Teacher Guide

A complete touch typing curriculum in 7 lessons for US QWERTY keyboards. This guide helps you plan instruction for classrooms and computer labs, and is also useful for tutors and self-directed learners.

Curriculum Overview

Students progress from home row basics to full keyboard mastery, including all letters, numbers, symbols, and punctuation. The curriculum emphasizes proper technique over speed.

Lesson	Topic	Exercises	Time Range	Suggested Sessions
1	Home Row: A S D F G H J K L ;	10	20-40 min	1
2	Top Row: Q W E R T Y U I O P	12	20-45 min	1-2
3	Bottom Row: Z X C V B N M , . /	13	25-55 min	1-2
4	Capital Letters: Shift key technique	13	30-70 min	1-2
5	Punctuation: . , ; : ' " ? !	15	30-65 min	1-2
6	Numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0	12	20-45 min	1-2
7	Symbols: $ & # * ( ) ! @ % ^ _ + [ ] { } < > ` \ ~ |	25	55-120 min	2-3
Total		100	3.5-7.5 hours	8-14 sessions

Time ranges account for different skill levels: faster times are for experienced (but non-touch) typists; slower times are for complete beginners.

Lesson Time Calculator

Enter your students' approximate typing speed to see precise time estimates for each exercise. Check or uncheck exercises to plan a session.

Learning Objectives by Lesson

Each lesson has specific skills students should demonstrate before moving on.

Exercise Types

Lessons 1-3: Progressive Drills

The first three lessons build from single keys to full phrases using three exercise types:

• Key Introduction exercises isolate new keys with focused repetition patterns (e.g., "jj kk jkj kjk")
• Consolidation exercises mix previously learned keys together, integrating new keys with old ones
• Sentence Practice exercises apply all learned keys in real words and phrases (full sentences begin in Lesson 3, when the period key is introduced)

Lessons 4-7: Paired Exercises

Each section pairs two exercise types, designed to work together:

Type	Purpose	Format
Technique Training (a)	Build muscle memory through focused repetition	Pattern drills (e.g., "HH JJ Hh hH Jj jJ")
Practice (b)	Apply skills to real writing	Sentences and short stories

Recommendation: Have students complete both exercises in each pair. The drill builds the pattern; the practice reinforces it in context. Students who struggle with accuracy should repeat the technique drill until they can type it comfortably -- drills have a Shuffle button for extra practice with fresh patterns.

For shorter sessions: You can assign only the "a" (Technique Training) exercises for homework, then do the "b" (Practice) exercises together in class.

Exercise Design

Understanding why exercises are structured the way they are helps you explain the method to students and adapt when needed.

Accuracy before speed

Drills are designed to be typed slowly and accurately, not fast. The goal is to practice the correct finger movement each time. Encourage students to focus on accuracy first and let speed develop over time.

Why drills are kept short

Technique drills are short enough to complete in a couple of minutes. Students who need more practice can use the Shuffle button (bottom right of the exercise) to generate fresh patterns using the same keys, so they can repeat the drill without typing the same sequence again. The Reset button restores the original drill text.

Why drills follow a specific progression

Technique drills move from blocked repetition (aa bb) to alternating patterns (ab ba) to mixed combinations (aab bba abab). The idea is isolation first, building the finger-key map for each new key, then gradual integration toward real typing conditions.

Why drills are paired with stories

The isolated drill builds the finger movement; the story exercise reinforces it in real writing. Stories also give students a reason to keep typing and provide a break from pure repetition.

Why every student sees the same text

Every student who opens the same exercise sees the same text. This means you can project an exercise, discuss specific words or patterns, and know exactly what every student is typing. When students need to repeat a drill, Shuffle gives them fresh, random patterns so they're practicing the movement, not memorizing the sequence.

Pacing for 45-Minute Classes

Session	Content	Notes
1	L1 exercises 1-7	Home row foundation. Demo hand position first.
2	L1 exercises 8-10, L2 exercises 1-2	Finish home row stretches, begin top row
3	L2 exercises 3-6	Top row: middle and ring fingers
4	L2 exercises 7-12	Top row: pinky, diagonal, sentences
5	L3 exercises 1-6	Bottom row: index and middle fingers
6	L3 exercises 7-13	Bottom row: ring, pinky, diagonal, sentences
7	L4 exercises 1-4	Capitals: home and top row
8	L4 exercises 5-7, L5 exercises 1-2	Capitals: bottom row. Begin punctuation review.
9	L5 exercises 3-5	Apostrophe, question mark, exclamation
10	L5 exercises 6-9	Hyphen, putting it together, return key, final practice
11	L6 (all)	Numbers. Shorter lesson, fits in one session.
12	L7 exercises 1-4	Symbols: $ & # * ( ) ! @
13	L7 exercises 5-7	Symbols: % ^ - = _ +
14	L7 exercises 8-13	Symbols: [ ] { } < > ` \ ~ |, final practice

Faster groups can compress sessions 1-2 into one and sessions 7-8 into one, bringing the total to ~12 sessions. If your class needs more time, Lesson 3 (bottom row) and Lesson 7 (symbols) are the longest, so consider adding a session after session 6 or splitting session 14.

Shorter Course Option

If class time is limited, cover Lessons 1-4 in class (all letters and capitals -- the foundation of touch typing). Lesson 4 also serves as a review of all letter keys, so students who meet the Lesson 4 accuracy benchmark (95%+ with capitals) have a solid foundation. They can complete Lessons 5-7 (punctuation, numbers, symbols) independently at home using the same technique.

Expected Benchmarks

Accuracy is the primary measure of readiness to move on. We recommend 95%+ accuracy on each exercise before progressing. Students who consistently score below this should repeat the exercise -- the technique drills are designed for repetition.

Speed varies widely by age, prior experience, and lesson complexity. Expect it to drop when new keys are introduced. This is normal. Continued practice with correct technique helps speed recover and grow over time.

Assessment

We recommend grading on completion and improvement rather than absolute speed. Students start at very different levels, and improvement matters more than where they start.

A simple approach:

• Completion: Did the student finish all exercises in the lesson? (This is the baseline expectation.)
• Accuracy: Is the student consistently at 95%+? If accuracy drops below 95%, have them repeat the technique drill for that section before moving on. The drills are designed to be repeated as needed to build mastery.
• Improvement: Compare each student's accuracy and speed at the start and end of the course. The exercises themselves report WPM and accuracy, so improvement is visible over time.

Avoid grading on speed alone -- it penalizes students who are learning proper technique for the first time and rewards those who already had some typing ability.

Classroom Tips

• Accuracy over speed: Emphasize correct finger placement. If a student's accuracy drops below 95%, have them repeat the technique drill until they can type it accurately. The drills are designed for this.
• Eyes on screen: Encourage students to keep their eyes on the screen rather than the keyboard. Each lesson page has a Show Keyboard button (bottom of the screen) that slides up a color-coded keyboard diagram highlighting the keys for the current exercise and which finger types them. The panel can be resized by dragging its top edge. Recommend it for beginners; more confident students can hide it to build independence.
• Short sessions: 20-30 minutes of focused practice is better than an hour of fatigued typing.
• Posture check: Remind students to sit up straight, wrists neutral, feet flat on the floor.
• Fast finishers: Point them to Practice Mode for additional challenge while others catch up.
• Hunt-and-peck typists: Acknowledge that correct technique will feel slower at first. This is expected. They're relearning a skill from scratch.
• Mixed-ability classes: The lessons are designed for self-paced learning. Faster students can repeat exercises for higher accuracy or move ahead to the next lesson while others catch up.

Suggested Session Structure

For a 40-45 minute class period:

• 5 min - Warm-up: repeat a previous exercise
• 25-30 min - New material: work through the exercises for the current session
• 5 min - Review and stretch: discuss common mistakes, do a hand/wrist stretch
• 5 min - Buffer: catch-up time or extra practice for early finishers

Standards & Digital Literacy

Keyboarding is referenced in Common Core ELA standards through Grade 6 (W.3.6–W.6.6) and in many state CTE and digital literacy frameworks for middle and high school. Specific requirements vary by state. This curriculum covers all keys on a standard keyboard with correct touch typing technique, which supports any standard requiring keyboard proficiency.

After the Course

Students who complete all 7 lessons can type every character on a standard keyboard with correct technique. Speed improves with continued practice. How quickly depends on age, practice frequency, and prior experience.

For ongoing practice:

• Use Practice Mode for daily typing practice with real quotes and passages
• Revisit earlier exercises periodically to see how much easier they feel
• Encourage students to use touch typing in all their computer work, not just during practice sessions

Additional Resources

• Practice Mode - Additional typing practice with quotes and passages

Curriculum Versions

In March 2026, the lessons were updated with new narratives, keyboard illustrations, and restructured exercises. The original (v1) versions remain available at their current URLs, so teachers can continue using them.

Lesson	Current (2026)	v1 (2025)
1. Home Row	Updated version	v1
2. Top Row	Updated version	v1
3. Bottom Row	Updated version	v1
4. Capital Letters	Updated version	v1
5. Punctuation	Updated version	v1
6. Numbers	Updated version	v1
7. Symbols	Updated version	v1

What changed

• New narratives: Exercises are woven into stories and themes
• Exercise keyboard illustrations: Each exercise includes a color-coded keyboard diagram highlighting the target keys and which finger types them
• Slideout keyboard: A Show Keyboard button at the bottom of each lesson toggles a resizable keyboard panel that students can keep visible while typing
• Restructured exercises: Technique drills paired with contextual practice for each new skill
• Shorter drills with shuffle: Many exercises are shorter and less daunting for beginners, with a shuffle button that generates fresh variations for additional practice as needed

Exercise mapping: v1 to current

Lesson	v1	Current	Key differences
1. Home Row	10 exercises	10 exercises	Same structure, same keys
2. Top Row	12 exercises	12 exercises	Same structure, same keys
3. Bottom Row	11 exercises	13 exercises	New sentence practice inserted at 3.5; final exercise expanded to 2 parts (see detail below)
4. Capitals	3 exercises	13 exercises	Major expansion with paired technique/practice drills
5. Punctuation	7 exercises	15 exercises	Major expansion with paired technique/practice drills
6. Numbers	6 exercises	12 exercises	Major expansion with paired technique/practice drills
7. Symbols	6 exercises	25 exercises	Major expansion with paired technique/practice drills

Lessons 1-3 map nearly 1:1 with the v1 versions. Same keys, same order.

• Lessons 1 and 2: Direct match, exercise for exercise.
• Lesson 3: A new sentence practice (3.5) is inserted after the middle finger exercises. Exercises after 3.5 are offset by one (v1 3.5 = new 3.6, v1 3.6 = new 3.7, etc.). Two new sentence practices are added at the end (All Letters A-Z Parts 1 and 2).

Lessons 4-7 are significantly restructured, with different ordering, more exercises, and paired technique/practice drills. The same keys are covered, with more complete symbol coverage in Lesson 7. Teachers should plan these lessons as new content rather than trying to map old exercise numbers.

The v1 versions remain available at their current URLs.