Checklist: Learning Materials

The following checklist is designed to aid in the selection of all resources, whether print or non-print.

Does the material:

• Contain text that is written at an appropriate reading level?

  Yes

  No

• Offer several pictures, drawings or photographs which graphically illustrate and reinforce the accompanying text, an example being illustrations of the elements of proper technique?

  Yes

  No

• Offer lessons of appropriate length for the learner? Twenty to thirty minutes per keyboarding session is generally recommended, depending upon the age of the learner.

  Yes

  No

• Graphically illustrate the keyboard at the beginning of each new lesson, showing the keys that have already been learned and highlighting the location of each new key as it is introduced?

  Yes

  No

• Contain sufficient review material for practice at the beginning of each keyboarding session?

  Yes

  No

• Introduce new keys at an appropriate pace? Two keys per lesson are generally recommended.

  Yes

  No

• Emphasize technique, then speed, and finally accuracy?

  Yes

  No

• Present sufficient practice material to allow the learner to become comfortable and confident in the learning of a new key?

  Yes

  No

• Present sufficient comprehensive practice material at the end of each lesson, combining the review and the new material?

  Yes

  No

• Make it clear which finger to use for which key? If the material is in colour, the "a", the "q" and the "z" may all be presented in red, visually reinforcing the use of the left "pinkie" or "baby" finger. Alternatively, a drawing of the required reaches may be offered.

  Yes

  No

• Progress quickly from the practice of isolated letters to the practice of words, phrases, and sentences?

  Yes

  No

• Delay the use of capital letters, which require perfection of the correct shifting technique, until students are more comfortable with the alphabetic keyboard?

  Yes

  No

• Contain a suitable amount of straight copy in which the word count has been clearly marked, allowing for the easy calculation of gross words per minute (GWPM) by the student?

  Yes

  No

• Clearly define the goals of each lesson at the beginning of that lesson?

  Yes

  No

• Clearly differentiate between the instructions for practice and the material that is to be practised?

  Yes

  No

• Continuously reinforce and remind learners of the elements of good technique?

  Yes

  No

• Present activities which require the application of learned keyboarding skills?

  Yes

  No