Resources needed

• Computers and keyboards
• Timer/stopwatch either on screen or mechanical
• Gloves!
• Photocopy a keyboard for each pupil or print this one
• An online stopwatch can be accessed from www.peoplessavingsonline.com/justforkids/index.shtml

During a literacy session ask pupils how the text either onscreen or in a book got there.

Explain that all printed text needs to be inputted, usually via a keyboard.

Show the pupils the photocopy or picture of a keyboard that shows the position of the letters. Ask them to find the letters that make up your name. Find the vowels and any other letters that might interest the class.

Ask them to colour in all the vowels in one colour. Explaining that the letters "F" and "J" have raised bumps on them to help users find their position on the keyboard.

Ask them to colour in letters that are in their name.

Tell the pupils that you are thinking of a letter and that they have to find out which one you are thinking of by asking you questions about where it is on the keyboard eg it is to the left of "G".

Ask pupils to tell you if the letters on the keyboard are capital or lower-case letters.

Compare tough typing with playing the piano and explain that any of the children should be able to touch type with a lot of practice. Ask pupils to tell you how fast a typist can type. Ask them to copy out a piece of writing and give them one minute to do it. Find out how many words they have written down in a minute by counting them. Ask them to decide if they could type faster or slower using the computer.

Explain to them the basic challenge to find who the quickest typists are in the class.

Ask the pupils how we could find this out. Either decide that pupils must write out the alphabet or give them a piece a text that you would like them to learn eg the golden rule.

Organise the following sessions so that pupils either independently or in small groups of two or three can sit round a keyboard and practice. Pupils will need to be able to use a simple word-processing programme and to write their names at the top of each attempt.

An onscreen timer can be accessed from the site labove or a separate stopwatch/timer can be used to time each child. Ask them to write down the time taken under the finished alphabet or section of text.

The sheet of pupils attempts can be printed out and you depending on time, each child can have a few attempts to practice.

The times can be recorded on a class list and pupils can track their progress each time they have a go.