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Touch typing FAQ
Clear, short answers to the questions students, parents and teachers ask most about touch typing and about KeyDash.
What is touch typing?
Touch typing is typing without looking at the keyboard. You learn where the keys are so your fingers find them by memory, with each finger looking after its own group of keys.
How is touch typing different from hunt-and-peck?
Hunt-and-peck means searching for each key with one or two fingers while looking down. Touch typing uses all ten fingers from memory with your eyes on the screen, which is faster, more accurate and less tiring.
Why should students learn to touch type?
Most schoolwork, research and on-screen exams involve a keyboard. Fluent typing lets students keep up with their thoughts and spend their attention on the work rather than on finding keys.
At what age can children start learning to type?
Most children can begin around the age of seven, once their hands rest comfortably on the home row. Short, regular and playful practice suits young learners best.
How long does it take to learn to touch type?
It varies with age and how often you practise. With a few focused minutes most days, many learners feel comfortable within a few weeks and keep improving from there.
What is a good typing speed?
Speed is measured in words per minute (WPM). Many confident school typists aim for around 30 to 40 WPM, while fluent adults often reach 50 to 70 WPM. Accuracy matters more than raw speed, and a comfortable target depends on age.
What is the home row?
The home row is the middle row of letter keys where your fingers rest: A, S, D, F for the left hand and J, K, L and the semicolon for the right. The F and J keys usually have a small bump to help you find it without looking.
Is KeyDash free?
The game is free for individuals to play. Teachers and schools can take optional paid plans that add class tools, such as student login keys. These plans are run at cost price as part of the SwiftTeach Digital Programme, so the fee only covers what it costs to run the service.
Why is KeyDash so affordable?
Because we run it at cost price. As part of the SwiftTeach Digital Programme, this site and every tool in the programme are run at cost rather than for profit. The small per-seat fee only covers what it costs to keep the service running, so digital skills stay within reach of every school and student.
What does a class or school plan cost?
Individuals play for free. Verified teachers can try 20 pupil seats free for 45 days: pupils play on printed class keys, nothing is recorded during the trial, and classes keep working afterwards. The Teacher plan is $1.50 per pupil a year, from 20 pupils ($30 a year for a class of 20, billed yearly). Schools can pool seats for every pupil on a quote. Every plan is charged at cost price; see school pricing, or email contact@swiftteach.com for school or bulk pricing.
Do I need an account to use KeyDash?
No, you can play without one, and your progress is saved in your own browser. To keep it across devices, a paid plan saves it to your account (see the pricing page); pupils whose teacher has a paid plan can log in with a class key instead.
Is KeyDash safe, and what data does it collect?
It is designed to be safe for classrooms and has no adverts. If you play without an account, nothing personal is stored and your progress stays in your own browser. If you sign in, we store only your email and progress; a class key stores no student email.
What devices and browsers does it work on?
It runs in any modern web browser on a computer or laptop with a physical keyboard, which is what touch typing needs. No installation is required.
How does KeyDash choose the difficulty?
The text adapts to each student's reading age, and four levels (Easy, Medium, Hard and Insane) sit just below, at, above and well above that level so the challenge is always a fair stretch.
Can a whole class race together?
Yes. KeyDash has a live multiplayer mode where players join a room with a short code, so a whole class can race at the same time. No personal data is needed, and players appear under friendly animal names.
What is the SwiftTeach Digital Programme?
It is SwiftTeach's effort to make digital skills accessible for all students. Every tool in the programme is run at cost price, not for profit, to keep it affordable for schools. KeyDash is the typing tool within it, supporting students in developing their typing ability and digital fluency.