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Left
Handed Finger Positions |
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Right
Handed Finger Positions |
Position your hand
and fingers according to one of the diagrams above. The color coding shows which
finger to use to reach each key (you can also view our
interactive demonstration).
For instance, for a right handed typist, the index finger is used to reach all red
keys. For a left handed typist, the index finger is used
to reach all blue keys.
The F, G, H, and J
keys are the "home" keys. As you type, press each key
gently with the correct finger and then return your hand and
fingers back to the home home keys, as shown above.
Most keyboards have
small bumps on the F and J keys. These can be used as
guides to allow you to position your fingers on the home keys
without having to look at the keyboard. Once you feel the
bumps on your index and little fingers, you know your fingers
are in the right place.
Using Sticky Keys to Type Capitals and Punctuation
We recommend turning
on the sticky keys option on your computer, in order to speed up entry of capital letters and shifted
punctuation. When sticky keys is turned on, it is not necessary to hold
down the shift key while pressing another key. Instead, the shift key is
pressed and released before pressing the other key. In Windows, sticky
keys is enabled from the Accessibility Options control panel. On Mac OS X,
sticky keys is enabled from the Universal Access item in the system preferences.
To type a capital
letter or shifted punctuation symbol, first press and release
the shift key on the same side of the keyboard as the letter you
will type. For instance, to type a capital E, press the
shift key on the left side of the keyboard, release the shift
key, and then press E. Using the shift key on the same
side of the keyboard reduces the amount of hand and finger
movement that is needed.
Typing Keys on the Outer Edges of the Keyboard
For a one handed typist, it is usually not
possible to reach the keys on the extreme left or right side of the keyboard
without taking the fingers off of the home position (F, G, H, and J keys).
The approach we recommend is to try to keep at least one finger on a home key,
to make it easier to return to the home position without looking at the
keyboard. For example, a left handed typist may type a backspace by
placing their little finger on the J key and their index finger on the backspace
key. Because hand sizes can vary, some individuals will need to move their
fingers further from the home position than others. For the keys that are far from the home position, feel
free to adjust your hand and finger positioning to the point that is most
comfortable.
Positioning of the Keyboard
Place the keyboard
on your desk so that the arm you are using is not bent.
This means that right handed typists will place the keyboard on
their right and left handed typists will place the keyboard on
their left.
Some important rules
to follow:
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Don't look at
the keyboard as you type. Keeping your eyes focused on
your monitor, instead of moving them between the monitor and
keyboard, will save you time and allow you to focus more on
your work.
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Don't move your
hand and other fingers any more than necessary to reach each
key. This speeds up your typing by keeping your hands
and fingers close to the home keys, and also reduces strain.
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Be patient and
practice often. While the rules of touch typing
are simple, developing the technique and building speed take
time. In the beginning you may have to force yourself
to type using the correct technique, but over time you will
adjust and start to see your speed and productivity improve.
For further reading,
visit
www.aboutonehandtyping.com.
If you have not
already signed-up, our
Custom Typing Training web site provides all you need to
practice and develop your technique. |