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User’s Guide The New & Innovative Web-based Solution for Kids’ Keyboarding! Produced by Individual Software Inc. © Copyright 2011 by Individual Software Inc. M-TKLB2B-I1.0 IT IS ILLEGAL TO MAKE UNAUTHORIZED COPIES OF THIS SOFTWARE This software is protected under federal copyright law. It is illegal to make or distribute copies of this software except to make a backup copy for archival purposes. Duplication of this software for any other reason, including for sale, loan, rental or gift, is a federal crime. Penalties include fines of as much as $50,000 and jail terms of up to five years. INDIVIDUAL SOFTWARE INCORPORATED supports the software industry’s effort to fight the illegal copying of personal computer software. Report copyright violations to: SIIA, 1730 M St., NW, Suite 700 Washington, DC 20036 INDIVIDUAL, the INDIVIDUAL logo and icon, and Typing Instructor Platinum are trademarks of Individual Software Incorporated. Individual Software Inc. 4255 Hopyard Road, Suite #2 Pleasanton, California 94588 Sales and Customer Service: (925) 734-6767 Technical Support: (925) 734-6767 General: (925) 734-6767 Fax: (925) 734-8337 Web Site: www.individualsoftware.com E-mail: [email protected] TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide 2 Table of Contents Introduction: Getting Started.............................................................................. 4 Chapter 1: Logging In............................................................................................. 5 Chapter 2: Learning to Type with TypingInstructorWeb for Kids........... 8 Chapter 3: Using TypingInstructorWeb for Kids........................................... 9 Chapter 4: Saved Results.....................................................................................16 Chapter 5: Typer Island’s Games.......................................................................19 TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide 3 INTRODUCTION: Getting Started Hi! I’m Toby Typer. Welcome to TypingInstructorWeb for Kids. You’ll find everything you need to know about Typer Island and all of TypingInstructorWeb for Kids’ features inside this helpful guide! System Requirements Windows Using This Guide Using the User’s Guide On Screen You may use the scroll bar at the right of this screen to scroll through the entire User’s Guide. You may also click the bookmarks displayed on the left of your screen to jump to specific areas, and then scroll down as needed to read that section. The standard buttons on the Acrobat Reader toolbar shown below may also be used to navigate this document. • Pentium class PC or higher • Microsoft Windows 7, Vista, XP or 2000 • 480 MB Hard Disk Space Available • 800x600 16-Bit Color Display • Sound Card • Speakers or Headphones • Mouse • Internet Connection Mac Printing Portions of the User’s Guide • PowerPC G4, G5 or Intel Core Duo processor; 800 MHz processor or higher • Mac OS X 10.4.6 - 10.6 • 580 MB Hard Drive Space Available • 1024x768 resolution • Video Card with 32 MB of video RAM • Sound Card • Speakers • Mouse • Internet Connection You can print pages at any time by selecting Print from the File menu. Follow the onscreen instructions that appear. Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum User’s Guide 4 C hapter 1 : Logging In Logging In Customer Support Browse to TypingInstructorWeb for Kids on your computer using your favorite web browser, such as Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox. At Individual Software, we are dedicated to supporting our customers and place the highest priority on customer satisfaction. Please review the following information, which will help you with the most common customer support inquiries including registering your software, obtaining technical support, ordering an upgrade, contacting customer care, and sending feedback or product suggestions. If you are using a private label site, your unique URL will be provided after your registration is complete. To log in to the site: Registering your Software 1. Browse to TypingInstructorWeb for Kids. 2. Enter your Username and Password. 3. Click the Login button. You should register the product with Individual Software using one of the following methods: First time users need to register by clicking the Get Started button. Important Note You only need to register using one of the registration methods below. It is unnecessary to register more than once. About Passwords: After initially logging in, you must create a unique password. If you forget your password, click the Forgot Password link on the Login Page. An e-mail will be sent to you with instructions for resetting your password. Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum User’s Guide • Product Installation: During the installation process, you will be asked to register your software. This is the preferred method to use for software registration. • Online Product Registration: You may register your product online at anytime by visiting: www.individualsoftware.com/ register 5 Chapter 1: Installing and Starting Three Important Reasons to Register Your Software with Individual Software 1. You may be entitled to FREE customer support by contacting our Technical Support or Customer Care departments. 2. You will receive announcements about free updates and patches to your software and will be entitled to receive product upgrades at a reduced price. 3. You will be protected by the Individual Software CD-ROM Limited Warranty policy. At Individual Software, we build many of the industry’s leading software titles and offer these products to our customers at reasonable prices. And, we work harder than any other software company to ensure our customers are satisfied with their purchase. As a result, Individual Software has been honored with many distinguished awards of recognition from leading publications and industry organizations. As always, our mission has been to ensure you are satisfied with your purchase. Before any software product is released from Individual Software, it undergoes thorough testing to ensure that software will install and run on your system reliably. These testing and quality control processes exceed even the highest industry standards so that you will be satisfied with your software purchase. Contacting Technical Support At Individual Software, FREE technical support is available through a telephone number or from the Web Support site. If have any questions about using the software or are experiencing technical difficulties, please contact our Technical Support department as follows: Web Support: Visit www.individualsoftware.com/support Note: Web support is the most efficient and most timely. Phone Support: Call (925) 734-6767, Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:00am and 5:30pm (Pacific Standard Time) and you will be connected to the next available Technical Support Specialist. Important Note When contacting Technical Support, please be sure to include (1) your name, daytime telephone number and e-mail address, (2) the product name and version number, (3) a complete description of the problem and (4) the time of day you are available for a phone call. Also, please let us know whether you would prefer to be contacted by e-mail or telephone. However, occasionally, as with all software products, you may experience technical difficulties installing or running the software and may require assistance from the Technical Support department. Usually, this is due to conflicts with other software on your system, viruses, or a unique system configuration. As one of the only software companies to offer FREE technical support, Individual Software is demonstrating our commitment to Customer Satisfaction. Contacting Customer Care Additionally, you can take advantage of the many services offered by the Customer Care department to obtain assistance with your product order, receive information about shipping, order warranty replacements, and ensure timely follow-up on your product inquiry or technical support issue. Web Customer Care: Visit www.individualsoftware.com/ customercare Note: Some very old products no longer receive technical support. However, for these old products, newer products are available at a discounted price. TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide If you need assistance with anything other than Technical Support including learning more about new versions, ordering an upgrade, purchasing additional software titles, registering your software, processing your mail-in rebate, or any other service request, then please contact the Customer Care department as follows: Phone Customer Care: Call (925) 734-6767, Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:00am and 5:30pm (Pacific Standard Time) and you will be connected to the next available Customer Care Representative. Important Note When contacting Customer Care, please be sure to include (1) your name, daytime telephone number and e-mail address, (2) a complete description of what you need and (3) the time of day you are available for a phone call. Also, please let us know whether you would prefer to be contacted by e-mail or telephone. 6 Chapter 1: Installing and Starting Sending Feedback, Comments, and Suggestions If you would like to request a new feature or send comments and suggestions about an existing product or service, then please send your feedback as follows: Web Comments: Visit www.individualsoftware.com/ comments Important Note When sending your comments and suggestions, please be sure to include (1) your name, daytime telephone number and e-mail address, (2) the product name and version number, (3) and a detailed description of your feedback. If you would like us to contact you, then please let us know whether you would prefer to be contacted by e-mail or telephone and when would be a good time to reach you. Contacting Individual Software Summary Hours: Mon.- Fri., 8:00 a.m. - 5: 30 p.m., Pacific Standard Time Web Addresses: Technical Support Web: www.individualsoftware.com/corpsupport Customer Care Web: www.individualsoftware.com/customercare Comments Web: www.individualsoftware.com/comments Company Site: www.individualsoftware.com Telephone Phone Numbers: Technical Support: (800) 666-6076 x135 Customer Care: (800) 822-3522 Fax: (925) 734-8337 Outside USA or Canada: (925) 734-6767 Mailing Address: Individual Software 2301 Armstrong St., Suite 101 Livermore, CA 94551 E-Mail Addresses: Technical Support: [email protected] Customer Care E-mail: [email protected] Comments E-mail: [email protected] Note: The preferred contact method is Web Support. CD-ROM Warranty Replacement The CD-ROM(s) included with every Individual Software product are warranted to be free from any material defects for a period of 120 days from the original date of purchase. The Individual Software CD-ROM Limited Warranty Policy entitles the original purchaser of the software to free replacement of any defective CD-ROM. If you need a replacement after the 120-day period has expired, you may purchase a CD-ROM for $10 up to three (3) years after the date of purchase. “Come fly with me.” -- Hughes TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide 7 C hapter 2 : Learning toType withTyping Instructor TypingInstructorWeb for Kids is unlike any other typing program—it takes you out of the classroom on an exciting island adventure to teach you how to touch-type! Typing Instructor can teach you more than just how to press keys. Through proven educational methods, you will learn proper posture, correct finger-to-key placement, and tips to make you a better typist. You’ll visit 5 exciting lands on the island. Along the way you’ll earn valuable jewels and points in your Treasure Chest. About Learning to Type Build a typing foundation with lessons Using TypingInstructorWeb for Kids’s skill-building lessons, while following the suggested typing plan, help create a foundation for touch-typing. Learning a few keys at a time, you will soon know how to type using all the keys on the keyboard. While proceeding through the lessons, you’ll test yourself to reinforce what you’ve just learned. After each lesson, TypingInstructorWeb for Kids’ built-in intelligence will progress you to the Next Step. The Suggested Typing Plan provides the fastest and most efficient method for you to achieve your Goal WPM, and graduate to the next typing level. You can follow the step-by-step Typing Plans, or visit the Explorer Isle to take a break and choose what to do next. If your computer is equipped with a 10-key numeric pad and you would like to improve your numeric keypad skills, TypingInstructorWeb for Kids also offers a Suggested Numeric Keypad Plan. This plan offers Next Step suggestions that will teach you all of the keys on the numeric keypad and help you improve your ability to type columns of numbers with speed and accuracy. With TypingInstructorWeb for Kids, you’ll have the following tools at your fingertips: • Typing Plans with built-in Next Step suggestions to reinforce your learning. Typing plans consist of step-by-step lessons teaching you proper typing techniques. • Lessons to identify which keystrokes are difficult for you and to create a foundation for proficient touch-typing. • Tests to measure your typing speed and document your accuracy. • Progress reports to analyze your strengths and weaknesses by specific keys and fingers using Saved Results. • Practice Stories to reinforce your skills. From Children’s Classics to Fairy Tales! • Typing games, including Ziggy, Gone Fishin’, Flotsam Fighter, Cliffhanger, Tomb Typer, Diamond Glider, Wild West, Erik the Viking, Typing with the Sharks, Sea Creatures, and Treasure Quest. You’ll have so much fun practicing in the Game Cave you’ll forget you’re improving your typing! • Ask Tiki offers a quick reminder for the correct finger-to-key positions. TypingInstructorWeb for Kids records your progress, which you can save and print out. With analysis and feedback built into your learning, you’ll see the trouble spots that hamper your typing skills. To fully utilize TypingInstructorWeb for Kids, follow the Suggested Typing Plan or Suggested Numeric Keypad Plan, which are built upon an analysis of your current skill level. Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum User’s Guide 8 C hapter 3 : Using TypingInstructorWeb for Kids TypingInstructorWeb for Kids presents an action-packed typing adventure. You’ll be presented with top-notch typing instruction as you participlate in a fun-filled adventure. Typing Plans TypingInstructorWeb for Kids includes eleven distinct adventures, or typing plans. Follow these step-by-step learning plans for the main keyboard, the numeric keypad, or other specifically designed plans that focus on particular skills, such as the home row. Getting Around the Island Navigating TypingInstructorWeb for Kids Each screen in TypingInstructorWeb for Kids has several areas that you can click. To find out whether an area is clickable or not, move the mouse pointer over it. If the mouse pointer changes, the item is clickable. Where to Start When you first join the Crew List, Toby Typer and his bird-brained pal, Lafitte, will meet you in the Typer Island Tours office. They’ll give you a brief overview of what to expect on the mysterious Typer Island, and help you prepare for the typing adventure that awaits. Here, you’ll use the Globe and the Progress Map to help choose an adventure and then track your progress through whichever adventure you select! Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum User’s Guide 9 Chapter 3: Using TypingInstructorWeb for Kids Each plan is designed as the foundation for more proficient typing. Tour Ship Several plans were created with the very youngest typists in mind! Young typists will work at a slower pace and learn just a few keys at a time. This way they’ll build their confidence and the skills before graduating to a more challenging plan. On board the U.S.S. Qwerty Tour Ship you’ll learn about the Island and about typing in general. Toby and Lafitte will be there to help you understand all of the available options. Choose a plan that’s just right for you! If a plan seems too easy or too difficult, return to the Typing Plans area from the Map Room and select a different plan, or try changing your Skill Level setting. No matter which plans you choose, you’ll take a trip around Typer Island! There are various features available to you in the Typing Plans area: If you are a first-time typist or new user, Toby strongly recommends that you spend some time familiarizing yourself with the options here, particularly How to Type and the Tour. You can get to the Tour Ship from the Typer Island Tours office, or by clicking the Tour Ship on the Island. The Main Sail on the Tour Ship features several clickable options from which you can choose. You Are The adventurer’s name displays, showing which user is currently logged in to TypingInstructorWeb for Kids. Current Plan The current plan title displays the name of the plan that the adventurer is using. Plans The Plans drop-down list provides a menu of the available plans. Select the plan you want using this list. Plans include the Suggested Typing Plan, the Suggested Typing Plan (No Games), Learning the Home Row, Home Row + Upper Row, Home Row + Lower Row, Ages 7 - 8, Ages 9 - 10, Games Plan, Skill Building Plan, and two numeric keypad plans. Keyboard Using the Main Sail, you can access the Island Tour, How to Type, and the User’s Guide. You can also use the Tour Ship to get back to the Crew List Log In and view a map of the island. Choose from Keyboard or Keypad plans. Island Tour Skill Level If this is your first time using TypingInstructorWeb for Kids, Toby recommends that you click the Tour option on the Main Sail of the Tour Ship. Choose from Easy or Not as Easy. The content of each step in your plan will vary based on your skill level selection. Reset You can restart a plan at any time by clicking the Reset button. Resetting a plan will take you back to Step 1 of the currently selected plan. When you reset, you will also reset your Known Keys (keys you learned in a completed Lesson). The Tour is a brief tutorial of Typer Island’s features. Watching will help you understand all of the in’s and out’s of the island. After you complete the tour, Toby recommends that you click the How to Type option on the Main Sail. Hint: After you select a typing plan, you can view the steps for that specific plan, including lessons, games, and challenges, on the Progress Map. TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide 10 Chapter 3: Using TypingInstructorWeb for Kids How To Type Before you begin you should view a short presentation called How to Type, also available on the Main Sail. Here, Lafitte will pass along loads of valuable information to you, such as proper finger placement, hints on increasing your speed and accuracy, and tips about ergonomics. In the Lessons, you’ll need to achieve 90% accuracy and reach your Goal WPM. In the Challenges you’ll need to achieve 70% accuracy and reach your Goal WPM in order to progress through your typing plan. To capture the Castle and become the ruler of Typer Island in the Suggested Typing Plan, you’ll need to achieve 90% accuracy and 15 WPM on a Touch Typist Challenge. The Island As you make your way to the castle, you’ll visit five distinct lands, each with a different terrain and a unique typing challenge. Don’t worry, ergonomics is just a fancy way of saying “how to sit comfortably at the keyboard”. The Typer Island Adventure No matter which adventure you choose, your goal in TypingInstructorWeb for Kids is to reach the Castle and become the ruler of Typer Island. The adventure consists of several fun typing activities, including Lessons, Games, Challenges, and practice stories. Just follow the path to the Castle and you’ll be touch-typing in no time! Work hard and you’ll get there! Along the way you’ll earn rewards! Each land on Typer Island features a different treasure, such as diamonds and gold. By participating in the Challenges presented to you, you’ll gather these precious jewels and earn points. The points and treasures you accrue are based upon your typing performance - the higher your Words Per Minute (WPM) score and the better the accuracy percentage you achieve, the more points and valuable treasures you’ll get! TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide 11 Chapter 3: Using TypingInstructorWeb for Kids Lessons Lesson Screen Each lesson on Typer Island introduces you to a few keys at a time, and then progresses through step-by-step learning until gradually you are using the whole keyboard. TypingInstructorWeb for Kids is built upon proven learning methods, so if you work hard and practice, you will see results! The WPM gauge displays your Words Per Minute rate as you type. The faster you type, the higher your WPM rate will be. The Progress gauge shows how much of the lesson you have finished and how much you have left. Each of the five lands presents you with the keys you’ll need to learn to become a touch typist or enter the castle! Here is an example from the Suggested Typing Plan: Click the Settings button to display the Settings dialog box. See the Changing Settings section in this chapter for details. Click the Ask Tiki button at any time for a quick reminder about correct finger-to-key positions. See the Ask Tiki section in this chapter for details. The Old West - d, f, j, k, a, s, l, g, h, and ; keys On the Water - t, y, e, and i keys In the Air - r, u, q, w, o, and p keys Over the Edge - v, b, n, m, x, c, ., and , keys Under the Sea - z, ‘, shift, :, ?, and “ keys Click the Pause button to end the lesson. A dialog box displays, enabling you to view your results or resume the lesson. To continue in your typing plan, and reach the castle, you must complete the lessons. Other plans will present the Lessons and keys in each land on Typer Island, similar to the Suggested Typing Plan. Lesson Results Hint: To see the details of any typing plan, select the plan you want to see in the Typing Plans area, and then visit the Progress Map. When you complete a lesson, your results are displayed on the Lesson Results screen. The Lesson Results screen displays feedback about the previous lesson. Lesson Introduction In the lessons, an audio introduction describes the purpose of the lesson and introduces the keys to be learned while an onscreen animation demonstrates which fingers correctly correspond to the keys. Click the Say Again button to replay the introduction. Click the Start button to start the lesson. TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide 12 Chapter 3: Using TypingInstructorWeb for Kids Adjusted WPM shows your average WPM multiplied by the percentage of keystrokes you typed accurately. For example, if your WPM is 30 and your accuracy is 90%, the calculation is: 30 x 90% = 27 Adjusted WPM. The Old West The Accuracy number shows the percentage of keystrokes that were typed correctly. For example, if you typed 100 keystrokes, including Spacebar and Enter, but missed 10, your accuracy would be 90%. “Tarnation! There’s trespassers in the hills of Typer Island. Tryin’ to rustle up some gold, I ‘spect! I’m Jack, and I been protectin’ these parts from looters like you tryin’ to get at the Old West gold. If you do pass this challenge, you’ll earn gold. Not them fool’s gold either but the genuine article - precious gold! Yee doggie! Keep your hands in the homerow position now, ya hear? Good luck!” — Jack O’Hare WPM shows your average WPM in the lesson. No adjustment is made for errors. Your Goal WPM represents the words per minute typing speed, with accuracy, that you are trying to achieve. You can change your Goal WPM in Settings. It is important to keep your Goal WPM at or slightly ahead of your current typing level to get the most out of your typing adventure. About What’s Next TypingInstructorWeb for Kids’ built-in intelligence keeps track of your performance and lets you know what event is coming up next. Following the path of the typing plan provides the most efficient method for you to achieve your Goal WPM and takes you one step closer to Typer Island’s Castle. Remember, you can see all of the steps in your plan by visiting the Progress Map. Challenges After you have learned new keys in a lesson and practiced those keys in a game, you will be presented with a typing Challenge. TypingInstructorWeb for Kids’ challenges are designed to assess the progress of your typing instruction. These challenges will help you measure your skills on the keys you have learned and allow you to review your progress. Each land on Typer Island presents a different challenge and another opportunity to earn more points and treasures. To earn the points and get the treasure, you’ll have to successfully complete the challenge. These challenges are presented to you by an inhabitant of the land. By passing the typing Challenge in each of Typer Island’s lands, you’ll acquire a precious jewel for your treasure chest! TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide In the Old West, you’ll be playing for gold. On the Water In On the Water, you’ll be playing for coins. “Typer Island’s lake is full of gold coins from adventurers like you makin’ wishes. You know, tossin’ coins in and hoping for good luck. If you pass my typing challenge, your wishes will come true and you’ll be rewarded with all of these gold coins - a true fortune! Do your best to use the correct finger positions and you’ll do fine.”— Simon de Vorak In the Air In In the Air, you’ll earn diamonds! “ Even the stars around Typer Island sparkle like diamonds, because they are diamonds! I’ve been swooping and soaring and diving and zooming about the skies gathering them all up! Beautiful diamonds! You can win these precious gemstones by passing my typing challenge. Flex your fingers and try to keep your hands on the homerow. Good luck!”— Lucy Lightfoot 13 Chapter 3: Using TypingInstructorWeb for Kids Over the Edge Challenge Results In Over the Edge, you’ll be playing for rubies! When you complete a Challenge, your results are displayed on the Challenge Results screen. If you stop or pause the Challenge, you are given the choice of viewing the Challenge Results or resuming the Challenge. To continue in your typing plan, and reach the castle, you must complete the challenge. The Challenge Results screen displays feedback about the previous challenge. “The mountainous caves of Typer Island are rich with sparkling jewels. In fact the maze of old mine shafts beneath Mt. Qwerty are full of rich red rubies. I’ve been leaping from peak to peak spelunking in the shadowy crevices and gathering them up. I’ll now test your finesse on the keyboard to see if you’re able to win any rubies. Like, good luck!” — Billy McCracken Adjusted WPM shows your average WPM multiplied by the percentage of keystrokes you typed accurately. For example, if your WPM is 30 and your accuracy is 90%, the calculation is: 30 x 90% = 27Adjusted WPM. The Accuracy number shows the percentage of keystrokes that were typed correctly. For example, if you typed 100 keystrokes, including Spacebar and Enter, but missed 10, your accuracy would be 90%. Under the Sea In Under the Sea, you’ll be playing for pearls! “Welcome to Under the Sea. Even the watery depths surrounding Typer Island are rich with treasure. I’ve just returned from foraging the sea floor and have collected a wonderful stash of precious pearls. I just love pearls - they’re my favorite. Picking up the pearls is as easy as passing the following typing challenge I’ve created for you. Take a deep breath and good luck!”— Max Crusteau WPM shows your average WPM in the challenge. No adjustment is made for errors. Your Goal WPM represents the words per minute typing speed, with accuracy, that you are trying to achieve. You can change your Goal WPM in Settings. It is important to keep your Goal WPM at or slightly ahead of your current typing level to get the most out of your typing adventure. Ask Tiki Ask Tiki is a quick reference guide for correct finger-to-key placement. Tiki is more than just an island relic! This talking tiki statue has all the knowledge you need to be a touch typist. Just click the Ask Tiki button whenever you need to brush up on the correct finger positions for accurate touch typing. Press any key on your main keyboard and watch as the guide hands demonstrate the correct hand and finger technique for the key you have pressed. TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide 14 Chapter 3: Using TypingInstructorWeb for Kids In addition to the animated guide hands, Tiki’s booming voice and onscreen text are also available to help reinforce your learning. Tiki is also available for the numeric keypad. To access Ask Tiki Click the Ask Tiki button wherever it appears. You will find this button in Lessons, Challenges, Saved Results, and in the Story Lagoon. Ask Tiki is available for the keyboard and the numeric keypad...and in both English and Spanish! Progress Map When you left the Map Room, Toby grabbed a map to take along on your adventure. The Progress Map displays which lands you’ve finished and shows which you still have to complete before reaching the castle. The steps for your current plan display along the top of the map. The last step of each land is a typing challenge that tests you on the keys you’ve just learned. When you successfully pass the challenge, you’ll see that area on the map become highlighted and which areas you have left to complete in your adventure. The top portion of the map will show the steps included in whichever plan you choose. A small star shows your current step. The completed steps are indicated on the map, as well. TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide 15 C hapter 4 : Saved Results TypingInstructorWeb for Kids gives you an in-depth analysis of all of your typing activities. You can view results to identify your strengths and weaknesses, and then repeat lessons and challenges to improve your speed and accuracy. Results by Finger Certain fingers may score lower than other fingers. If so, refer to the list below, and repeat the lessons that address your needs. LEFT HAND FINGERS: RIGHT HAND FINGERS: Little: a, q, z, ‘, 1, !, Left Shift Thumb: Spacebar Ring: s, w, x, 2, @ Index: j, u, y, h, n, m, 6, ^, 7, & Middle: d, e, c, 3, # Middle: k, i, <, 8, * Index: f, g, r, v, g, t, b, 4, 5, $, % Ring: l, o, ., >, 9, ( Thumb: Spacebar Little: ;, :, “, p, [, ], }, {, -, _, =, +, |, \, 0, ), ?, /, Right Shift Results by Hand One hand is usually stronger than the other. Results by Hand tells you if your stronger hand is your left or right hand. Keep this in mind when you choose your next lesson. For example, if you need to strengthen your skill with your left hand, you could select lessons Learning 5 and 6 and Learning z and ‘. Results of All Activities Results by Key Review the results of all activities, lessons, challenges, and stories, you have completed with TypingInstructorWeb for Kids. Target your problem areas to help you improve your overall skill. Results by Key helps identify your key proficiencies. Review the performance of each key and identify where you have trouble spots. You can repeat lessons that emphasize those keys. View your results based on a variety of factors, such as today’s results only or the last seven days’ activities. • Display your WPM and accuracy results. • Click Progress Charts to display your WPM and accuracy results mapped out on a graph. • Print your results or print a Certificate of Achievement showing your WPM and accuracy scores. For example, if the letters j, q, and z have a poor performance, repeat these lessons: • Learning d, f, j and k • Learning q, w, o and p • Learning z and ‘ Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum User’s Guide 16 Chapter 4: Saved Results Results by Row You may find you are stronger or weaker on particular rows on the keyboard. For example, if you are weak on the Home Row, take lessons focusing on the Home Row keys (lessons 1, 2, and 3). Last 10 Challenge Results Review your typing speed and accuracy results from your last 10 challenges. To improve your speed, repeat the Speed Building lesson. To improve your accuracy, repeat the Accuracy Building lesson. WPM Boost Letter Size — Increase or decrease the font size in the text of lessons and challenges. Choose from Small, Medium, or Large. Goal Words Per Minute — Your Goal WPM represents the words per minute typing speed, with accuracy, that you are trying to achieve. You can change your Goal WPM in Settings. It is important to keep your goal WPM at or slightly ahead of your current typing level to get the most out of your typing adventure. Music During Lessons and Stories — Music is off by default during the lessons and Story Lagoon stories. Click the dropdown arrow and choose a musical style from the menu to turn the music on. Music is a very useful tool in establishing a consistent typing rhythm, so listen up and type in time! Based on the results of all your activities, TypingInstructorWeb for Kids will encourage and reward you with the opportunity to boost your Words Per Minute. It is strongly suggested that you accept this boost to get the best experience from the lessons, challenges, and games in your Typer Island Adventure! Language — Learn typing instructions in English or Spanish! You can choose to install English, Spanish, or both! When you select Spanish from the Language toggle on the Settings screen, Toby and Lafitte will provide Spanish voice-over instruction. The user interface also switches for ease of navigation for Spanish speaking users. Settings Explorer’s Isle TypingInstructorWeb for Kids provides a variety of program settings to enhance your learning experience. Explorer’s Isle is a small tropical oasis just off the coast of the Typer Island mainland. Visit the Isle any time you want to tackle one of Typer Island’s Lessons or Challenges. By clicking the sign posts you can take any lesson or challenge, regardless of where you are in your current adventure. It’s a great place to improve your skills and become a proficient typist. Backspace — Select Yes to enable the Backspace key to work in lessons, challenges, and stories. Select No to disable it. Skill Level — Select Easy for shorter lessons and easier key combinations for the younger typist. Select Not As Easy for the more skilled typist or for the typist who is ready to graduate to a higher level. The mysterious Cave, accessible from Explorer’s Isle, offers a host of fun surprises, so visit the Isle whenever you need a break from your adventure. Keyboard –– Select Standard to display a traditional keyboard or Split to display an ergonomic split keyboard. TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide 17 Chapter 4: Saved Results Cave Story Lagoon The Cave is a place where you can go to relax from the rigors of your island typing adventure! Here you’ll have access to ten of Typer Island’s exciting games. You can visit the Cave any time you want to play your favorite typing game. The Story Lagoon is an enchanted area of Typer Island, where you can practice typing without worrying about scores and treasures. It’s the perfect place to practice your new skills. It contains forty stories from a wide range of fun interests, ncluding Fairy Tales, Nursery Rhymes, Literature, and Children’s Classics. When you play a game in the Cave, you’ll only use the keys you’ve learned in your lessons. The further you progress in your typing plan, the more keys you’ll have to play with in the Cave! Learning to type successfully depends on lots of practice, so visit the cave as often as you’d like, but remember to use proper typing technique. Focus on using the correct finger to key combinations to improve your speed and accuracy skills. Bonus games are available once you reach the castle! TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide To reinforce using proper typing technique, the Story Lagoon is an ideal place to visit after you’ve learned the entire alphabetic keyboard and the Shift key. 18 C hapter 5 : Typer Island’s Games Increase speed and accuracy with games. The Game Room is your launching pad for exciting multi-play, multi-level typing games: Ziggy, Gone Fishin’, Tomb Typer, Diamond Glider, Flotsam Fighter, Cliffhanger, Wild West, Erik the Viking, Typing with Sharks, Sea Creatures, and Treasure Quest. Individual Software’s typing experts recognize the importance of lessons and tests—and also the value of motivation and rewards while you build speed and accuracy. Game Descriptions Izzy’s Oasis Game Description Izzy’s is a single key game designed to help you learn the correct placement of each key on the keyboard. You type the letters as they appear on each lily pad before Izzy the iguana laps up the letters with his sticky tongue! Each game features Multi-Play and Multi-Level. Multi-Plays allows you to select how the game will play and Multi-Level provides additional levels of game challenge. These games are designed to entertain you and enhance your typing skills. You’ll have so much fun, you’ll forget you’re polishing your speed and accuracy skills. Each game offers features and settings to best match your skills. Playing a game from the Game Room When you play a game from the Game Room, you may select a level, the lesson content (easy words, difficult words, etc.), the words per minutes speed, and various game-specific options from the Settings menu. If you select the Known Keys option, the game content will be keys you’ve learned in any Typing Plan. You can view your current Known Keys at any time on the User/Language tab of the Settings screen. To start a game: 1. Click Game Room in the Castle. 2. Click a game portrait. To learn more about each game, click the Help button in each game. Game Play When you play Izzy’s from your selected Typing Plan the settings are automatically selected based on your word per minute goal and known keys. The game is over when the one minute time limit expires. Game Scoring The scoring system is based on both your speed and accuracy. You receive points for each target you type correctly, as follows: Correctly typed characters +200 points Incorrectly typed characters -50 points Playing a game from a Typing Plan When you play a game from your selected Typing Plan, the settings are automatically set to your words per minute goal, known keys, and game level. The game will end when you complete the game challenge or after one minute of play. Typing Instructor for Kids Platinum User’s Guide At the end of play, you will see how many bugs you typed correctly, how many you missed, and your total points score. Note: Play the game often, save more bugs, and beat your score! 19 Chapter 5: Typer Island’s Games Wild Bill’s Bonus: Earn 1,000 Points when you type all targets correctly! At the end of play, you will see how many targets you typed correctly, how many you missed, and your total points score. Note: Play the game often and beat your score! Gone Fishin’ Game Description Prepare to type the words in the Wild West Target Gallery as fast as you can, to make them disappear and to advance to the second level - inside Wild Bill’s Soda Shoppe. The mice, the gold digger, the horse, the coyote, and even Wild Bill try to distract you—so stay focused on typing the words and you’ll win big! If you type too slowly or make too many mistakes, the targets will get away. Game Play When you play Wild Bill’s from your selected Typing Plan the settings are automatically selected based on your word per minute goal and known keys. The game is over when the one minute time limit expires. When you play from the Game Room, you may select play level 1 or 2, the lesson content (easy words, difficult words, etc), words per minute, and the time limit from the Settings Menu. To increase the game challenge, increase your words per minute goal from the Settings Menu. To select a target, type the first character of the word. If you want to select a different target, press the Escape Key and type the first character of the new target. Play becomes more challenging as you advance from level 1 to level 2. The goal of Wild Bill’s is to type as many targets as you can correctly within the time limit. Game Scoring The scoring system is based on both your speed and accuracy. You receive points for each target you type correctly, as follows: Three word targets Four word targets Five word targets Six word targets Seven word targets 75 points 100 points 125 points 150 points 175 points TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide Game Description Work on words or the 10-key pad to increase your letter or number skills as you pluck fish out of the water in Gone Fishin’. Quickly type the characters or numbers that appear on each fish that swims past to pull them out of the water. The fishing can be easy or difficult, depending on the settings you select—there are many levels to challenge you! Fish from the stream or try fishing in the sea, but catch as many fish as you can and earn points. Catch all of the fish, and earn 1,000 bonus points! Game Play When you play Gone Fishin’ from your selected Typing Plan the settings are automatically selected based on your word per minute goal and known keys. The game ends when the time limit expires. When you play from the Game Room, you may select play level 1 or 2, the lesson content (easy words, difficult words, etc), the words per minute, and the time limit from the Settings Menu. Begin by correctly typing the words, characters, or numbers below each fish quickly and accurately as the fish swim by, to catch them on your rod and reel. If you type too slowly or make too many mistakes, the fish will get away. Earn points for each correctly typed word or set of numbers. To target a fish, type the first character. To switch to a different fish, hit the Escape key, and type the first character of the new target fish. 20 Chapter 5: Typer Island’s Games Game Scoring The scoring system is based on both your speed and accuracy. You receive 30 points for each character you type correctly, as follows: Two character fish targets Three character fish targets Four character fish targets Five character fish targets Six character fish targets Seven character fish targets 60 points 90 points 120 points 150 points 180 points 210 points Bonus: Earn 1,000 Points when you catch all the fish! At the end of play, you will see how many fish you caught, how many got away, and your total points score. Note: Put your line in the water often and improve your fish count! Game Play When you play Erik the Viking from your selected Typing Plan the settings are automatically set to you word per minute goal, game level, and known keys. When the game is launched from the Typing Plan, it ends when you complete the challenge. When you play from the Game Room, you may select play level 1 or 2, and the lesson content (easy words, difficult words, etc), from the Settings Menu. To begin play, start typing the text you see on the screen to ignite Erik’s oarsmen into action, moving the boat across the course. If you type faster than your words per minute speed, you will sail ahead of your opponent’s ship. Type too slowly or make mistakes, and you will fall behind. The goal of the game is to win the first race and advance to the second race and win. Tip: If your lesson content is the Keypad-Numbers or Keypad-All Keys, press the Enter Key after each set of characters. Game Scoring Erik the Viking is a win or lose game. Erik the Viking Choose new settings each time you play to add variety and challenge to the sailing competition! Diamond Glider Game Description Reach for keys beyond the home row and type with accuracy and speed as you race your boat past Erik the Viking’s ship to the finish line. Correctly typed words serve as the oars to guide the Scandinavian Seamen to Valhalla Victory. Do not let the birds distract you as they fly close by the ships. Stay focused on the course. If you mistype a character, your Viking Ship will stall in the water until you enter the right character. Correctly typed letters will enable your ship to sail faster. Be careful! Your competitor’s ship will keep pace with your word per minute speed. TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide Game Description Glide through the air as you practice your typing rhythm or consistent pace on a sky-high adventure. Try to maintain a steady rhythm as you glide through the air on your flying machine, avoiding the pitfalls below and the obstacles above. Improve your typing rhythm and keep your glider soaring in the target zone to capture sparkling diamonds of all shapes and sizes and earn points! 21 Chapter 5: Typer Island’s Games Game Play When you play Diamond Glider from your selected Typing Plan the settings are automatically selected based on your word per minute goal, the game level, and known keys. The game ends when the time limit expires. When you play from the Game Room, you may select the lesson content (easy words, difficult words, etc.), the words per minute, and the time limit from the Settings Menu. To begin flying, start typing the text at the top of the screen. If you type too fast or too slow, the diamonds will deflect down or up. If your glider bumps into obstacles at the top or bottom of the screen, or you collide with ships, spiders, bats, snakes, or volcanoes, you lose one of your four chances and you lose points. You must maintain a steady pace, within five minutes of your target goal word per minute, to keep your glider flying in the target zone and to collect the diamonds. The game becomes more challenging as you soar through each of the four levels of play, including over the city, over the sea, through the jungle, and over volcanic rock. Game Scoring Scoring is based on your typing rhythm, which includes both speed and accuracy. You receive points for each diamond you collect. To collect the smaller diamonds, you must type + or – two of your target words per minute. Large diamonds Small diamonds Collide with an Obstacle 50 to 500 points 300 to 600 points -20 to -200 points + lose a chance At the end of play, you will see your total points score in diamonds collected. Note: Play often to improve your typing rhythm and get rich! Flotsam Fighter Game Description Use your Flotsam Fighter Space Ship to clean-up space debris (flotsam) and save all four planets in the Aeon Galaxy. The planets are Daktyn, Novim, Halus, and Solaris. They are counting on you to zap space debris from around their planets and save the Galaxy! The more debris you collect, the more intergalactic credits you earn. Eight challenging levels of play help you develop your typing speed, typing accuracy, and save the Planets! Game Play When you play Flotsam Fighter from your selected Typing Plan, the settings are automatically set to your word per minute goal, game level, and known keys. When the game is launched from the Typing Plan it ends when you complete the challenge. When you play from the Game Room, you may select the lesson content (easy words, difficult words, etc), and the words per minute from the Settings Menu. Begin by clicking the play button. The hangar force field will deactivate and you will be in the cockpit of your Flotsam Fighter. Type the text under the floating space debris quickly and accurately to destroy the flotsam. If you type too slowly or make too many errors, the flotsam will drift away, uncollected. If you destroy the flotsam, you earn points for each character you type correctly. The game increases in difficulty and challenge with each level. You have to hit the minimum number of flotsam targets for each level to advance to the next level. Game Scoring The scoring system is based on your speed and accuracy, and calculated differently for each of the four levels, as follows: Level (Planet) Points per Character (Typed Correctly) Points Deducted per Character (Typed Incorrectly) Bonus Points (Clear all Flotsam) 1: Daktyn 2: Novim 3: Halus 4: Solaris +20 +40 +60 +80 -10 -20 -30 -40 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 At the end of play, you will see how many flotsam targets you cleared from around each planet and your total game points score. Note: Never give up – play again and SAVE the GALAXY! TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide 22 Chapter 5: Typer Island’s Games Cliffhanger Game Description Sharpen your speed and dexterity playing Cliffhanger. Use your keyboarding skills to keep your climber from falling off the cliff as you race a variety of characters up the mountain. Correctly typed letters cause you to climb higher, but watch out. Mistyped words will cause you to slip, even fall! Game Play When you play Cliffhanger from your selected Typing Plan, the settings are automatically set to your word per minute goal, game level and known keys. The game ends when you complete the challenge. When you play from the Game Room, you may select play level 1 or 2, the lesson content (easy words, difficult words, etc), the words per minute, your player, and your opponent, from the Settings Menu. Begin by correctly typing the words on the screen to help your player scale the rock face. Your player climbs at the pace you type the words correctly and your opponent climbs at the word per minute speed you select from the Settings Menu. Your goal is to beat your opponent up the rock face and win the game! Game Scoring Cliffhanger is a win or lose game. At the end of the game, if you win, you will be congratulated for a good job and excellent climbing! Note: Choose new settings each time you play to add variety and challenge to your climb! Typing with Sharks Game Description This action-packed, underwater adventure will help you master challenging keys on the keyboard. Type words quickly to zap hungry sharks and piranhas before they attack your submarine. The deeper you dive, the harder it is to escape. Watch for the electric eel, giant squid and the boss shark. They cast out multiple words all at once, repeatedly! Be ready to type all the words before they collide with your submarine, or you will lose a chance. Earn points by successfully typing all of the characters in the sea, and advancing to the next level of play, deeper down into the depths of the sea! Game Play When you play Typing with Sharks from your selected Typing Plan, the settings are automatically set to your word per minute goal, game level and known keys. When the game is launched from the Typing Plan, it ends when you complete the challenge. When you play from the Game Room, you may select the lesson content (easy words, difficult words, etc), the words per minute, and the sound on or off from the Settings Menu. Begin by correctly typing the words on the target predators. Press the Escape key to change targets. If you type too slowly or make too many mistakes, the sea creatures will destroy your sub. The more quickly you zap the predators, the more points you earn. If you let them get too close to the sub, you will not earn as many points. Tip: If attackers overwhelm you, press the Spacebar or Enter Key to fire the Depth Charge to blast away all of the predators that are on the screen. The goal of the game is to complete all three levels and earn as many points as you can by successfully typing the characters on each predator. Game Scoring The scoring system is based on your speed and accuracy, and calculated differently for each of the three levels, as follows: TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide 23 Chapter 5: Typer Island’s Games Level (Planet) Point Range for Fish* (Typed Correctly) Bonus Points (Giant Predators) Level 1: Level 2: Level 3: 50 – 150 75 – 400 100 – 800 1,000 2,000 3,000 *Includes bonus fish, which are a different color than the other fish on the screen, and require typing two sets of characters to zap. Tip: Type these predators first to get the maximum bonus points. At the end of play, you will see how many predator targets you zapped and your total game points score. Note: Deep sea diving is a great way to improve your typing skills! Sea Creatures To begin play, start typing the text. If you mistype a character, you will be returned to the beginning of that word or letter combination. To increase the game challenge, increase your words per minute goal from the Settings Menu. The goal of Sea Creatures is to type all of the words correctly without making errors and earn the most points possible without letting the sea creatures catch you! Game Scoring Scoring is based on your speed and accuracy. You receive points for each character you type correctly, and lose points each time you mistype a character. Correctly typed characters: Incorrectly typed characters: 10 points -10 points At the end of play, you will see your points score for all characters typed correctly, the number of errors you made, and your overall score. The Castle When you have completed your Typer Island Adventure, reached 90% accuracy, and 15 WPM you’ll be the ruler of Typer Island! As ruler, you’ll get free reign of the Castle and of Typer Island! Game Description Visit an underwater world where you will have to type faster than the sea creatures can swim. Lobsters, sharks, serpents, and giant squids pursue you as soon as you begin typing under the sea. Don’t let the creatures intimidate you—type the words and complete sentences at a consistent pace and you will beat them to the finish! If you slow down or mistype, too many characters … chomp! The sea creatures will get you! Game Play When you play Sea Creatures from your selected Typing Plan the settings are automatically selected based on your word per minute goal and known keys. The game ends when the time limit expires. When you play from the Game Room, you may select play level 1 or 2, the lesson content (easy words, difficult words, etc), and your sea creature opponent from the settings menu. TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide As ruler of Typer Island, Explorer mode allows you to return to the Island at any time. You can’t gather more points or more treasure if you stay in the Castle. Explorer Mode allows you to go anywhere in the Castle or on Typer Island and explore new and added features. There are many bonuses for you to find inside the Castle that you can find with your mouse pointer. When you find an item that highlights, click the item to find the following additional features. 24 Chapter 5: Typer Island’s Games The Color Guard You’ll find the full line up of Typer Island’s characters. Click a character to print an image that you can color! The Royal Gallery The Lost City After you’ve reached the castle, and become the ruler of Typer Island, you’ll have access to the mysterious Lost City! You’re the ruler of Typer Island now!! You’ve captured the castle, so choose which portrait you’d like to hang on the wall in the castle! Game Room When you capture the castle, the games are even better! In the Game Room you’ll be able to play the games you encountered on your adventure -- but now you control the settings! Set the game the way you want to play; change the WPM speed and the words you type. Treasure You’ll be able to review the riches and achievements you’ve accumulated in your treasure chest. Keep adding and saving your treasure – you’ll never know when you’ll need it! And don’t forget about the four Crown Jewels! By visiting the Lost City and playing Treasure Quest, you’ll be able to recover the ruler’s Crown Jewels and even add more points and treasures to your treasure chest! Keys Just when you thought you learned all the keys... Well, you did, in the alphabetic keyboard. The Castle keys will unlock for you the secrects of 10-key number typing. The best way to increase your skills, accuracy, speed, treasure and points is to visit your loyal subjects on Typer Island and in the Lost City. Game values and Challenge rewards are greater now that you have captured the Castle. From inside the Castle, click the Island button, and then simply move your mouse pointer over the lands of Typer Island to highlight and select a land to explore. At any time, you can visit another land. Or, click the anchor in the castle to explore the watery depths surrounding Typer Island! Remember to update your Goal WPM in the Settings screen to get the most out of your Typer Island Adventure! TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide The Lost City is a sunken world below the depths of Typer Island! New adventure awaits here in the Lost City, so start exploring! More Lessons You’ll find Lessons that you’ve never seen before. These lessons will help you to maintain and expand your new touch typing skills. More Challenges You’ll find new Challenges that allow you to accumulate more points and treasures and advance your typing skills. Ziggy Ziggy 25 Chapter 5: Typer Island’s Games Game Description Sharpen your speed and dexterity playing Ziggy. Use your keyboarding skills to clear all of the words from the pyramid pillars and change them to the new target color, while avoiding the bad guys. This game has quite a cast of characters to keep you typing quickly and accurately! If you run into Orby, Wormy, Sphery, or Saury, you will lose a chance. Run into Boony or Goody and earn bonus points! Watch out for Slippy, he undoes all of your hard work and changes the pyramid pillars back to their original color. Catch him quickly and stop him before he undoes all of your hard work – plus earn bonus points! Treasure Quest Game Play When you play Ziggy from your selected Typing Plan, the Settings are automatically set to your word per minute goal, game level and known keys. The game ends when you complete the challenge. When you play from the Game Room, you may select play level 1, 2, 3, or 4, and the lesson content (easy words, difficult words, etc), from the Settings Menu. Begin by correctly typing the words on the pyramid pillars. Once you type the word correctly, the pillar will change to a new color. You have to change all of the pillars on the pyramid to the correct color to win the round. Catch bonus balls for extra points—and avoid colliding with the bad guys or you will lose a life. Each level of play is harder and more challenging. The goal is to change the pyramid pillars to the new target color for all rounds in each of the four levels and win the game! Tip: The top of the pyramid is always a safe place. Game Scoring The scoring system is based on your speed and accuracy, and calculated differently for each of the four levels of play, as follows: Level Points per Word (Typed Correctly) Bonus Points (Boony) Bonus Points (Goody) Bonus Points (Slippy) 1: 2: 3: 4: +20 +30 +40 +50 N/A +150 N/A +250 +100 N/A +200 N/A N/A +75 +100 +125 At the end of each level of play, you will see your point score. At the end of the game, you will see your total points score! Note: Ziggy is fun to play again and again—try to beat your high score! TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide Game Description Use your typing and retention skills to master this one-of-a-kind interactive typing game under the sea. Type accurately and carefully to make your way through the underwater Sunken City, where you will find ruins, a science lab, an art museum, a shipwreck, sea creatures, and many surprises. Use your retention skills to remember which rooms you have visited, which routes you have taken, where the dead ends and perils lie! Try to find all four treasures hidden within the Sunken City. Game Play You can only play Treasure Quest from the Lost City; it is not included in the Typing Plans. You can choose the lesson content (hard, difficult, easy words), or you may choose to type the story text from the Settings Menu. Tip: Typists who have learned all keys may want to select the story text for more fun! Begin by choosing where you want to go from the selections beneath the story graphic on the bottom of the screen. Type the words in that selection. Once you type in the text, the story will advance to that location. If you change your mind and want to choose the other action, press the Escape Key, and enter the text for that action. If you type a character incorrectly, type it again until you correctly type the phrase or sentence. The goal of Treasure Quest is to find all of the treasures and win the game! Game Scoring The perfect score in Treasure Quest is finding all of the four Jewels, which include the Northern Jewel, the Southern Jewel, The Eastern Jewel, the Western Jewel. Each time you find a jewel, it will appear in your treasure collection. Click the Treasure button on the screen to see which treasures you have found, and which ones you still need to uncover. Note: Keep playing until you find all of the treasures! 26 Chapter 5: Typer Island’s Games Getting the Most out of Your Typer Island Adventure To get the most out of your Typer Island Adventure and become the successful touch typist that Toby and Lafitte know you can be, here are some tips and helpful hints. First, view the How to Type presentation on the Tour Ship. Starting out with the proper form and techniques will help you become the most proficient touch typist you can be. Next, select the most appropriate typing plan for you, from the Suggested Typing Plan to the Home Row plan, all are designed to help you build essential keyboarding skills. Then, to capture the castle, follow your typing plan and keep the following in mind.... Practice, Practice, Practice! Not only does practice make perfect, but you’ll reinforce your learning and build your skills, speed, and accuracy. Once you’ve learned some keys...take a break! Visit Explorer Isle or the Story Lagoon to practice. developed to work with the Goal WPM in the Settings screen to provide appropriate content and optimal level of motivation. Patience is a Virtue. You may be motivated to race to the Castle as quickly as you can, but remember accuracy is important, too. If your typing speed and accuracy skills are not well developed you won’t be able to pass the final touch typist Challenge and capture the Castle. Try to learn the keys gradually and in multiple sessions. Typer Island is a fun place, but don’t let your typing session last too long or be too short. You don’t want to tire your hands, but you also want to stay on Typer Island long enough to master some new skills. When you return to Typer Island, you should review your previous Lessons as a warm up exercise on Explore Isle or take a Random Words lesson. Repeating Lessons and returning to previous lands provides the repetition necessary to develop strong touch typing skills. In each land, try to achieve 90% accuracy and a speed a 15 WPM. Type, Learn, Repeat. As keys are gradually added to your Lessons, you’ll increase your dexterity, speed, and improve your accuracy. TypingInstructorWeb for Kids has been developed with a wide variety of Lessons and Challenges so that each visit to Typer Island is a unique experience. You’ll never get tired of coming back! Balancing Speed and Accuracy. To develop strong keystroking skills you’ll have to trade off speed for accuracy or accuracy for speed. Both are important and you should alternate emphasis to ensure your typing success. There’s no place like home... Remember to keep your fingers on the home row keys. Continuing your adventure allows you to reinforce correct finger to key placement and improve your typing skills. Go for the Goal! It is important that you set your Goal WPM (Word Per Minute) at or slightly higher than your current typing ability for the most enjoyment and education from TypingInstructorWeb for Kids. The games in TypingInstructorWeb for Kids have been TypingInstructorWeb for Kids User’s Guide “And that’s all the news!” — Hughes 27