Tips & Tricks: Utilizing Words Per Minute (WPM) to Improve Typing Skills
To ensure success with Individual Software’s Typing Instructor for Kids Gold, each typing activity in the program is designed to maximize the WPM ability of each student. It is a measure of typing speed, or how many words are typed in a minute. Students set a WPM goal that they are initially comfortable with and can gradually increase the speed as their skills improve.
The Goal WPM represents the words per minute typing speed that typists are trying to achieve while typing accurately and using proper form. This goal is easily established in the Settings area or by a teacher or administrator in the Management Center.
In Typing Instructor for Kids, typists see their performance results reported after each typing activity. WPM shows the average WPM typed within the lesson. The reported WPM result shows no adjustment for errors made during the lesson.
The Adjusted WPM shows the average WPM multiplied by the percentage of keystrokes typed accurately. For example, if a typist achieves a WPM of 30 and accuracy.
Did You Know?
Typing Instructor for Kids has built-in Typing Plans for kids ages 5 – 11 with the suggested Goal WPM already established. Note: The Goal WPM can be changed any time in Settings or the Management Center. Utilizing these plans will start kids on the best path for optimal performance.
Grade and Age-Specific Typing Plans
GRADE | AGE | SUGGESTED TYPING PLAN | GOAL WPM |
K | 5-6 | Home Row Plan | 5 |
1 | 6-7 | Home Row & Upper Row Plan/Home Row & Lower Row Plan | 5 |
2 | 7-8 | Ages 7-8 Plan | 5 |
3 | 8-9 |
Ages 7-8 Plan Ages 9-10 Plan |
10-15 |
4 | 9-10 |
Ages 9-10 Plan Games Plan |
15-20 |
5 | 10-11 |
Suggested Typing Plan Suggested Typing Plan (No Games) Skill Building Plan Games Plan |
20-25 |
Another Tip:
Typing Instructor’s fully integrated games are a great way to practice skills learned in the Typing Lessons and Tests. In addition to only using keys that users have learned so far, the game speed is controlled by the typist’s current WPM. This is essential for skill-building and reinforcing proper finger-to-key placement, which will also improve accuracy.