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Keyboarding
A Word About Keyboarding
The world has evolved into a computer-based environment my friends, and this means it’s more important than ever to eventually learn to functionally keyboard. Children are learning beginning keyboarding skills at ever younger ages these days, and our elementary school takes great pride in its wonderful computer lab and opportunities for introducing our Keysor learners to the keyboarding world. In Occupational Therapy I enjoy helping our kids with special needs learn the ins and outs of keyboarding and become functional in basic keyboard usage.
Keyboarding can be an especially beneficial adaptation for children who are struggling with the writing process. Although we want all our learners to be able to write by hand to the best of their abilities, we don’t want difficulties with the physical mechanics of their handwriting to slow down or inhibit their creative abilities in being able to put down their ideas on paper. We also don’t want them so frustrated with the writing process that they avoid writing opportunities, homework, and develop a fear of producing written work. For this reason, many of the children seen by O.T. may also eventually begin to receive services related to keyboarding skills as needed.
Children seen by O.T. for keyboarding skill development may be issued an AlphaSmart or other similar electronic word processing keyboard. An AlphaSmart is a small, light but sturdy keyboard that children can use in the classroom and often take home for homework. They can type assignments into it where they will be saved, and then can be downloaded into a computer word processing program and saved there or printed.
Children who are able to functionally keyboard words and sentences but who have difficulty with the writing process may also be seen by O.T. to help them learn to use word prediction software such as Co-Writer. Co-Writer software can be installed on a computer in a child’s classroom. It enables children to write sentences and paragraphs by giving guesses of words the student might want to use while the student types. It saves keystrokes and supports students who may struggle with spelling. Parents may also easily learn to use Co-Writer and check out a copy of the program to use on a computer at home through Special School District.