- The biggest challenge for those learning to touch-type is the habit of looking at the keyboard. TypeFaster helps you resist that temptation by providing an on-screen keyboard to refer to, teaching you to look at the screen instead of the keys. This free software offers a series of lessons designed to take you from basic, home-row only typing to typing more complex words and sentences. Check out the resources section of this article for a free Windows download.
- If you like the idea of software helping you learn to type, but want something a little more entertaining than TypeFaster's spartan interface, try TuxType. This free, open-source game involves typing the letters pictured on falling fish before they hit the ground. Type the letter on time and Tux, the game's penguin star, will get to eat the fish. As you advance in the game, you'll be required to type full words of ever-increasing complexity, helping you learn to type. Check out the resources link below to download Linux, Mac, and Windows versions of the software.
- If you spend a lot of time online talking to friends, consider making use of this time to teach yourself better typing habits. Instead of typing acronym-riddled sentence fragments -- such as "lol i c u today @ da mall!" -- consider typing fully-formed sentences, such as "Oddly enough, I saw you today at the mall." You'll be amazed how much that will improve not only your typing over time, but also your grammar and writing skills.
- If you think you're getting better at typing, why not put it to the test? Open up a word processor, find a book and type pages from it verbatim. Complicated works such as those by Plato or Shakespeare, or even the Bible, make good practice texts.
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