Best method for learning to type?

[stripey]

I would love my 12 year old to be able to touch type and use all the correct fingers etc. Obviously this would help with every aspect of computer/school work. A few years ago when I learnt to touch type I bought a CD-ROM called Mavis Beacon which was excellent and made learning fun too. When you made a mistake you knew instantly as sounds alerted you. Just wondering what the best way to learn to type is now? Is there a particularly good CD you can buy or is there a good free online programme? I've briefly looked online at the free ones...but there are so many to choose from! I tried one online but wasn't impressed as you weren't made aware audibly that you'd made a mistake, so it was just easy to carry on and on!

Any recommendations greatly appreciated!

[pheasantchick]

I was going to mention Mavis Beacon also, as I used that many moons ago.

[surreymum]

Another Mavis Beacon user here too

[Morning Glory]

We used English Type and Spongebob Square Pants. We have also used many of the free typing games which you can get online. The BBC website also has a free touch typing course.

[aargh]

For something like touch typing the old methods are often the best. It isn't the sort of skill that is changing in form, so people will not be devising wonderful new methods for it. Stick with Mavis.

[stripey]

Thank you for your replies. My Mavis Beacon CD-Rom was for windows XP and I'm now using Windows 7, so obviously that's out of date for me. That was why I was wondering whether I should/could buy the latest version of Mavis, or whether there was a free good alternative online.

[Snowdrops]

Stripey, have you actually tried the cd-rom on the Windows 7 system? It should work, it would only not work if you had an XP operating system and was trying to open a Windows 7 disc.

[stripey]

I didn't realise that! I threw it away when I purchased this computer two years ago. I didn't even think to try! I will have to get another one.

[aargh]

Touch typing should really be taught in school. Our DCs are growing up in a computer dependent culture, they are taught how to operate the systems but need to know how to type if they are to work effectively.
My DCs get some instruction during IT at their Primary, merely because one of the teachers happens to have the skill and realises the importance of typing skills.

[Snowdrops]

Typing, like Domestic Science, used to be taught in schools. Thankfully Domestic Science (under the guise of some sort of technology labelled subject) is being taught again in (some?) schools. Sadly I don't think typing is. For those who think typing is just about learning where the letters are, indeed have something to learn. It's about how to lay things out properly, who knows how many spaces there are across an A4 sheet of paper and how to centre things exactly and then centre things in columns in the following lines? Can you tell me how many lines there are in the same piece of paper and how to centre things so that there is an equal header and footer? Do you know how to address people properly, using the correct format, full stops and commas? Can you tell I was taught to type properly? One of my few achievements in life

You never know, it might come back