Because my son has dysgraphia, it is much easier for him to type than it is for him to write. For this reason, I was excited at our opportunity to review The Typing Coach Online Typing Course from The Typing Coach.
Dysgraphia is a learning disability that effects a person's ability to write. Specifically, my son has difficulty getting his thoughts down on paper. It can take him two hours to write two sentences. The best way to describe it is that there is a disconnection between the wires in his brain. He has no difficulty telling you his thoughts on any given topic. In fact, some of his thoughts are quite deep and above his age level. The difficulty comes when he has to translate those thoughts from his brain to the paper in front of him. He simply cannot manage to get the thoughts written down.
He also has difficulty with spacing, letter size, and making his words look neat. Handwriting issues are not uncommon among those with dysgraphia. Cursive writing is supposed to be easier as the child doesn't have to lift the pencil off of the paper while writing. However, that hasn't made any difference for my son. At age sixteen, this is a concern as he will soon be heading out into the real world to establish himself. As he does, he will need to be able to complete job applications. Thankfully, in our current society most tasks can be completed online. For this, he needs to be able to type proficiently.
To help students no longer rely on their monitors, the course is audio based. The Typing Coach, who thankfully has a pleasant voice to listen to while typing, will recite the letters the student is to type. My son likes the fact that he adds humor into the audio recordings. This has helped prevent him from melting down should he become frustrated with the repetition. Anything that prevents meltdowns is an enormous plus in this mom's book!
You will also have access to worksheets that provide drills for the students to use for typing practice. Once your student feels confident with his mastery of the row he has been working on, he can take the test. He has two chances to pass the test that day. If he doesn't meet the accuracy and proficiency requirements, he will be encouraged to practice some more and take the test again the following day. Although this class is intended to be held once a week for ten weeks, the fact that this class can be adjusted to be self-paced is a bonus, especially for those with special needs children who learn at their own pace and may need to work on one lesson longer than a week or may need to work on it twice a week for repetition and familiarity of the keyboard rows.
Furthermore, the Administrator of The Typing Coach, who is also the Creator, is very personable and is willing to work with parents to make adjustments to the program that will help benefit those with special learning needs. He truly wants to help your child succeed. That alone would be enough to get The Typing Coach a stellar review. It truly is a beneficial program that will help your student learn invaluable skills that will serve them a lifetime.
The Typing Coach
Explaining the Process
Modeling the Process
You can learn more about The Typing Coach Online Course by The Typing Coach on Facebook and Twitter.
Thank you for stopping by my blog to read my review. Please take a moment to stop by the Homeschool Review Crew to read my friends' reviews as well.
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