Hello elisters,
   
  My name is Anita Webb and I’m the Co-Director of One WITH One.  This is my first posting to the list.  I’ve enjoyed reading your contributions and suggestions.  Thank you all.
   
  At One WITH One, we offered an integrated ESOL / office skills training program for 15 years in Boston.  Our young adult and adult participants had achieved beginner to beginner-intermediate English skills by the start of the program. 
   
  We taught touch typing, beginning with electronic typewriters, with an instructor present in each 50-minute session for the first 6 weeks.  Participants typed letter combinations on paper to learn the different keys, using our own typing textbook – based on the experience of our teaching staff and a bilingual professional typing instructor – which we used for fourteen years.  In a class of 25-30 participants in total, there were only 8-10 typists in each session. Training sessions took place in the morning, and in the afternoon typists practiced in labs monitored by an assistant who also proofread their assignments for immediate feedback on using the correct fingers for each key.
   
  After the first 6 weeks, the learners moved to typing on computers, using Mavis Beacon, and later a program that tested speed and accuracy.  At the end of the nine-month program, most participants typed at least 40 wpm, with some typing at 50 wpm or higher.  
   
  We found this method very effective for two reasons.  One, the learners had to produce one perfect set of letters for each lesson.  Each set was about 5 lines of letters.  They could not erase mistakes.  This usually required each person to type each set several times, thereby repeating the finger movements again and again, “programming” the movements into her fingers.  
   
  Two, an instructor in the session was essential for learner success each day.  Many participants had to develop hand-eye coordination, transpose letters and sounds b and v and e and i and sustain patience.  The instructor provided much needed encouragement and individual coaching after she led each session with a brief lesson or instruction for building accuracy or speed.  The instructor was active throughout each session in observing that each person was using the correct fingers for each key, and that each person was saying the letters – not the words - in her head in English as she typed.
   
  Employers had set 40 wpm as a basic requirement for employment in an entry level office job and out of 20 cycles, 100% of the participants in 14 cycles were hired. Currently we are preparing our curriculum with resources for novice teachers as well as learners who have achieved beginner-intermediate English.  These materials combine English language learning with office skills and cultural skills development.  Would anyone like to beta-test some of our manuals and share your feedback with us?
    
  Anita H. Webb
  Co-Director, One WITH One
  anita_h_webb at yahoo.ca  
  416-588-3533 (Toronto, Ontario)
   


Craig Alinder <info at gaming-pc.net> wrote:      Barbara,
   
  I have taught elementary school for 8 years, and we have what you might call a "keyboarding program" at the elementary level. I have to agree that learning keyboarding at an early age can make a huge difference, which is why we encourage our students to learn keyboarding skills. Our main way of teaching at this level is the computer program Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing from Broderbund. Our students follow the lessons and learn at their own pace. As a reward for completeing several lessons the software offers a typing game. This is an added incentive to complete more lessons. The one rule I have had to enforce with this software is that they do not go straight to the games. They have to earn access to the games. Find out more: http://www.broderbund.com/jump.jsp?itemID=4815&itemType=CATEGORY  
   
  To be honest with you I used the same program to learn correct keyboarding technique as an adult. I never learned in school and had to learn as an adult. I hope this helps.
   
  Craig Alinder
  Albuquerque, NM
  http://www.refinancequiz.com
    ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: barbarasg8 at aol.com 
  To: technology at nifl.gov 
  Sent: Saturday, December 16, 2006 9:19 AM
  Subject: [Technology 760] Re: Technology List topic: Keyboarding
  

  Hello group,
   
  It would be helpful to hear how computer keyboarding is being taught around the country, and who is teaching it? I come from a background in occupational therapy and have taught touch typing to hundreds of students from 1st - 6th grades. Based on what I've learned, teaching young students at the second or third grade level is very practical. At that age, children have not become habitual "hunt and peck" typists. Because they are still learning to read and spell and can benefit from using touch typing skills to practice word lists and compose short writing assignments. 
   
  I see older students enter computer classes having already developed typing skills that are inefficient and hard to remediable. Lack of good habits and slower input make a big difference when students are required to produce longer papers in high school, and afterword as they compete in the workplace.
   
  Another question about teaching/learning touch typing: how might it contribute to ESL students at any age, or adults with LD and people in adult literacy classes? 
   
  I have been reading these emails for months but never contributed to the discussion. 
  Thank you for the opportunity.
   
  Barbara Oliver, COTA/L
  Tulsa OK
  barbarasg8 at aol.com
   
   
 
-----Original Message-----
From: cgrimaldi at lagcc.cuny.edu
To: technology at nifl.gov
Sent: Wed, 13 Dec 2006 2:09 PM
Subject: [Technology 752] Re: Technology List topics for 2007

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Hi Mariann,  I would also like to learn more about teaching our students make better  use of their cell phones.  Most students have them but many don't know  how to use their voicemail, pictures, downloading, etc., especially  older students.    The next topic I'd like to see discussed more is the issue of slow  computer learners- either due to lack of experience, age, low literacy  skills, lack of interest/need, no computer in the home.      Carolyn Grimaldi  Center for Immigrant Education and Training  LaGuardia Community College  29-10 Thomson Ave. C250  Long Island City, NY 11101  (718) 482-5067  www.lagcc.cuny.edu/ciet/  cgrimaldi at lagcc.cuny.edu    >>> "Mariann Fedele" <MariannF at lacnyc.org> 12/13/06 2:48 PM >>>  Thank You, David!  What would others on the list like to see in terms of specific topics  discussed next year? If one that David mentioned is particularly  interesting to you please feel free to second the motion.    Regards,  Mariann    Mariann Fedele 
 Associate Director,  NYC Regional Adult Education Network  Literacy Assistance Center  Moderator,  NIFL Technology and Literacy Discussion List  32 Broadway 10th Floor  New York, New York 10004  212-803-3325  mariannf at lacnyc.org   www.lacnyc.org       -----Original Message-----  From: technology-bounces at nifl.gov [mailto:technology-bounces at nifl.gov]    On Behalf Of David Rosen  Sent: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 11:30 AM  To: The Technology and Literacy Discussion List  Subject: [Technology 749] Technology List topics for 2007    Hi Mariann,    I would like to see the Technology list introduce our field to some    technologies in the context of their use/possible use in adult ed.     These might include, for example:    1) mobile phones  2) web-accessible PDAs  3) tablet PCs  4) e-books and e-book readers  5) wikis for writing projects  6) electronic white boards  7) inexpensive (under $500) multimedia (e.g. LCD) projectors  8) video Ipods with high quality video goggles
 (intended for video    but maybe useful for reading text?)    David J. Rosen  djrosen at comcast.net         ----------------------------------------------------  National Institute for Literacy  Technology and Literacy mailing list  Technology at nifl.gov   To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/technology   ----------------------------------------------------  National Institute for Literacy  Technology and Literacy mailing list  Technology at nifl.gov   To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to  http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/technology  ----------------------------------------------------  National Institute for Literacy  Technology and Literacy mailing list  Technology at nifl.gov  To unsubscribe or change your subscription settings, please go to   http://www.nifl.gov/mailman/listinfo/technology  

    
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