New Searsol touch typing centre starting on 20th April 2023 in Athlone, Co Westmeath

Typing classes Athlone, Co Westmeath

Speedskin covers to stop your child from looking down at the keyboard! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Searsol typing classes starting in Athlone, Co. Westmeath on April 2023!

 

Searsol is starting a new after-school touch-typing class at Dr Stevens Resource Centre, Irishtown Central, First Floor, Block A, Athlone Co. Westmeath starting on Thursday 20th of April 2023 at 4 or 5 pm.

 

Our new center will be starting on the 20th of April 2023 in Dr Stevens Resource Centre and will take place each Thursday at 4 or 5 pm. Searsol is currently offering a free introductory first session trial at our new center. Our after-school typing classes are suitable for any child who is eight years old or older that may be interested in trying out our typing classes. More information about the new center is available on our website at https://searsol.com/location/athlone-co-westmeath/ 

Our typing classes are specifically designed to develop typing skills for children. Searsol has provided after-school typing courses for children since 2008. We have a high success rate of students that have successfully learned how to touch type. During the course, the student will learn how to touch type correctly assisted by a qualified tutor. We use our own specially designed typing software Typewiz.

This course is suitable for children who want to learn how to type correctly. We work with children with learning differences like Dyslexia or Dyspraxia or children with handwriting problems or who have gained an exemption to use a laptop for exams. To book your free trial place you can contact Searsol on 01-6303384 or book a free trial at our Athlone centre by clicking here

New Searsol touch typing centre starting on 20th April 2023 in Bray, Wicklow

Typing classes Bray, Wicklow
Speedskin covers to stop your child from looking down at the keyboard!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Searsol typing classes starting in Bray, Wicklow on April 2023!

 

Searsol is starting a new after-school touch-typing class at Presentation College in Bray, Wicklow starting on Thursday 20th of April 2023 at 4.15 or 5.15 pm.

 

Our new center will be starting on the 20th of April 2023 in Presentation College and will take place each Thursday at 4:15 or 5:15 pm. Searsol is currently offering a free introductory first-session trial at our new center. Our after-school typing classes are suitable for any child who is eight years old or older that may be interested in trying out our typing classes. More information about the new center is available on our website at https://searsol.com/location/bray-co-wicklow/

Our typing classes are specifically designed to develop typing skills for children. Searsol has provided after-school typing courses for children since 2008. We have a high success rate of students that have successfully learned how to touch type. During the course, the student will learn how to touch type correctly assisted by a qualified tutor. We use our own specially designed typing software Typewiz.

This course is suitable for children who want to learn how to type correctly. We work with children with learning differences like Dyslexia or Dyspraxia or children with handwriting problems or who have gained an exemption to use a laptop for exams. To book your free trial place you can contact Searsol on 01-6303384 or book a free trial at our Bray centre by clicking here

New Searsol typing classes starting in Carlow in January 2023!

Typing classes in Carlow

 

Speedskin covers to stop your child from looking down at the keyboard!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Searsol typing classes starting in Carlow in January 2023!

 

Searsol is starting a new after-school touch-typing class at Bishop Foley Memorial School in Carlow starting on Tuesday the 24th of January 2023 at 3.30 or 4:30 pm.

 

Our new center will be starting on the 24th of January 2023 in Bishop Foley Memorial School and will take place each Tuesday at either 3.30 or 4:30 pm. Searsol is currently offering a free introductory first session trial at our new center. Our after-school typing classes are suitable for any child who is eight years old or older that may be interested in trying out our typing classes. More information about the new center is available on our website at https://searsol.com/location/carlow-co-carlow/

Our typing classes are specifically designed to develop typing skills for children. Searsol has provided after-school typing courses for children since 2008. We have a high success rate of students that have successfully learned how to touch type. During the course, the student will learn how to touch type correctly assisted by a qualified tutor. We use our own specially designed typing software Typewiz.

This course is suitable for children who want to learn how to type correctly. We work with children with learning differences like Dyslexia or Dyspraxia or children with handwriting problems or who have gained an exemption to use a laptop for exams. To book your free trial place you can contact Searsol on 01-6303384 or book a free trial at our Carlow centre by clicking here

New Searsol touch typing centre starting in January 11th 2023 in Cork City

Typing classes Drogheda, Louth
Speedskin covers to stop your child from looking down at the keyboard!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Searsol typing classes starting in Cork City in January 2023!

 

Searsol is starting a new after-school touch-typing class at Alphamaths in South Mall, Cork City starting on Wednesday the 11th of January 2023 at 6 pm.

 

Our new center will be starting on the 11th of January 2023 in Alphamaths and will take place each Wednesday at 6 pm. Searsol is currently offering a free introductory first session trial at our new center. Our after-school typing classes are suitable for any child who is eight years old or older that may be interested in trying out our typing classes. More information about the new center is available on our website at https://searsol.com/location/south-mall-cork-city/ 

Our typing classes are specifically designed to develop typing skills for children. Searsol has provided after-school typing courses for children since 2008. We have a high success rate of students that have successfully learned how to touch type. During the course, the student will learn how to touch type correctly assisted by a qualified tutor. We use our own specially designed typing software Typewiz.

This course is suitable for children who want to learn how to type correctly. We work with children with learning differences like Dyslexia or Dyspraxia or children with handwriting problems or who have gained an exemption to use a laptop for exams. To book your free trial place you can contact Searsol on 01-6303384 or book a free trial at our Cork City centre by clicking here

New Searsol touch typing centre starting on 19th January 2023 in Drogheda, Louth

Typing classes Drogheda, Louth
Speedskin covers to stop your child from looking down at the keyboard!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Searsol typing classes starting in Drogheda, Louth on January 2023!

 

Searsol is starting a new after-school touch-typing class at Drogheda Institute of Further Education in Drogheda Louth starting on Thursday the 19th of January 2023 at 4.15 or 5.15 pm.

 

Our new center will be starting on the 19th of January 2023 in Drogheda Institute of Further Education and will take place each Thursday at 4:15 or 5:15 pm. Searsol is currently offering a free introductory first session trial at our new center. Our after-school typing classes are suitable for any child who is eight years old or older that may be interested in trying out our typing classes. More information about the new center is available on our website at https://searsol.com/location/drogheda-louth

Our typing classes are specifically designed to develop typing skills for children. Searsol has provided after-school typing courses for children since 2008. We have a high success rate of students that have successfully learned how to touch type. During the course, the student will learn how to touch type correctly assisted by a qualified tutor. We use our own specially designed typing software Typewiz.

This course is suitable for children who want to learn how to type correctly. We work with children with learning differences like Dyslexia or Dyspraxia or children with handwriting problems or who have gained an exemption to use a laptop for exams. To book your free trial place you can contact Searsol on 01-6303384 or book a free trial at our Drogheda centre by clicking here

Benefits of touch typing for a child with dyslexia

Benefits of touch typing for a child with dyslexia

Touch typing is a technique that creates a structure where you have to place different fingers on specific areas on your keyboard. You are using all your 10 fingers, and each one is in charge of a section or a column on the keyboard and it all starts with the home row.

Keyboard with speedskin covers

What is dyslexia?

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that mainly causes problems with reading, writing and spelling. It’s a specific learning difficulty, which means it causes problems with certain abilities used for learning, such as reading and writing and has nothing to do with intelligence. Dyslexia affects up to 10% of the population and may impact an individual’s ability to split words into their component sounds, or phonemes.

 

Significantly, individuals with dyslexia are perfectly capable of comprehending complicated ideas and should not be limited in their potential because of a misunderstanding of their abilities. Sometimes all a person needs is a little more time to process information, or a new approach to processing information, such as having to listen to an ebook rather than reading.

For many children and adults, developing good literacy skills involves overcoming the obstacles offered by specific learning impairments such as dyslexia. Dyslexia affects reading, writing, and spelling ability, but it can also lead to low self-esteem and a lack of confidence in the classroom.

 

Mnemonic devices help in the learning of challenging words’ spelling. Reading requires reduced cognitive work when high-frequency language is memorised. 

 

Also, dyslexics who have received touch typing education can reinforce phonics knowledge, employ muscle memory to remember word spellings, and facilitate the translation of concepts into written language.

This makes the process of writing less difficult and makes writing more seamless and effective.

-Typing vs writing contrast, MRI images Higashiyama et al, 2015, Japan, Cognitive NeuroScience PLOS

 

Why learning how to touch type is suitable for a child with dyslexia:

 

Ideas flow smoothly from the fingertips and onto the screen while touch typing. There isn’t any distraction generated by letter formation. Spelling errors may be easily made and corrected without the discomfort of erasure marks or hasty crossing out. Many children who have severe learning disabilities struggle with English spelling at first because of its extremely irregular nature and the number of sound mappings that may be applied to the same letter and letter combinations. 

 

Typing classes also expose students to numerous samples of written language, allowing them to become more comfortable with these words. It becomes simpler to spell and sight-read words after repeated exposure.

 

Children who learn to touch type via the type wiz programme have their phonics skills enhanced while simultaneously learning how to navigate a keyboard. This is due to the fact that letters and words are read aloud, presented on the screen, and typed by the pupil.

 

Producing work on a computer also frees the writer from attempting to process thoughts in a linear fashion. Dyslexic individuals in particular benefit from being able to capture thoughts and then structure them later on. It can even improve physical dexterity and actually help to handwrite.

 

    

 

Benefits of touch typing for someone who is dyslexic

  • Touch typing provides phonics training helpful to dyslexic children

Typing assists dyslexic children in breaking down words into smaller sounds. This can be really beneficial for reading and spelling. Touch typing allows a dyslexic child to develop sound-letter correlation. This teaches a child which letters create which sounds. Touch typing also eliminates the child’s need to make letters. This allows a child to concentrate more effectively on the sounds and the characters that correspond to them.

 

  • Improved productivity

Concentration improves and output increases. They will be able to ‘write’ faster, sometimes up to five times their normal writing speed. This will save them time and make learning so much easier and enjoyable

 

  • Less stressful in exams

It means that in class or in exams, children with dyslexia can get their thoughts down on paper more easily because they don’t have to worry about how to form a word on paper. They don’t have to hold a pen in the right way to make a mark and they don’t have to make the letters and words look neat or spaced out.

  • Touch typing employs multi-sensory learning and develops muscle memory.

Touch typing is multi-sensory as it links sight and hearing to touch. The tactile element of pressing the keys helps with remembering the sounds that make up tricky words. Touch typing also develops muscle memory which is very useful when learning letter patterns and spelling.

 

  • Typing at the speed of thought

Touch typing helps a child to think freely and type at the speed of thought as here is no distraction in having to look down at the keyboard to hunt and peck for the correct key. Making familiar patterns with the fingers starts to become automatic so that they begin to spell sight words and common words just by remembering the movement of their fingers on the keyboard.

  • Messy handwriting will be eliminated

Using a computer, individuals with dyslexia can type freely, without worrying about messy handwriting or errors. If they have learnt to touch-type properly, they will be typing accurately, barely having to hit the backspace key to correct their work. Another huge bonus, is when they are trying to stay focused on their thoughts.

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  • Increased confidence

There are so many reasons why touch typing is the right choice for children with dyslexia. It helps them to transform their thoughts and ideas freely into words, giving them the confidence and ability to communicate effectively.

 

 

Why not get your child to try out our free trial assessment touch typing course where you’ll gain valuable insights into your child’s current typing accuracy and word per min speed. 

There is no obligation to continue on and you will receive a report which will outline what your child’s typing speed will be in their first six months of attending a Searsol typing centre.

Click here https://searsol.com/find-centers/?search

 

New Searsol touch typing centre starting in April 2022 in Cabinteely, Dublin 18

Typing classes Cabinteely
Speedskin covers to stop your child from looking down at the keyboard!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New Searsol typing classes starting in Cabinteely, Dublin 18.

 

Searsol is starting a new after-school touch-typing class in Cabinteely Community School in Cabinteely starting on Tuesday the 26th of April 2022 at 4 or 5 pm.

 

Our typing classes will be starting on the 26th of April 2022 in Cabinteely Community School and will take place each Tuesday at 4 or 5 pm. Searsol is currently offering a free introductory first session trial of Searsol’s after-school typing courses for any child who is eight years old or older that may be interested in trying out our touch typing course.

Our typing course is specifically designed to develop typing skills for children. Searsol has provided after-school typing courses for children since 2008. We have a high success rate of students that have successfully learned how to touch type. During the course, the student will learn how to touch type correctly assisted by a qualified tutor. We use our own specially designed typing software which is only available through our centre.

This course is suitable for children who want to learn how to type correctly. We work with children with learning differences like Dyslexia or Dyspraxia or children with handwriting problems or who have gained an exemption to use a laptop for exams. To book your free trial place you can contact Searsol on 01-6303384 or book a free trial at our Cabinteely centre by clicking here

Dyslexia, DCD and dysgraphia – what do those learning differences mean and how do they affect your child?

Dyslexia, DCD, and dysgraphia – what do those learning differences mean and how do they affect your child?

Dyslexia, DCD, and Dysgraphia are 3 different types of conditions. They are all conditions that are common so there is a chance that your child may have one of these 3. Let’s have a look into each of these learning disorders.

What Is dyslexia?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dyslexia is best described as an unexpected difficulty with being able to read. Children that have dyslexia may encounter problems when it comes to the recognition and manipulation of sounds with language. Decoding words is something that children with dyslexia will have great difficulty with, which essentially means breaking down these words or phonemes and then sounding out novel words. Dyslexia makes it hard for the child to recognize words, read and write properly, and even spell properly. It’s important to note that a child who has dyslexia does not necessarily lack intelligence. A child with dyslexia may not even be that far behind their other peers in school due to the hard effort they may be putting in to be at the same level as everyone else in their class. However, it must be noted that this is only sustainable for a child with dyslexia for so long. As they start to get older in school they will struggle to keep up with their fellow classmates as the reading, writing, and spelling will, of course, become harder as they grow older. Dyslexia is something that isn’t necessarily an illness but is something that a person will have throughout their entire life.

However, by taking the appropriate measures towards understanding the difficulties and challenges are that come with having dyslexia it can then be made much easier to live with. When really delving into dyslexia and its impact it will have on a person, it is something that is a brain-based issue with language. That is why kids will have issues with being able to work with the sounds of language. It’s important to remember that reading issues may still exist for children with dyslexia even after they have been able to learn and read properly. The ability for a child to read that has dyslexia is more so a mechanical one. This is why children which have dyslexia will best be able to learn with reading programs that are systematic and take an explicit multisensory approach to. By doing this it will enhance the likelihood of a child being able to successfully identify words.

 

 

What is DCD?

Dyspraxia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DCD an abbreviation for developmental coordination disorder is a condition that is lifelong for a human being which makes it difficult for the person to learn motor skills and will also have issues with their coordination. DCD unlike Dyslexia is not known as a learning disorder, but it will have the ability to have an impact on their learning. Instead of being labeled as a learning disorder, it is seen as a neurodevelopment disorder. ADHD which you may be aware of is also a neurodevelopment disorder.  Things like physical tasks and activities in school will be what the child with DCD will tend to struggle with. When looking at how many kids are living with this condition, it lands in and around the 5 percent mark. It is important to note, however, that DCD is something that is more common with boys than with girls. There is no way for a child to grow out of having this condition but applying the necessary steps, will go a long way to improving the child’s motor skills. Many things which a child will need to learn when in school will prove to be difficult for them due to them having DCD, examples of this being writing and organisation. It’s not only in school where DCD will be an issue for a child, it’s also outside of the classroom. For instance, their motor skills will be affected when it comes to them brushing their teeth and putting on clothes also. Earlier lessons that kids would have learned will be affected as they will not necessarily remember what they were first thought. If they were told to put a knife in their right hand and a fork in their left, they may not remember this and end up doing the opposite and not learning from their wrongdoings. The key to overcome DCD is to understand as early as possible the difficulties your child is facing and to take the necessary steps to overcome them.

 

What is Dysgraphia?

Dysgraphia is a disability that affects a person’s ability to write. Not only does it affect ones writing ability it will also cause a person to have issues with their motor skills. Spelling, word spacing, and sizing are things which are aspects that a person with dysgraphia will have. Let’s take a look at some of the symptoms that come from having dysgraphia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Painfully gripping a pen or pencil by holding too firm.
  • The sentence structure is off what it should be.
  • Writing down the thoughts you may have in your head onto the paper.

 

These symptoms are able to change over time, as usual, it’s the mechanics of writing which young people will tend to have whereas it’d be more so grammar and comprehension difficulties for adults.

 

So, what causes a person to have dysgraphia? Scientists are not sure as to why it happens to children. When an adult is diagnosed with it, it can be related to a brain injury such as a stroke. Like other disorders which have been previously discussed, there is no cure for Dysgraphia. Things you can try in order to help your child may range from using grips on pencils for comfort to letting them use a computer as an alternative to writing and teach the person typing skills as early as possible.

 

Famous people with dyslexia

Famous people with dyslexia

Before talking about what famous people have been diagnosed, let’s firstly look at what is dyslexia and how someone is diagnosed with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Is dyslexia?

 

So, let’s begin by looking at what dyslexia is. Dyslexia is best described as an unexpected difficulty with being able to read. Children that have dyslexia may encounter problems when it comes to the recognition and manipulation of sounds with language. Decoding words is something that children with dyslexia will have great difficulty with, which essentially means breaking down these words or phonemes and then sounding out novel words. Dyslexia makes it hard for the child to recognize words, read and write properly, and even spell properly. It’s important to note that a child who has dyslexia does not necessarily lack intelligence. A child with dyslexia may not even be that far behind their other peers in school due to the hard effort they may be putting in to be at the same level as everyone else in their class. However, it must be noted that this is only sustainable for a child with dyslexia for so long. As they start to get older in school they will struggle to keep up with their fellow classmates as the reading, writing and spelling will of course become harder as they grow older.

Signs of dyslexia and how it is diagnosed

If you are worried that your child may have dyslexia there may be certain signs or a combination of these signs that will indicate the possibility that the child has dyslexia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of these may be:

–          Being speech delayed

–          Struggling to stay concentrated and flowing directions

–          Being unable to differentiate left from right

–          Having problems with small words, i.e. leaving words like if, and, or but, out of sentences

–          Being unable to learn straightforward simple rhymes which kids their age are expected to be able to learn

 

It’s also worth pointing out what children in school that may have dyslexia are likely to do

–          Unable to write down notes from the board and be able to read these notes in a timely manner.

–          Inability to read in fluency, as they will continue to read in a slow manner so that they are taking everything they can in while others speed ahead.

–          They constantly reverse letters and numbers when reading and writing, whereas usually kids will stop this habit by the age of 8 years old.

 

Again, there is no single test that can diagnose someone with dyslexia, however, there are factors that can go a long way to determining whether your child may have it, these being

 

–          Child’s development and educational issues will be assessed as doctor’s will want to know whether dyslexia is something that has run in the family or not.

–          Vision and hearing tests may be done in order to find out whether another disorder may be having an effect on your child’s ability to read and write.

–          Psychological testing can be advised by a doctor in order to assess the child’s mental health. Psychological testing can figure out whether things like depression, anxiety and so on, maybe having a detrimental effect on the child’s ability.

 

Famous people with dyslexia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Below is a list of famous people from across the world who have dyslexia:

  • Jane McGrath, Irish actress
  • Tom Cruise, American actor
  • Tom Holland, English actor
  • Jennifer Anniston, American actress
  • Brendan O’Carroll, Irish comedian
  • Noel Gallagher, Musician.
  • Róisín Murphy, Irish singer.
  • Tommy Hilfiger, American fashion designer.
  • Magic Johnson, Basketball player.
  • Paul Merson, Football player.
  • Muhammed Ali, Boxer.
  • Kieran Donaghy, Gaelic footballer.
  • Henry Ford, Ford motor cars.
  • Richard Branson, Virgin.
  • Jamie Oliver, Chef.
  • Albert Einstein, Scientist.
  • B. Yeats, Poet.
  • Steve Jobs, Apple.
  • Pablo Picasso, a Spanish artist.
  • Steve McQueen, English film director.

So why is it so important to show a list of famous people who have dyslexia, you ask? Well, what this does is it really puts it into perspective that dyslexia, even though it may cause setbacks to your child and their development with being able to learn, there is no reason that they cannot be as successful or even more successful than their class peers. The younger the child is diagnosed with dyslexia the better it is to take action and look at ways to overcome this learning disorder. Your child learning how to cope with this will then be able to live a perfectly normal life just like everyone else once appropriate measures are taken.

Treatments that can be taken to help your child are as follows:

–          Be able to recognise small sounds that makeup words. These is known as phonemes.

–          Have the child be able to understand what they are reading.

–          Get the child to read out loud, which will help improve reading accuracy, speed and expression.

–          Try to build a vocabulary of words that the child will understand and recognise.

–          Have the child pulled out of class more than once a week, which will help with the intensity of intervention. The more one on one time a child has the greater benefit it will be to them overcoming this disorder.

–          Drilling sight words.

–          A quiet space for the child to work at home so they can focus on what they’re learning.

–          Teaching phonological skills.

 

By applying these treatments it will greatly enhance the chances for your child to be able to overcome this learning disorder, the key is of course to treat dyslexia as early as possible, and in the right manner to see maximum benefits for your child.

 

Your child is diagnosed with dyslexia. What are the main things you should do?

Your child is diagnosed with dyslexia. What are the main things you should do?

 

 

This blog will really go in-depth into understanding what dyslexia actually is, how it is diagnosed and then the actions which can then be treated for this diagnosis. Now it is important to begin by noting that there is no one test that can simply diagnose your child with dyslexia.

Dyslexia
Dyslexia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Is dyslexia?

So, let’s begin by looking at what dyslexia is. Dyslexia is best described as an unexpected difficulty with being able to read. Children that have dyslexia may encounter problems when it comes to the recognition and manipulation of sounds with language. Decoding words is something that children with dyslexia will have great difficulty with, which essentially means breaking down these words or phonemes and then sounding out novel words.

Dyslexia makes it hard for the child to recognize words, read and write properly, and even spell properly. It’s important to note that a child who has dyslexia does not necessarily lack intelligence. A child with dyslexia may not even be that far behind their other peers in school due to the hard effort they may be putting in to be at the same level as everyone else in their class. However, it must be noted that this is only sustainable for a child with dyslexia for so long. As they start to get older in school they will struggle to keep up with their fellow classmates as the reading, writing and spelling will, of course, become harder as they grow older.

Signs of dyslexia and how it is diagnosed
Signs of dyslexia and how it is diagnosed

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signs of dyslexia and how it is diagnosed

If you are worried that your child may have dyslexia there may be certain signs or a combination of these signs that will indicate the possibility that the child has dyslexia.

 

Some of these are as follows:

–          Being speech delayed

–          Struggling to stay concentrated and flowing directions

–          Being unable to differentiate left from right

–          Having problems with small words, i.e. leaving words like if, and, or but, out of sentences

–          Being unable to learn straightforward simple rhymes which kids their age are expected to be able to learn

 

It’s also worth pointing out what children in school that may have dyslexia are likely to do

–          Unable to write down notes from the board and be able to read these notes in a timely manner.

–          Inability to read fluency, as they will continue to read in a slow manner so that they are taking everything they can in while others speed ahead.

–          They constantly reverse letters and numbers when reading and writing, whereas usually kids will stop this habit by the age of 8 years old.

 

Again, there is no single test that can diagnose someone with dyslexia, however, there are factors that can go a long way to determining whether your child may have it, these being

 

–          Child’s development and educational issues will be assessed as doctor’s will want to know whether dyslexia is something that has run in the family or not.

–          Vision and hearing tests may be done in order to find out whether another disorder may be having an effect on your child’s ability to read and write.

–          Psychological testing can be advised by a doctor in order to assess the child’s mental health. Psychological testing can figure out whether things like depression, anxiety and so on, maybe having a detrimental effect on the child’s ability.

Treatments for Dyslexia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Treatments for Dyslexia

There is no known cure that will completely get rid of dyslexia as it is something that a person must live with for the entirety of their life. That does not take away, however, from the fact that the earlier that the diagnosis can be detected, then appropriate measures and treatment can be undertaken to improve success.

 

Treatments that can be taken to help your child are as follows:

–          Be able to recognise small sounds that makeup words. These are known as phonemes.

–          Have the child be able to understand what they are reading.

–          Get the child to read out loud, which will help improve reading accuracy, speed and expression.

–          Try to build a vocabulary of words that the child will understand and recognise.

–          Have the child pulled out of class more than once a week, which will help with the intensity of intervention. The more one on one time a child has the greater benefit it will be to them overcoming this disorder.

–          Drilling sight words.

–          A quiet space for the child to work at home so they can focus on what they’re learning.

–          Teaching phonological skills.

The key here when looking at all these points is to really put emphasis on being able to find ways to decrease a child’s discomfort when reading and to make things like reading, typing and writing something which a child can have fun with and enjoy. Keeping the discouragement to a minimum and encouragement to a maximum will go a long way to helping your child succeed. Below are the main ways you can go about supporting a child with dyslexia:

–          Always be supportive even when they may be struggling most, it is you that needs to be there to encourage them to push on and overcome their difficulties.

–          Limit the amount of screen time for the child so that they can use that spare time to focus on being able to improve their learning difficulties.

–          Keep in contact with teachers. Do this often as it will give you a better understanding if the strides your child is making at home are relating to the classroom also.

Free trial assessment
Free trial assessment

 

Does your child have poor handwriting speed? How can typing help?

Does your child have poor handwriting speed? How can typing help?

 

 

 

 

 

 

As children growing up, one of the first skills we are thought to do when in school is being able to write properly. It usually begins with kids being taught how to write letters or shapes individually and teaching the child what the correct form to use when they are writing. Some children pick up this skill quickly at a young age, whereas others may tend to struggle greatly with this and begin to fall behind people their age. This tends to pose the question to parents about how they go about rectifying this issue that they are having with their child’s handwriting issues. This is where the ability to have your child learn how to type at a young age will give endless benefits to them which we will go further into below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Learning to touch type – you may be wondering what touch-typing means. What’s the difference between regular typing and touch typing? Well, touch typing is where one types but without looking at the keyboard. By doing this you will constantly be staring at your screen so that if you keep making mistakes you will be able to notice them quicker than say if you were constantly looking down at your keyboard. The benefits of being able to touch-type properly are endless.

  Touch typing, if learnt as young as possible, will be of massive benefit to an individual as it will become a long-term skill, whether at home, school, college, or even in the work environment.

  Touch typing helps your child to type faster as well as more accurately, without having to look at the keyboard every now and then.

  Once your child is touch typing, this will become an unconscious action to them, which will then allow them to become more creative.

  Learning how to type at a young age will increase the likelihood of the child developing less bad habits, than if we were to start learning this at an older age.

  Touch typing helps children that have dyslexia, as some children who are dyslexic will find it easier to touch type rather than handwrite. This is due to the tactile element of pressing the keyboard is able to help with being able to manage difficult words.

  Drafting and editing can be made easier for children by touch typing as you can play around with your work by being able to move paragraphs, delete parts of the text that are no longer needed which is something that one does not have the luxury of doing if they are handwriting.

  By being able to successfully touch-type, will then allow for the person to really focus on their content. While touch typing will greatly enhance the ability for a child to be able to type at a fast pace it will also improve the quality of their work too. And because of this, they will be able to put their main focus into the quality of the content which they are producing.

 

 

 

 

 

Searsol  – Searsol was formed back in 2007 and has been teaching children how to be able to touch type properly. Previously we really delved into what are the benefits of a child being able to touch type, and one should look no further than Typewiz if they want to get their child learning how to perfect this skill in a fun and interactive way. Typewiz touch typing lessons are designed in a way to be short and encourage the child to complete their next lesson by achieving rewards and moving up leaderboards. Below is a little deeper insight into why you should get your child started with Typewiz.

  Typing games: Typewiz has fun and interactive games for your child to enjoy. Typewiz allows your child to compete with kids in their age range and they can try improving by moving up leaderboards. A virtual coin is used for each game and will measure your child’s performance of how they’re getting on in the course, which will then motivate them to complete exercises as fast and efficiently as possible.

  Avatar rewards: Typewiz allows your child to earn an avatar as they complete each lesson, and these include many cool looking avatars that will motivate the child to focus and do the best they can in order to achieve their desired avatar.

  Modular design: the modular design which Typewiz provides is something that is easy on the eye for children and really creates an amazing environment for children to learn how to touch type.

  Reporting: This is of huge benefit to parents of the children, as Typewiz offers a report showing how your child is getting on and progressing along throughout the duration of the course. The report will give you key information such as exercises your child has completed, average accuracy, highest score and much, much more. This information can be shown weekly, over the last 6 months, the past year or all the time. Typewiz will show you both accuracy and words per minute graphs in the report, so it can easily be available to view and print off either.

 

 

Overall you can see that there are endless benefits when it comes to a child being able to learn how to be able to type at a young age if they are struggling with their handwriting. The aim of this blog was really to give you an insight into not only all of the benefits that come along with your child being able to type properly but also the fun that can be had along the way in their learning process and we see this through games like Typewiz. Typing is something which is a vital skill for all ages nowadays and as time goes on the importance of being able to type will not become less vital.

 

 

How to help a child who has dyslexia

 

 

 

HOW TO HELP A CHILD WHO HAS DYSLEXIA

 

About dyslexia:

Firstly, it is key to gain an understanding of what dyslexia really is. Dyslexia can be seen as a learning disorder that involves difficulty with reading due to problems of identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words, which is known as decoding. Dyslexia is something that is more common than one may think as it affects 10% of the population of Ireland, around 450,000 people.

An interesting statistic relating to children in the classroom shows that on average three children in every classroom will have dyslexia. When looking at how dyslexic difficulties occur, it goes on a continuum from mild to severe. It is known that people who are dyslexic may experience a greater degree of stress and frustration when learning, which will then relate in a higher case of anxiety most particularly in relation to literacy acquisition.

It is vital that a child’s needs are identified as young and early as possible so that the relative gap between pupils with dyslexia and their peers don’t grow over time. Support at any age will be of benefit to this learning difficulty, of course, however, the earlier this can be identified the better it is for the person having difficulties. When it comes to identifying the signs that your child may be dyslexic, some of these points may help you know;

 Struggle to learn simple rhymes

  1. Speech delay
  2. Unable to follow instructions
  3. Are unable to tell left from right 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is dyslexia something that is curable?

Dyslexia is something that isn’t necessarily an illness but is something that a person will have throughout their entire life? However, by taking the appropriate measures towards understanding the difficulties and challenges are that come with having dyslexia it can then be made much easier to live with. When really delving into dyslexia and its impact it will have on a person, it is something that is a brain-based issue with language.

That is why kids will have issues with being able to work with the sounds of language. It’s important to remember that reading issues may still exist for children with dyslexia even after they have been able to learn and read properly. The ability for a child to read that has dyslexia is more so a mechanical one. This is why children which have dyslexia will best be able to learn with reading programs that are systematic ones and take an explicit multisensory approach to. By doing this it will enhance the likelihood of a child to be able to successfully identify words.  

Methods to help your child live with dyslexia: The previous point leads nicely into how you can go about having your child be able to live with dyslexia. If your kid was to be diagnosed with dyslexia, beware that this does not mean that your child will never be able to read properly, that’s why these methods below will go a long way to helping your child read to the fullest of their potential;

  1. Multi-sensory introduction in decoding skills
  2. Individual guidance
  3. Being pulled out of class for extra help for more than once a week
  4. Being taught decoding skills
  5. Children are taught comprehension skills, in order to help them understand what they are reading. 

 We at Searsol put great emphasis on the fact that one of the most important ways for a child to be helped with their dyslexia is to make them feel comfortable when they are trying to read or type.  Being able to create games where children can gain accomplishments and rewards can greatly enhance a child’s experience and willingness to learn also.

How to help a child when stuck at home:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With covid being so prominent in our lives today, this means that schools are being shut for long periods of time and this is something which may be having a massively detrimental effect on your child’s ability to learn and improve in school. These children are losing invaluable time when it comes to their education so it is vital that these children are able to stay productive at home and continue to learn along the way. There are endless ways in which you as a parent can go about helping your child to help your child who has dyslexia at home;

 

  1. Encourage children to read: The importance of having your child be able to read is one which can go under the radar but this is vital if you want your child to improve with their learning abilities. Not only this but it is also important to challenge your child by questioning them on what they read so that you know that their reading is being of actual benefit to them.
  2. Have the child work independently: In the last point we talked about the importance of you as a parent posing questions to your child. You should also encourage your child to work in an independent manner to ask you questions about if they are doing their work right so that you can then give them advice on whether they are right or wrong with what they are doing.
  3. Give praise to boost morale: With children who have dyslexia, they are just like the rest of us people and they will tend to thrive with confidence and self-esteem when they are being praised for the work they have done. You as a parent should be very encouraging towards your child when they are learning, beware not to always praise and prepare to criticise when appropriate, but most importantly act in a positive manner when helping your child.

Encourage touch typing:

The ability for a child being able to touch type is one that can be of huge benefit to a child who is dyslexic. We at Searsol encourage children to learn to touch type from a young age as it is a skill that can be long term at home, school, college and even in the work environment when your child grows older. The goal of touch typing is to help one type faster as well as accurately, without having to look at their keyboard all the time. Once your child is successfully able to touch type, they will then be typing in an unconscious manner which will allow your child to become more creative.

Learn how to type
Learn how to type at any of Searsol Centres

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you’re interested in a free trial at any of our centres in Dublin or Cork. Click on our free trial on searsol.com

 

 

What can you do to overcome your child’s poor handwriting?

Poor handwriting

Poor handwriting

What can you do to overcome your child’s poor handwriting?

 

Does your child have poor handwriting and is struggling to complete their homework? Does your child take a long time for them to do their homework? Is the quality of the handwriting produced by your child legible? What can you do to improve this situation for your child? Do you want a life that is free from the stress and anxiety of trying to get them to complete their homework? 

 

Definition of poor handwriting:

First off let’s define what poor handwriting is. According to Chivers (1999) – poor handwriting is a deficiency in the ability to write, primarily handwriting, but also coherence. Poor handwriting is a transcription disability, meaning that it is a writing disorder associated with impaired handwriting, orthographic coding (orthography, the storing process of written words and processing the letters in those words), and finger sequencing (the movement of muscles required to write).

 

Causes of poor handwriting

 

The main two causes of poor handwriting are deficiencies in balance sense or body awareness.   

Balance sense

Balance sense
Balance sense

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The balance sense is located in our inner ear.  Children who have experienced any of the following are more likely to have difficulties with their balance sense:

  • chronic ear infections
  • premature birth
  • neglect and trauma in infancy
  • other neurological conditions such as autism

Child jumping

When this sense is not developed properly, children are likely to have difficulty with balance, jumping, hopping, skipping, sitting still, concentration, managing fear or anxiety and learning to read or poor handwriting skills.

 

Body Awareness

body awareness

This sense is located in the muscles and joints all over our body and is often called the body awareness sense as it tells our brain where our body is in relation to itself and other things.

 

Children with poor body awareness often present with the following conditions:

  • appear clumsy
  • are rough
  • break things
  • bump into things
  • unable to sit still for long periods of time
  • poor concentration.
  • difficulty with reading 
  • Poor handwriting skills

 

These two senses (balance and body)  are the building blocks for all other skills. It doesn’t matter how much we practice with our child on handwriting skills, it won’t improve because of deficiency in their balance and body senses.

 

Your child may have a good pencil grasp and lovely letter formation but if they don’t have a functioning balance sense then their writing is likely to be much slower, messy, difficult to read than other children.

How do you improve your child’s poor handwriting skills?

You can improve your child with poor handwriting skills by trying the following:

 

Strengthen Fine Motor Skills

scissors cutting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Increasing hand strength and finger dexterity can help your child get more control over the pen and improve their handwriting.  Encourage your child on tasks like cutting with scissors, using a screwdriver, sewing or knitting.

 

Pencil Grip

Pencil grip
Pencil grip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A good grip could help reduce fatigue and prevent muscle cramps, which may help to improve handwriting.

 

Upper Body strength

 

 

 

 

 

Encourage your child to build upper body strength through sports,  swimming and gym weights. These will help strengthen and stabilise the shoulder muscles to free up the hand muscles for handwriting.

 

Frequent Breaks

Take a break
Take a break

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If your child tires easily or becomes distracted, then let them have a quick break as opposed to continuing on and their handwriting deteriorates. 

 

Pick your battles

Pick your battles

Pick your battles

 

Decide which subjects require good handwriting and which subjects you can get away with poor handwriting. 

 

Typing skills

Typewiz.com – be a wiz at typing!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Instead of writing out all their homework. Why not get them to type it out using a laptop or tablet? By typing out their homework, it helps not only to be able to read the text they produce but also allows you to review the document and make changes if required. By learning how to type correctly, your child overcomes poor handwriting and uses assistive technology to their advantage. 

If you want your child to learn how to type at one of our centres, you can book a free trial assessment at https://searsol.com/find-centers/

How long does it take to learn to touch type?

How long does it take to learn to touch type?

It’s a question that we have been asked several times before and to be honest it’s a difficult one to answer.

Definition of Touch Typing:

Touch typing is the ability to type without looking down at the keyboard. A person who can touch type will know all the letter locations on the keyboard through muscle memory. The term is often used to refer to a specific form of touch typing that involves placing the eight fingers in a horizontal row along the middle of the keyboard

Home Keys

Touch typing is a skill that needs to be learned and it becomes better as you practice using the correct technique. The correct technique is to place your fingers on the home keys, left hand fingers should start with the little resting on the A button and the main index finger on the F button on the keyboard. The right-hand fingers should start with the index finger on the J button and the little finger on the semicolon button (;). If you are interested in learning how to touch type, check out our new typing tutor Typewiz which is specifically aimed at teaching children how to touch type in a fun and interactive way. Also, see our youtube video below on How to touch type using Typewiz which explains the correct procedure to learn how to touch type using our typing tutor Typewiz.

 

A range of factors come into play in deciding how long it will take to learn how to touch type.

Factors to consider are the concentration, motivation, age of the student, and if the student has any learning difficulties.

Concentration:

If a student has poor or weak concentration, then it will take them a lot longer to learn how to touch type. As touch typing requires a lot of concentration and persistence in learning where the keys are on the keyboard.

Motivation:

If a student is not motivated to learn touch typing, then, unfortunately, they will never learn how to touch type. If they don’t see the benefits of touch typing and rather do it their own way then a student will never learn to touch type correctly and will revert to their own ways (Hunt and Peck method).

Age:

The younger the student age the longer they will take to learn how to touch type. At Searsol, we believe the best age to start to touch type is the age of eight. We feel any younger than eight years old, a student is just not ready to learn to touch type successfully due to the size of their hands and lack of concentration.

Learning difference:

If a student has a learning difficulty such as dyslexia, dyspraxia (DCD), or dysgraphia, then this student will take longer to learn how to touch type compared to a student that doesn’t have these learning difficulties. We feel for these students classroom learning is the best solution for a child that has learning differences. At Searsol, we offer a free trial for students who want to experience our classroom learning. A free trial is available by clicking on the following link (Ireland only). We also offer a free seven-day trial online click on the following link

 

How long does it take to learn how to touch-typing?

So going back to the question, how long does it take to learn to touch type. An average student without learning differences would learn to touch type within eight to ten hours. They might be touch typing at a very slow speed (8 – 15  words per minute).

Bronze standard – 15 words per minute

 

A student who attains 15 words per minute or greater will be rewarded with our bronze badge on Typewiz.  This would take approximately 10 hours to achieve for the average student doing the Typewiz course. 

Silver standard – 25 words per minute

The next level on Typewiz is our silver badge which is 25 words or greater. An average student would need to do around 30 hours on Typewiz to get to this level.

Gold standard – 40 words per minute

Forty words per minute is when a student can touch type faster than they can write which is an amazing achievement! It is the gold standard on Typewiz and for most students very difficult to achieve. It requires a student to put in an additional forty hours of practice using Typwiz. 

If a student achieves the gold badge on Typewiz. Then this is a great advantage to have for a student, as they progress through secondary school, third level, and onto work. Typing faster than writing without ever having to look down at the keyboard!

 

Benefits of learning how to touch type

Touch typing, also known as keyboarding or typing, is a valuable skill that allows individuals to type quickly and accurately without looking at the keyboard. Here are some of the benefits of touch typing:

  1. Improved productivity: When you can type quickly and accurately, you can get more work done in less time. This can be especially beneficial in a professional setting, where typing speed is often an important factor in job performance.

  2. Reduced risk of injury: Repetitive strain injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, can be caused by incorrect typing technique or excessive typing. Touch typing helps you use the correct typing technique, reducing the risk of injury.

  3. Easier to type on multiple devices: If you can touch type, you can easily switch between typing on a laptop, desktop, or even a mobile device without having to look at the keyboard.

  4. Increased accuracy: When you look at the keyboard while typing, you are more likely to make mistakes. Touch typing allows you to type without looking at the keyboard, which can help you type more accurately.

  5. Improved memory and cognitive skills: Touch typing requires you to remember the location of keys on the keyboard, which can help improve your memory and cognitive skills.

In addition, touch typing can be especially helpful for individuals with dyslexia, as it can make it easier to type accurately and efficiently. If you are struggling with typing due to dyslexia, learning to touch type can be an important strategy for improving your typing skills.

Tips and strategies for learning to touch type:

Learning to touch type can be a valuable skill that can improve your productivity and reduce the risk of injury from typing. Here are some tips and strategies for learning to touch type:

  1. Start with the home row: The home row is the row of keys that your fingers rest on when you are not typing. It includes the keys A, S, D, F, J, K, L, and ;. These keys form the basis of touch typing, so it’s important to start with them. Practice typing the letters on the home row until you can do it without looking at the keyboard.

  2. Use typing games and exercises: Typing games and exercises are a fun way to practice and improve your touch typing skills. There are many free typing games and exercises available online, and they can be an effective way to practice different typing techniques and improve your speed and accuracy.

  3. Position your hands correctly: Proper hand positioning is important for touch typing. Your hands should be positioned on the keyboard so that your fingers are resting on the home row keys. Your thumbs should be on the space bar, and your index fingers should be on the F and J keys.

  4. Take breaks: Typing for long periods of time can lead to strain and fatigue. Make sure to take breaks and stretch your hands and fingers regularly to help prevent injury.

  5. Use a typing tutor: A typing tutor is a software program that can help you learn to touch type. Typing tutors provide lessons and exercises to help you practice different typing techniques and improve your speed and accuracy.

  6. Practice regularly: The more you practice, the better you will get at touch typing. Make sure to set aside time to practice regularly, even if it’s just a few minutes a day. As you practice, you’ll find that your typing speed and accuracy will improve.

By following these tips and strategies, you can learn to touch type and improve your typing skills. With practice and persistence, you’ll be able to type quickly and accurately without looking at the keyboard.

Typewiz.com – a new innovative way to learn how to touch type!

Typewiz online typing tutor for kids

 

Our new typing tutor typewiz.com  is now available to any student that wants to learn how to touch type.

  • Typewiz is a new fun and interactive way to learn to touch type.
  • Students get to select different avatars as they progress up the lessons.
  • Students can earn coins based on their performance on the course.
  • Coins can then be used in our games arcade where each coin spent allows the student to access one game.
  • Students can earn different word-per-minute badges (Bronze, Silver, or Gold) as they become faster at typing.
  • Students can earn lesson badges as they progress up the lessons.
  • Realistic hands with a green finger show the user what keyboard button to press.
  • Graphs of all previous percentage scores with Words Per Minute (WPM) are available to access the student at all times.
  • Typewiz is a self-paced course that allows students to work at their own pace in a classroom environment or at home.
  • Typewiz is also available through our Searsol centres monitored by our professional Searsol tutors (Ireland only). 

If you are interested in finding out more information about Typewiz. Visit our website at www.typewiz.com  Free seven-day trial is available.

 

Now that you have been awarded a laptop exemption to type out your Junior or Leaving cert – what do you do next?

Searsol after school touch typing classes
Searsol after school touch typing classes

Now that you have been awarded a laptop exemption to type out your Junior or Leaving Cert – what next?

Having to sit through State exams answering questions with pen and paper for hours at a time is all very well for those for whom writing poses no problems, but what about students who struggle to form letters and words?

Thankfully the Irish State Examinations Commission registers the fact that many students today have difficulty with writing. In recognition of this and the fact that typing is now the accepted professional version of writing, exemptions are now readily available for those seeking to type rather than write their exam responses.

If you or your child has already been awarded an exemption to use a laptop/word processor for your Junior/Leaving Cert due to a handwriting impairment, here at Searsol we extend our congratulations.

For those still in the process of applying for the exemption, please note that the Department of Education will be looking for proof that your child can, or is in the process of learning how to type. At the end of the day, the exemption will be granted on the basis that your child’s typing skills are better than their handwriting skills.

Searsol touch-typing courses

In order to ensure your child masters correct touch-typing skills, Searsol runs a series of after-school touch-typing classes for children and young adults that are designed to help each individual learn correct touch-typing practice at their own pace.

Searsol provides touch typing courses nationwide. Our classes are delivered in a classroom setting. We use our own touch typing tutor Typewiz which consists of a series of lessons to help students advance from beginner to proficient touch typist. Tutors work individually and collectively with students to help them progress through the course in order to gain proficiency. They are monitored by trained tutors who check that they are doing the correct finger placement.

Students can revise over previously completed exercises at home using their own login details.

Please feel free to get in touch with your nearest Searsol provider – course details are available here on our website.

Typewiz is also available to access from the home. You can sign up to Typewiz by going to Typewiz.com

Exemption guidelines

According to the guidelines for State exams, as set out by the State Examinations Commission, the use of mechanical aid, such as a word processor, is appropriate where it can be established that a candidate’s ability to produce a legible script is compromised.

There are two separate categories under which a student may be deemed eligible for this exemption from handwriting, as follows:

  1. Illegible handwriting – which renders a script unintelligible due to the frequency of spelling/grammar/punctuation errors.
  2. Slow writing – where the rate of writing is so slow that it renders a student unable to complete exams.

In order to apply for an exemption from writing, students must submit a completed Junior Certificate/Leaving Certificate reasonable accommodations application form, outlining the particular difficulty, and this must be signed by the school principal.

The Commission accepts the school’s confirmation on the application as sufficient evidence to permit an exemption.

Once you have been awarded your exemption to use a word processor, you will also be exempt from having your exam answer assessed in regard to spelling, punctuation, or grammar. This applies specifically to exams in any language subject (Irish, English, French, Spanish, etc). However, students granted the use of a word processor must ensure spell-check and autocorrect are turned off.

Further info on Reasonable Accommodations for Junior and Leaving Certificate Examinations can be found on www.examinations.ie

What typing speed do you need for state exams?

There is no official guidance from the department of education on the exact typing speed your child should be at. Searsol recommends that your child have a typing speed of 25 word per minute or greater. This would be our silver grade on typing classes.

State Examinations Commission

The State Examinations Commission now approves exemptions for Junior Cert students can also be carried through at Leaving Certificate.

The Commission also agreed that exemptions can be granted in cases where dyslexia has not been formally diagnosed. Welcoming this progress, the Dyslexia Association of Ireland issued a statement, as follows:

The accommodations are intended to limit the impact of the candidate’s disability on their exam performance, while not giving the candidate an unfair advantage.

The options students with dyslexia can apply for if they meet the criteria are:
• Access to a Reader
• Use of a Recording Device or Word Processor/Laptop
• Access to a Scribe
• Waiver from the assessment of spelling, grammar, and punctuation in the language subjects

Accommodations at Third Level

Many third-level colleges and examination bodies make provision for dyslexic students taking written exams.  These provisions can include being given extra time, being allowed to use a word processor/computer, having the specific difficulty is taken into account when marking the exam paper, etc.

Students should consult with the Disability Officer in their college, their Tutor, or Course Director, to find out precisely what provisions may be available.

Please contact your nearest Searsol after school typing centre for details on our touch-typing classes to ensure your child has the chance to perform at their best in State exams. Your child can also access Typewiz.com from the comfort of your home. Go to Typewiz.com for more details.

Searsol – who we are and what we do

Searsol provides after-school touch typing classes to students for students with learning differences such as dyspraxia, dyspraxia (DCD), and dysgraphia. We have centres in Ireland that allow Parents to bring their child up to trained up on how to touch type. More details about your nearest centre are available on https://searsol.com/find-centers/

 

Typewiz – typing tutor for kids

Typewiz online typing tutor for kids

Typewiz – be a wiz a typing

Typewiz.com is our new typing tutor for children who want to learn how to touch type at home. Typewiz is a fun and innovative way for children to learn how to touch type.  Typewiz can be accessed at home. More details are available on Typewiz.com

Typewiz offers the following benefits:

  • It is a fun and interactive way to learn to touch type.
  • Children get to select different avatars as they progress up the lessons.
  • Kids can earn coins based on their performance on the course.
  • Coins can then be used in our games arcade where each coin spent allows the student to access one game.
  • Children can earn different word per minute badges (Bronze, Silver or Gold) as they become faster at typing.
  • Kids can earn lesson badges as they progress up the lessons.
  • Realistic hands with a green finger which shows the user what keyboard button to press.
  • Graphs of all previous percentage scores with Words Per Minute(WPM) are available to access for the student at all times.
  • Typewiz is a self-paced course which allows kids to work at their own pace at home

Searsol Computer Camps

Searsol provides Easter and Summer computer camps for children each year. These computer camps are were very popular and if you are interested in finding more about the course please go to our dedicated website which has more details about the camps www.searsolcomputercamps.com

Searsol franchise opportunity

Searsol also has its own franchise opportunity. The franchise opportunity allows individuals to set up the Searsol after school touch typing classes and camps in their own area. Full training and support are provided.  To find out more about this go to our dedicated website www.searsolfranchise.com

If you have any other requests about Searsol, please contact us through the feedback form or call us on +353-1-6303384. We are on Facebook and Twitter and our contact details are on the website.

 

Why touch typing is beneficial for children with dyslexia?

Why is touch typing beneficial for a child that has dyslexia?

Why is touch typing beneficial for a child that has dyslexia?

Why is touch typing beneficial for children with dyslexia?

Students that have dyslexia have found that learning how to touch type improves other skills such as spelling, grammar, vocabulary and reading ability. Students who have learned how to touch typing early outperform better in tests regardless of whether or not they have dyslexia. Touch typing is the ability to type without the need to look down at the keyboard. It is a proven system to learn the keyboard and is much better than learning to type using the hunt and peck method.

 

Students with dyslexia that have learned how to touch-type improve their muscle memory as they are training their brain to memories the keyboard. Like a person lifting weights in a gym and gaining muscle by repeating the reps, a student with dyslexia by practicing the constant repetition of the keyboard moments the brain muscle memory which in turn can help with cognitive abilities such as spelling words.  

 

Handwriting can be difficult for students with dyslexia. Mistakes made in handwritten exercises are difficult to correct, they tend to covered over by Tippex or crossed out words making the document a bit messy than if the document was typed up.

 

Any student that learns how to touch type has learned important skills in life that will make them more efficient and faster in the work they produce than producing handwritten exercises. Documents produced by typing them out are more professional and easier to read. 

 

Students that have dyslexia that has learned how to touch type can find it easier to capture their thoughts and input them directly on the computer using the keyboard and word processing software as opposed to writing on paper. Any spelling or grammar mistakes can be corrected using spelling and grammar readily available on word processing software.

 

According to a research study by (Weigelt Marom & Weintraub, 2015)

It was found that touch-typing instruction may benefit students in general, and more specifically, students with learning differences studying in higher education, which often use computers in order to circumvent their handwriting difficulties.

 

Touch typing provides students with dyslexia with an important communication layer that can be used to communicate directly with fellow students, teachers and parents. This will provide them with a life-changing skill that will help them through the education system and onwards in the working environment. 

At Searsol, we provide the classroom environment with children with learning differences such as dyslexia, dyspraxia (DCD), or dysgraphia who can learn at their own pace using our specially designed touch typing software. A free trial available at our centres and can be booked online at :

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