is often referred to as the home row.
3. Stay alert
Your posture is vital to your comfort and your effectiveness as a typist. Be sure that you are not slumping or that your posture does not change throughout your day. This can hinder your typing speed. Be sure to take breaks and get up and move around. If you’re able, consider body stretches or exercises you can do during your time away from the screen. This will help keep your body and mind relaxed and ready for the job.
4. Practice
Like most skills, typing is one that you’ll be able to improve with practice and time. Don’t feel discouraged if you start slow. Remember that you’re working on both your speed and your accuracy. Over time, you’ll see your typing get faster. One of the best ways to practice your typing is to take a course like Introduction to Keyboarding. This class is for those without formal keyboard training, but it can also be a way to brush up on your typing skills regardless of your level or speed.
How to Type Properly
So many factors go into learning how to type properly, from the correct hardware to your posture to your typing technique. One study found that the top typists often push the following key before releasing the previous one. This is called rollover typing. The study involved people from over 200 countries who volunteered to take an online typing test.
Before you can learn to type correctly, you need to know what method you use and which one is best for improving your speed.
Typing styles
Many people use different typing styles on their keyboards, which affects how to type faster. These include:
Touch-typing
The most common style of typing is touch-typing. It is the professional method and the technique that allows for faster typing. It involves training your brain to memorize the keys on the keyboard and be able to type without even looking at the screen or your hands. Touch typists use every finger to type, which improves typing speed.
Hunt and peck
Another typing style is the hunt and peck method. It doesn’t require you to memorize the keyboard or to use all your fingers when typing. Rather, the typist looks for one letter at a time. Then, they push each button at a time, using one or two fingers. The hunt and peck style is not how people learn to type faster.
Buffering
Another approach to keyboard typing is memorizing text and then typing them out by watching the keyboard. This is called buffering, and while it reduces how often you need to look at the screen, it is not as efficient or fast as touch-typing.
What is a Good Typing Speed?
Measuring typing speed means tracking how many words per minute or wpm the typist is able to produce. It works by allowing typists to compare their speed, despite the language they write in.
The average typist has a speed of 40 wpm. However, they will also make about eight mistakes for every 100 words.
In 1946, Stella Pajunas was the fastest typist in the world. Using an IBM electric typewriter, she typed 216 wpm. Now, the official fastest computer keyboard typist is Barbara Blackburn. She got up to 212 wpm during a 2005 test.
While you don’t need to reach that level of typing skill, if you’re able to boost your speed to 65 wpm or higher, you’ll be more efficient. Our AOLCC Keyboard Skill Building course is an ideal fit for those who are familiar with keyboarding skills and are looking to improve speed. The class focuses on advancing your key recognition to boost your speed and accuracy.
Speedy Keys – The Fastest Typist in Canada
We’re on the lookout for the fastest typist in Canada. Could you be it?
Test your speed today – and then again and again as you improve. You can even invite your friends, family, and coworkers to participate and see who has the speediest keys!