Keyboard Connection Introduction

Keyboard Connection

Changes are happening for 2021-22, we are now using Typing Club.  Please refer to the curriculum map for your grade for updates.  Updates will be coming shortly on this page and the rest of the Keyboarding course.  

 

Keyboard Connection is an intensive, vocabulary-driven plan for developing strong keyboarding skills.

Keyboard Connection includes a drill book divided into 55 35- to 45-minute circuits and a music CD. "A major key to developing rapid keyboarding skill is building a strong keyboarding vocabulary. Automatic response words - words that are keyed as words, not as individual letters - make up the keyboarding vocabulary. The more words you have in your keyboarding vocabulary, the faster your keyboarding speed will be. Therefore, Keyboard Connection stresses the development of the keyboarding vocabulary from the very first lesson. All lesson material is based on the Most Frequently Used Words (MFUW) in our language." (Keyboard Connection introduction)

 

Keyboard IconKeyboard Connection

All Keyboard Connection circuit material focuses on high frequency words, but the circuits are grouped according to their content:

  • Circuits 1-25 -- Alphabet and basic punctuation keys
  • Circuits 26-30 -- Alphabet review and intense drill on 50 MFUW
  • Circuits 31-35 -- Additional punctuation keys
  • Circuits 36-40 -- MFUW and theme words
  • Circuits 41-45 -- Speedbuilding drills and simple composition
  • Circuits 46-55 -- Number keypad and simple composition

connection (1).jpg

The Keyboard Connection CD provides a variety of music that students can drill to for specific periods of time: 10, 15, 20, 30, and 60 seconds.

Each Keyboard Connection circuit (lesson) contains six components. These components are named in reference to an Internet connection. The comparison made in the material is that keyboarding should be fluid like a smooth, steady Internet connection should be. The components are:

  1. Reconnect (not present in Circuit 1) -- Drills keys in specific finger families previously practiced in earlier circuits
  2. Connect -- Drills keys in specific finger families on MFUW groupings
  3. Static-Free Connection -- Drills lines containing keyboarding vocabulary words
  4. Remote Connection -- Drills individual MFUW
  5. High Speed Connection -- Drills phrases and sentences that include finger families and/or MFUW from the circuit
  6. Tips for a Clear Connection -- Reviews proper keyboarding technique and gives instructions for each component in the circuit

Keyboard Connection Circuit Components

Keyboard Connection was designed to follow Keyboard Chatter (grades 3-4) and Keyboard Craze (grades 4-5). Keyboard Connection circuits are significantly different in design from the previous two programs. Students need the technique and finger family lessons explicitly taught in Chatter and Craze in order to be ready to move to the drill and speed development in Connection. Fifth and sixth grade teachers may use Keyboard Connection if they feel their students are ready.

 

Keyboard IconKeyboard Connection Plan

Fifth grade teachers using Keyboard Connection will teach 30 minutes a day for 20 consecutive days at the beginning of the school year, just like teachers using Keyboard Chatter or Craze. Obviously, there are more than 20 circuits available to teach. You should stick to the same schedule as the other elementary keyboarding teachers in your school, but you will need to select the circuits you think will be most beneficial to your students. For many, the first grouping (circuits 1-25) will be best because students need to review the finger families. However, if students are proficient in the basics, you may decide to teach circuits 26-45 to give your students the opportunity to learn the MFUW. Extra Keyboard Connection circuits are a great option for follow-up keyboarding activities as well.

 

Keyboard IconThe Importance of You in Keyboarding Instruction

As you teach keyboarding, remember that the teacher sets the tone for the class. Be excited! Make it fun! Add in your personality! Even drills and repetition can be fun if the teacher is into it. You are important to the success of keyboarding in Canyons School District.

 

Keyboard IconKeyboard Connection Introduction

Before beginning this module, obtain your own copy of the Keyboard Connection book. As you work through the module, follow along through the various sections of the book. Elementary schools do not currently have copies of the Keyboard Connection book. Please contact the instructor of this Canvas course to obtain a copy.

It's time to dive into Keyboard Connection! Begin by reading the introduction on the first page of the Keyboard Connection book, then complete the Keyboard Connection Introduction Quiz.

Click the following link to download a pdf copy of the Keyboard Connection introduction: