it through 5th and 6th. It is the first 15 minutes of our computer
classes, twice a week.
We use Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. The goal is 35 words per minute with
80% accuracy. Almost everyone reaches this by the end of 5th grade.
Some functions of MS Word are introduced in 3rd grade and developed
through 6th: headers and footers, font types and sizes, WordArt, copying
and pasting text, changing margins, inserting and formatting pictures.
They are expected to be proficient by the end of 6th grade.
Cursive writing is introduced in the Spring of 2nd grade.
Barbara Marshall - Computer Coordinator
Derby Academy
(781) 749-0746
bmarshall@derbyacademy.org
A forum for independent school educators <ISED-L@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU> writes:
>In an effort to better our lower school tech program, I was hoping to
>gather
>some responses to some questions about keyboarding and handwriting. I will
>be happy to gather it all together and send it out to anyone that is
>interested. Thank you for your time in answering this---
>
>If you would just respond with some quick answers to the following:
>
>Do you teach formal keyboarding?
>At what grade level do you begin? I am not talking ³these are the home
>keys², or ³remember to use two hands²Š
>Do you use a canned program (i.e. Type to Learn, Mavis Beacon, PAWS) and
>if
>so which one?
>Who teaches this course---classroom teacher, tech teacher, someone else?
>
>How do you access your keyboarding skills?
>For example, do you look for a certain score of ³words per minute² at a
>certain grade level?
>
>Do you have any assessment for MS Word skills?
>
>Do you teach cursive handwriting?
>At what grade do you begin to teach cursive? All year?
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>--
>This is what we do:
>We teach formal keyboarding starting in 4th grade using Type To Learn. I
>teach the class. Other than the program, I require no formal assessment.
>We
>have contests and races for fun.
>
>MS Word skills are taught generally while the students are typing various
>documents for class. However because they lack keyboarding skills the
>keyboarding can become very cumbersome.
>
>I have often had kids dictate to me (those that are becoming really
>frustrated) and I type the document.
>
>We teach cursive in 3rd grade.
>
>Susan Ferris
>The Pingry School
>sfrights@pingry.org
>973-379-4550
>
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