Many schools feature typing or keyboarding classes. In the event that the Express Key system begins to replace the QWERTY keyboard on a wider scale, I have designed a Speed Typing Course to be used in schools. This Course would also be useful to individuals who wish to accelerate their progress by working in a systematic way. This Course is designed to make learning to use all the features of the Express Keys both enjoyable and gratifying.

Learning by “Pattern Practice”
In the Beginning Course (one semester at a middle school), students can learn to Speed Type the 1025 most frequently used root words in the English language as well as two dozen of the most frequently used prefixes and suffixes.

In the Intermediate Course, students can learn to Speed Type 2000 additional words. By the end of this Course, many students will be able to type nearly all the words they regularly use in e-mails and daily conversations at speeds exceeding 100 words per minute. Plus, they will be able to quickly recognize the patterns of which other words are composed.

In both levels of the course, students will learn to Speed Type using the technique of Pattern Practice. A beginning typist thinks of one letter at a time and makes a separate finger movement to type each letter, but an experienced typist thinks of a word as a whole and types the letters of word with a single fluid gesture. The experienced typist comprehends words as made of recurring patterns or groups of letters, so he or she can type these patterns quickly.

The Express Keys Speed Typing Course is designed to quickly develop the user’s ability to recognize and type the common Letter Patterns (such as “ation” and “pre”) and type them in a single motion, much like a pianist plays a chord. When a user thinks of a word, his hands will instantly make the hand shape that corresponds to that word.

In the Beginning Course, the 1025 most commonly used root words are learned in about 90 Letter Pattern Groups. Some of these Groups are  ATION,  AIN, LY, YOU, N’T,  ET,  and ING. The Group YOU, for example, is comprised of the following words:

    you    your    young    you’re    you’ll    you’ve    you’d    youth    yourself  

The first Letter Group in the Beginning Course is the THE group. The student first learns to type the word “the,” then learns to type then, them, they, there, their, and other common words that have T, H, and E in them. In this way, the Pattern THE is repeated many times while simultaneously being varied. As a result, the student quickly learns to type this pattern of letters with a single motion, just as a master typist does, simply because the Pattern is repeated so many times. Yet, at the same time, there is enough variation to keep the student’s interest level high. Learning requires both repetition (reinforcement) and novelty (variation).

Learning by Typing Meaningful Sentences

The student learns the words in each group by typing complete, meaningful sentences rather than meaningless strings of letters such as JJJJ and FFFF, as in the common practice with QWERTY keyboard courses. For example, in the very first lesson, the student types: “Then they fly there.”  Every sentence in the Course is one that someone might actually type. As a result, students are not merely typing—they are communicating. This makes the Course relevant and accelerates learning and retention. To give a more detailed example of how this works, the words in the THE Letter Group include these words:

 the  them then they  
            these those their
             heat  hate  hotel  

Students are encouraged to invent their own sentences that use these words. Sentences are also provided for each Letter Group that incorporate basic short words learned previously in the Course.

            Then they go there.
            Then they fly there.
            There? Their hotel?
            
            They hate the heat.

            Those or these?
            Then it’s those.

The beginning student types each short sentences a number of times until it flows at about the rate of 100 words a minute. Though quite fast for QWERTY users, this is still relatively slow for Express Keys—not even half the speed of what many users will be able to do.

Each day, students move ahead to the next Letter Pattern group while also reviewing the work of the previous two days. As a result, they type the same groups of sentences three days in a row.

Below is a list of the 1025 words in the Beginning Course, arranged by Letter Pattern Groups.  All the words that use the THE key and its various Letter Patterns (THE, HE, TH, and so on) are first, then the ION key and its patterns (ON, IN, ION), and then the remaining six Finger Keys, in turn.

The words in each Letter Pattern Group include the anagrams in that group. So, for example, in the OWN group, the student learns to type “own,” “won,” and “now” at the same time: “I won it, so I own it now.”  When a student learns anagrams in this manner, he is sure to strike the first letter of a word a split second before the others, ensuring that the Operating System converts anagram accurately.

Different Courses for Different Groups
I foresee that there will be different Typing Courses for different groups of people, courses that use the same structure and approach discussed here but feature different sentences. For example, there could be an approach for kids featuring Dr. Suessian sentences such as: “Don’t let the wet pet in the jet!”  There could be Courses customized for teenagers, adults, business people, and so on. The guiding idea is to make the learning experience enjoyable, meaningful, and gratifying.

Another Benefit of This Approach
The Express Keys Speed Typing Course offers another benefit besides the ability to quickly learn how to Speed Type the most frequently used words. A person learns to spell correctly. For example, most of us have a hard time remembering whether a word such as apologize ends with “ise” or an “ize.” However, a student will type such sentences as “I apologize for the size of the prize” when working in the IZE Letter Group.  When typing the ISE group, they may type: “Surprise! He advised less exercise.”  The patterns of English spelling become especially clear when mutually reinforced like this, and good spelling boils down to remembering letter patterns.

Of course, the primary reason people will become good spellers is because they are enjoying the writing experience. The Express Keys were invented primarily to make the acting of typing interesting, efficient, and enjoyable.

Beginning Typing Course (1025 Root Words Plus Suffixes and Prefixes)

Short Basic Words
the   be  me  we  he  she  see  red
a  as  am  an  at  all  are  fat   had
I  in  is it  if  I’m  I’d  I’ll  ill  will
big  did   hi
on  no  go  or  so  of  off  do odd  to  too for
us  up  but  cut put
by  my fly

THE Key

THE
(the)  they  them  then  these  those their
earth  heart  teach  cheat  hate  heat  hotel white

THE RE & ETH ER
there  there’d  they’re
either   neither   together  weather   whether   theater

THER
other  another  mother  bother  brother  rather  father  further  three

ET & TE
bet  get  let  let’s  met  net  pet  set  wet  yet
tell  ten  step

TH
this  that  that’s  than  math path  both with hot

HE
(he) (she)  he’d  he’ll  he’s  her
head  ahead  heal  heavy  held  hello  here  hey  help

HI
him   his  hit

ION Key

ION
income  info  iron  lion   noise  notice  coin  join
point   billion   million  religion

IN
(in)  into  thin  win  dinner

INE  
fine   line   mine   nine   imagine

ON & NO
only  onto  son  not  north

OON
moon  noon  soon

ONE
alone  done  gone  none  one  once  stone   phone

TO & OT
(to) ton  two  lot  foot  bottom

OTE
note  quote  vote  wrote

ITE    
invite  quiet  quite  website  write  diet

N’T
didn’t  doesn’t  don’t  hadn’t  isn’t

ENT & TEN
went   rent  sent  enter  center  recent  student
different  spent  invent  (ten)  listen  often

OI & IO
oil  soil  spoil  avoid voice  radio

TION & ATION
attention  emotion  fiction  mention   motion  position
education  information  nation  situation  vacation

USA Key

USA
usual   cause  pause   August  famous   square   sugar   surface   thousand

AS & SA
was  wasn’t  has  hasn’t  gas  ask  also
saw  sad  sale  sat   say

ASE & SEA
base  case  sea   season   reason  easy

ASS
class  glass   grass  pass

AST
fast  last  past  least  east  salt  taste

ATE & EAT
ate  date  late  rate  state  beat  eat  seat  meat

AN
can  can’t  cannot  ran  want  answer

AIN
again  brain  gain  main  rain  remain  train  certain  pain

OA
road  goat  oar

OSE & OOSE
chose  choose  close  lose  loose  nose  whose

OSS
across  boss  loss

OST & STO  
cost  lost  most  almost  soft  storm

IS & SI
(is)  kiss  miss list  sir  sit  its  it’s  still  sister  Asia

ES
yes guess

EST
best  guest  rest  test  west

SH & ISH
shoe  show  short  shape  sharp  ship  fashion  fish  English

US & SU
use  bus  rush  push  such  summer  sun

STU & UST
study  stuff  stupid must  just

UN & URN
fun  run until  June  turn  return

OUT
out  without  about  doubt

OUTH
mouth  south  touch

OUNT
count   amount  country

OUS
house  mouse   serious  various

AU & UA
Aunt  author  autumn  fault  laugh  adult  value  argue

RED Key

RED
read  dear  ready  address  already  bread  credit  degree  direct  dream  dress  drew
friend  garden  grade  hundred  order  record  ride  rode  rude
thunder  trade  under  weird  drive

ER
offer  paper  after  afternoon  water

IRE
entire  fire  hire  tire

ORE
bore  more  store  therefore

EAR
ear  fear  hear  near  clear  wear year  appear  earn learn

ERE & REE
sincere  we’re  were  weren’t  agree  free  street

ET ER
better  letter  tree

INTER
interest(ing)  Internet  winter

URE
sure  measure  nature  future  picture  figure

ED & DE
bed  led  edge  dead  deal  made

IDE
wide  decide  idea

SIDE
side  outside  inside  beside

RD & DR
card  hard  bird  third  afford  dry  door  dollar  during

EE
feet  meet  seem  seen  week  weekend  else  eye

EED
feed  need  seed  speed

EEP
deep  keep  sleep  asleep

AR
car  far  war

ARE
(are)  area  care  rare  scare  share

AIR
air  chair  fair  hair  pair  repair

ART
art  start  part  party

AD
add  bad  glad  mad  instead

AID
paid  said  afraid

AND
and  band  hand  land  island  stand  understand

ORN
born  worn  morning

OUR
our  four  hour  course  group

TR
traffic  travel  trip  true

OD & OOD
good  God dog  stood  understood  wood  blood  food

END
end  send  spend

IND
find  kind  mind  wind  behind  window

OUND
around  found  ground  round  sound  pound

FLY Key

FLY
(fly)  family  fully  carefully

AL & ALL
real  total  ball  call  hall  mall  shall  small  tall  wall

ELL & LE
cell  sell  smell  well  we’ll  spell  less  leg  rule

AIL
detail  mail  e-mail

ILD
child  wild  build

ILE
mile  smile  little

OOL
cool  school fool

OLD
old  cold  gold  hold  sold  told

OULD
loud  cloud  could   couldn’t   should  shoulder  shouldn’t   would  wouldn’t

AY
may & May  maybe  okay  (say)  stay  pay  lay  play

DAY
day  today  Friday  Monday   Saturday  Sunday
Thursday   Tuesday   Wednesday   yesterday

ANY
any  many  anyone  anything

OY
boy  enjoy  toy

YOU
you  your  you’ll  you’re  you’ve  young

ARY
library  necessary  carry  February  January

RY
cry  try  hurry  sorry  story

LY
(only)  (really)  early  lady

TY & ITY
city  dirty  (reality)  (ability)  type

FOR & FRO
(for)  roof  form  from  force  forget  effort  front

FI & IF
(if)  fit  fix  first  wife

FL & LF
flow flower  follow  flew  floor  flat  fall  feel  felt  fell
fill  film  field  final  half  life  left

FUL
beautiful  full  flu

SELF
self  herself  himself  itself  myself  yourself

WMV Key

AW & WA
draw   law  (& wall)  (saw)  wait  (water)

EW
few  grew  knew  new

WH
who  (& how)  what (& thaw)  when  where  somewhere
why  which while whole  (with)  within wish

OW
owe  how  grow  power

OWN
brown  down  know  town  own  now  snow  won  wonderful

LOW
low  allow  slow  yellow

WARD
forward  toward

WOR
word  world  worry  worse  worth

WAY
way  away  always  anyway

MI & IM
middle  minute  animal

AME & EAM & MEA
came  game  name  same  team  mean  (meat)

OME
come  home  welcome

SOME
some  someone  something  somewhat

TIME
sometimes  time

MEN & MENT
men  women  moment  (mention)

MA
map  matter

MAN
human  man  woman  (many)

RM & ARM
Mr.  Mrs. room  arm  farm  warm

MO
movie  modern  money  month  tomorrow

MU
music  (must)  (much)

AVE
Ave.  gave  have  haven’t  save  leave

IVE
five  give  I’ve  live  river

OVE
above  drove  love  move  over

EVER
ever  everyone  everything  everywhere
however  never  every  very  several

EVEN
even  seven

CKG Key

CK
back  black  check  quick  sick  stick  clock  o’clock
rock  luck  stuck  truck

RK
dark  mark  work

CH
catch  watch  lunch March (& march)  much

EACH
each reach cheap

ACE
face  race  place  space

ICE
ice  nice  price  office  twice  since  piece

ANCE & ENCE
chance  dance  sentence  tense  sense

ECT
respect  correct  effect

ACT
act  cat  fact

CIAL & ICAL
special  social  especially physical  medical  technical

CL
clean  clothes  college  color

COM & COMP
common  communication  compute(r)  company  compare  complete

CON
concert  condition  confuse  control  consider  second

GO
goal  got  ago  forgot

GR & RG
green  great  gray  girl  hungry  energy  large

ONG
long  along  song  strong  wrong  among

ING
thing  ring  bring  spring  sign  sing  design  single  finger

AGE
age   page  image

ANGE
anger  danger  change

OUGHT
ought  fought  bought  brought  although  thought
though  through  enough  tough  rough

IGHT
right  sight  fight  flight  might  night  midnight  tonight
nothing  light  bright  eight  weight  height  high  straight

AUGHT
caught  taught   daughter

AKE & EAK
awake  cake  fake  lake  make  mistake  take  speak  break  weak

K
sky  key

OKE
spoke  broke  joke

OOK
book  cook  look  took

LK
talk  walk  milk  kill  like

NK & KN
bank  thank  drink  think  skin

P
pen  pull  upon  April

OP
shop  stop  drop  top  copy  open  option

HAP
happen  happy  perhaps

PBJ Key

PER & PRE
per  perfect  period  person  present  pretty

PRO
probably  problem  product  program  poor

EPT
accept  kept  slept

PH
photo  (phone)  (physical)

PLAN
plan  plane  plant

PLE & MPLE
people  please (& asleep)  simple  example

MP
jump  important

BE
(be)  beach  began  begin  below  beyond  web

BE E
been   become  became  believe  because  before  between

BY
(by)  buy  bye  goodbye  busy  baby

BODY
body  anybody  everybody  nobody  somebody

BLE
able  table  cable  double  trouble  possible  blue

UMB
dumb  number

EMBER & BER
member  remember  September  December  November  October

X & EX
box  sex  exciting  next

EXP
expect  except  expense  experience  explain  express

J
job  July

JECT
project  object  subject

Q
question  (quite)  (quiet)

Z
lazy zero

IZE
prize  size  (realize)

Common Prefixes and Suffixes Emphasized in the Beginner’s Course

de-  dis-  en-  in-  im-  mid-  mis-  re-  pre- un-

-age  -al  -ance  -ble  -able   -ible  -ed  -en  -ening  -er -ier  -est -iest  -ful -fully
-ing  -ion -tion -ation  -ish  -ity  -ive -ively  -less  -ly -ily
-ment  -ness -iness -lessness -fulness  -s -es -ies -th  -ward  -y