When people think about typing classes, they often picture younger primary-school children learning where the letters are on a keyboard. But learning to touch type can be just as valuable – and arguably even more important – for teenagers.

At Searsol, our typing classes are designed to help students develop a practical skill they can use throughout secondary school, further education, work and everyday life.

Why do teenagers need good typing skills?

As students move through secondary school, the amount of work they need to complete using a computer increases significantly.

Homework, assignments, projects, presentations, research and online learning can all involve a keyboard. If a teenager is a slow or inaccurate typist, completing written work can take considerably longer.

For a student who struggles with handwriting, this can be particularly frustrating.

Instead of concentrating on what they want to say, they may be concentrating on finding keys, correcting mistakes or simply trying to keep up.

Learning to touch type can help remove some of that barrier.

What is touch typing?

Touch typing means learning to use the keyboard without looking down at the keys.

Students learn which fingers are responsible for which keys and gradually build speed, accuracy and muscle memory.

It’s not about simply typing faster. The aim is to develop a reliable keyboard skill that becomes increasingly automatic.

Why can typing be particularly useful for teenagers with learning differences?

Some teenagers find handwriting difficult, slow or tiring. This can be particularly challenging when they are expected to produce longer pieces of written work.

At Searsol, we work with many students with learning differences, including dyslexia, dyspraxia (DCD), dysgraphia and autism.

For these students, developing confident keyboard skills can provide an alternative way of getting their ideas onto the page.

A teenager who can type confidently may be able to focus more on the content of their work, rather than the physical process of writing it down.

Typing does not “fix” difficulties with handwriting or learning, but it can provide an important additional tool for communication and learning.

“Isn’t my teenager too old for typing classes?”

Definitely not!

In fact, the teenage years can be an excellent time to develop touch-typing skills.

A primary-school student might use typing mainly for simple activities and homework. A teenager, however, is likely to encounter increasing amounts of computer-based work.

Developing the skill now means they can take it with them into:

• Secondary school
• State examinations and coursework
• Further education
• College and university
• Apprenticeships
• Employment
• Everyday digital tasks

Typing is a skill that doesn’t become obsolete when school finishes.

What makes Searsol different?

Searsol has been providing typing classes since 2008, with a particular focus on helping children and young people develop practical computer skills.

Our classes combine structured learning with activities designed to keep students motivated.

Students use Typewiz to practise their typing, with features including lessons, games, challenges, achievements and progress tracking.

This can be particularly important for teenagers.

Rather than feeling like they are simply being taught another school subject, they can work towards personal goals and see their own progress.

What if my teenager has never learned to type properly?

That’s not a problem.

Many teenagers come to us having developed their own typing method – perhaps using two fingers, looking constantly at the keyboard or using a mixture of different techniques.

They don’t need to start as a fast typist.

Our programme teaches the foundations of touch typing step by step, allowing students to develop the correct technique and gradually improve their speed and accuracy.

What if they’re already a reasonably fast typist?

They can still benefit.

Typing speed isn’t the only consideration. Accuracy, technique and consistency are equally important.

A teenager who has developed an inefficient typing technique may find that learning touch typing properly helps them become more accurate and eventually faster.

We can also encourage students to set their own goals and work towards improving their personal performance.

Will teenagers actually enjoy the classes?

This is one of the most important questions parents ask.

Learning a new skill doesn’t have to mean sitting at a keyboard doing repetitive exercises for an hour.

Typewiz incorporates games, challenges, achievements and rewards to make practice more engaging.

For teenagers, having a sense of progress can be particularly motivating. Seeing their words-per-minute score increase or their accuracy improve can give them a tangible measure of their achievement.

A skill that can make schoolwork easier

Imagine a teenager who has to type a 500-word assignment.

If they type slowly, frequently look at the keyboard and make lots of mistakes, the task can become frustrating and time-consuming.

As their typing becomes more automatic, they can spend less mental energy thinking about where the keys are and more energy thinking about what they want to write.

That is the real benefit of learning to touch type.

Is Searsol suitable for my teenager?

If your teenager:

• Struggles with handwriting
• Finds written homework particularly time-consuming
• Has dyslexia, dyspraxia (DCD), dysgraphia or another learning difference
• Uses a computer regularly for schoolwork
• Has never learned touch typing properly
• Wants to improve their typing speed and accuracy
• Needs greater confidence using a keyboard

then Searsol typing classes could be worth considering.

It’s never too late to learn

Touch typing isn’t just something children learn in primary school.

For teenagers, it can become a valuable academic, personal and future employment skill.

The earlier they develop good keyboard habits, the longer they have to benefit from them.

At Searsol, our goal isn’t simply to teach teenagers to type faster. It’s to help them become confident, independent keyboard users who have a practical skill they can take with them into the future.

Interested in finding out if Searsol is right for your teenager? Get in touch or arrange a trial assessment to see how they get on.